Overview
Demand for quality higher education, is continuing to outpace the supply due to growing population of young people, gains in school education, growing middle class and their rising aspirations. At the same time, the country has a unique opportunity to convert this demographic surplus to its economic strength by providing its young people the right kind of skills. Thus, higher education now occupies a central position in the country's strategy for global competitiveness and inclusive growth. Steps have been initiated to augment supply, improve quality and fix problems. The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) has made several useful and important recommendations and the government has significantly increased funding during the Eleventh Five Year Plan.
In the backdrop of these developments, Indian Higher Education: Envisioning the Future, describes the Indian higher education landscape. The author spells out the needs, identifies the gaps, and based on the lessons learnt from the experiences of other countries provides perspectives to shape its future.
Synopsis
India is in the throes of great developments in the field of higher education. This book identifies the needs and gaps in this sector and provides suggestions for improvement based on the lessons learnt from the experiences of several countries. It facilitates a clear and holistic understanding of the sector's complex nature and breaks several myths related to it.
The supply of quality higher education in India, though increasing, is unable to meet the demand raised by a growing youth population, improvements in school education and a growing middle class. At the same time, it has been widely recognised that the country has a unique opportunity to convert its demographic surplus into its economic strenght by providing its young people the right kind of skills. Following this understanding, and due to the persisting problems in the sector, higher education now occupies a cerntral position in the country's strategy for global competitiveness and inclusive growth, and several steps have been taken for its improvement. Apart from an analysis of this prevailing situation, the author also suggests a framework for the creation of a competitive environment in higher education that would ensure better utillisation of public funds and improvement of both publich and private institutions.
This book will be a valuable resource for centres of education and higher education in universities and research organisations, as well as think-tanks. It would also be a useful tool for consultants and private organisations working in the higher education sector.