THESE are challenging times for higher education in India. And challenges are both national and global. The national challenges arise out of the need for making the success of the policy of social inclusion in the field of higher education. Since it has been, by now, well established that there is a direct relationship between education and development, pursuit of such a policy of social inclusion in the realm of higher education would in turn lead to reduction of development inequalities which are part of our society today. The challenges are global because in the contemporary world not only are nations linked with one another in al walks of life-social, economical, political and cultural-but there is healthy competition among them for emerging as world leaders in terms of development. And here too the key lies in higher education, for it is in the domain of higher education where production of knowledge takes place. And we know knowledge is empowerment.
1. Hindrances related
to rules and
regulation regarding
appointments, of
teachers and service
conditions and
measures to
overcome those.
2. STRENGTHS OF HIGHER
EDUCATION SYSTEM IN
INDIA
India is third largest in terms of college
enrollments, with 12.8 million students after
CHINA and USA.
It uses English as a primary language of higher
education and research.
There are small numbers of high quality
institutions, departments and centers which can
form basis of quality education in higher
education.
3. WEAKNESS OF INDIAN
EDUCATION SYSTEM
India educate just 14 million of its young
population in higher education compared to half
a million in developed countries.
India's colleges have become large, under funded
ungovernable.
The rise in number of part time teachers and
freeze on appointments of full time teachers have
affected the moral of academic profession.
4. STATUS OF VACANCIES IN
UNIVERSITIES
Table 1:vacant positions of professors ,readers and
lecturers in sample university (SOURCE-UGC report
2007-2008)
TotalTotal
sanctionedsanctioned
Total filledTotal filled TotalTotal
vacantvacant
%vacancy%vacancy NN
Prof.Prof. 24692469 13671367 11021102 44.63%44.63% 4545
Read.Read. 45064506 21942194 23122312 51.31%51.31% 4646
Lect.Lect. 96049604 45034503 51015101 53.11%53.11% 4444
TotalTotal 1657916579 80648064 85158515 51.36%51.36%
6. PART TIME/CONTRACT
TEACHERS
HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA
SUFFERS FROM SHORTAGES OF TEACHERS.
ACC. TO UGC REPORT RATIO OF PART TIME
LECTURERS TO REGULAR LECTURERS IS
0.24,FOR ALL TYPES OF UNIVERSITIES PUT
TOGETHER.
IT IS 0.32 FOR STATE UNIVERSITIES, AND
0.20 FOR DEEMED UNIVERSITIES.
7. AND RATIO IS 0.20 FOR DEEMED
UNIVERSITIES.
IN PLAIN TERMS ,IN STATE UNIVERSITIES
THERE IS ONE PARTONE PART TIME OR AD HOC
TEACHER FOR EVERY 3 REGULAR3 REGULAR
LECTURERSLECTURERS.
AND ONE SUCHONE SUCH LECTURER FOR EVERY 55
REGULAR LECTURERREGULAR LECTURER IN DEEMED
UNIVERSITIES.
8. HINDERENCES IN QUALITY
EDUCATION IN INDIA
Highly bureaucratized system, with multiple
controls, and regulation exercised by central and
state governments, statutory bodies (UGC,
AICTE and others)
System is highly subsidized by the governments
with 90% of operating cost borne by state
governments. The efficiency of fund utilization is
very poor due to internal rigidities.
9. Most institutions offer outdated programs with
inflexible structures and content.
Infrastructural facilities range from inadequate
to dismal. Classrooms are often unattractive and
laborites poorly stocked. it is estimated that
barely 20% of the institutions have the basic
minimum laboratory equipments.
10. MEASURES TO OVERCOME
THESE HINDRACES
AS PER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
UGC STATE LEVEL COUNCILS
SHOULD COME INTO FORCE TO ACT
AS A LINK BETWEEN CENTRE AND
STATE.
QUALIFIED TEACHING STAFF
SHOULD BE RETAINED BY OPENING
OF FREEZE IN APPOINTMENTS OF
FULL TIME LECTURERS.
SALARY STRUCTURE OF PART
TIME/AD HOC LECTURERS SHOULD
NOT BE LEFT AT THE MERCY OF
AFFLIATED COLLEGS.
