Indian University Education System Needs Reform - Essay, UPSC MAINS | Course for UPPSC Preparation - UPPSC (UP) PDF Download

Indian University Education System Needs Reform

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(1) Opening    —    Priority of our education policy-makers and the government to delve deep into the crisis in which the universities have entered.

(2) Body    —    Highest degree in the university has failed to prove its worth in its trust sense.

    —    Socio-economic challenges of our higher education.

    —    Attraction towards computer, fashion technology, public relations and management courses.

    —    Vocationalisation of higher education.

    —    The profession of teaching has failed to attract the best students.

    —    Stringent procedure for the selection of teachers is necessary.

    —    A few elite universities do not reflect the trend in higher education in India.

    —    The growing virus of undue interference of politicians.

    —    A good teacher can play the role of a lighthouse.

(3) Closing    —    What would be the future of the Indian universities in 2000 A.D.?

Indian Universities are passing through hard times. In the fast changing national scene owing to the reservation policy of government during admission process and later in the employment, privatisation of higher education and with the identity of some subjects being eclipsed by the emerging trends, it must be the top priority of our education policy-makers and the government to delve deep into the crisis in which the universities have entered. Indian universities have produced and are still producing an ever increasing number of graduates without really knowing whether and how the qualifications and skills or competences of students match the demands of employment system, what actually happened and is going to happen to all these graduates, postgraduates and researchers.

Forgetting the past if the present scenario is taken into account the highest degree in the university, that is, the Ph. D degree has failed to prove its worth in its truest sense. It is alarming and also shocking that research scholars after qualifying for the JRF examination and earning a handsome scholarship fall in love with the civil services examination or could be seen knocking the doors of press offices. Things don’t stop here as they simultaneously join Law, Busi

ness Management or some other professional classes.

A prestigious university like even the JNU is no exception to it. Rather, the number of students escaping the research training is very high if this premier institution is rated. The students earning the scholarship packet in the name of Ph.D. spend this money either on luxuries like the purchase of a costly music systems or would rather be proud owners of a mobike. They seldom visit     libraries, museums or laboratories which may prove to be useful for their research work. Neither do they meet academicians to have discussions related to their work. The subjects falling in the faculty of social sciences and humanities are the most affected. Similar trends could be seen in the faculty of sciences, although with lesser intensity. A student who after his graduation would have entered the field of journalism or with one plus academic year earning a diploma joins as reporter or sub-editor, frustrated after a gap of five to six years not as a matter of choice for this job but due to circumstantial compulsion. The student’s time and the budget of the government are wasted like the running water of the municipal tap. But the million dollar question is: what will happen to our university research? And, what are the factors responsible for the crisis of many of the subjects taught in universities?

As regards the socio-economic challenges of our higher education, one could deeply observe some clear trends. Due to ‘scientification’ of employment and work, a growing number of jobs require a high level of skills and competences and opportunities to take over high-level positions. Those equipped with simple B.A. or M.A. tend to enter the dark room. Professional graduates and postgraduates which will suit the industrial houses and MNCs in the near future would be relatively well received by the employment system. Hence, an attraction towards computer, fashion technology, public relations, and management courses.

The vocationalisation of higher education in our country has posed a serious threat to many departments in various universities. Subjects like Philosophy, History, Sociology, Military Science, Political Science are offered by students in fewer numbers who opt for them only to prepare for various competitive exams or because they could not secure admission in the subjects of their choice. Thus one very important reason for this visible shift in the liking for subjects is the concern of the young graduate for a decent socio-economic status.

Even the profession of teaching has failed to attract the best students with the socio-economic factor playing as the main hindrance. Owing to the government’s apathy towards higher education, with the number of universities and colleges with necessary facilities almost negligible, the talented researcher is frustrated. The conquest over poverty, crime, drug abuse, alcoholism and illiteracy is possible provided university and college teachers are equipped with a better socio-economic environment.

No doubt, a more stringent procedure for the selection of teachers is necessary. Derek Bok, in his book Universities and the Future of America, acknowledged that the potential exists among academicians to respond to almost every issue on a formidable national agenda. When applied to our country this notion compels us to wonder whether our teachers are competent enough to show their readiness for such a response.

A few elite universities do not reflect the trend in higher education in India. Almost 95 per cent of our universities and colleges have taken the hope of degree factories for the majority of students. There are institutions of higher learning where classes are not held for months, not only teachers but even principals are involved in serious cases like murder and dacoity, a Ph. D thesis can be obtained for a few thousand rupees.

Things do not stop here. Those who do justice to their duties are either sidelined or threatened with dire consequences. The case of two threatening letters sent to the Vice-Chancellor of Meerut University is an eye-opener to all. The letters from the JKLF organisation were sent after the Vice-Chancellor cancelled the admissions of hundreds of students from Jammu and Kashmir who succeeded in earning admissions on the basis of fake certificates after greasing the palms of some principals in the affiliated colleges of the university. The management quota of technical colleges is against the spirit of equality. 

It is a hard fact that the university and college teachers have not responded in a manner befitting their profession. The heavy price that the country has paid during the last three decades is for all to see. Had our university teachers taken their job seriously our failure in the field of medical research, economic or social studies, education, legal rights and other developments would have certainly affected the quality of our lives.

The growing virus of undue interference by politicians in the matters of appointments of Vice-Chancellors and Principals has added to the sad story of our higher education. Those deserving are sidelined for these posts whereas academic Lilliputians and dons are crowned. The captains of the Titanic ship of our higher education are unaware of the serious danger in the coming days.

In his lecture delivered in New Delhi the Vice-Chancellor-designate of Oxford University, Prof Colin Lucas, stressed the importance of teaching in universities. In our country the teaching exercise is either at a standstill or of a poor standard. What happens to the university calendar, the syllabi and the tutorials? When a teaching post falls vacant there is generally an interminable gap before the vacancy is filled.

As for the selection process and its yardsticks, cases of violation of UGC guidelines occur even in the Central Universities, what to talk of the State universities. With teachers more involved in private business, tuitions and the business of property, can one hope that the standard of teaching and the sanctity of this noble profession could be preserved? Teaching is more than a job. A good teacher can play the role of a lighthouse. The youth of the country seek direction from the teachers. Not only accumulated knowledge but new frontiers in knowledge should be passed on to the students.

Teachers who do not perform their basic duty of teaching their students are the real culprits. The government must explore the possibility of punishing these earning ‘teachers’ who not only escape their classes for days but also for months. A separate court for their trial could be constituted in order to save the crumbling universities.

During the last few years the UGC has made a cut in the budget allocation for universities. Hence the governments have encouraged the universities to accept the challenge of raising resources for development from the private sector. New courses have been launched with assistance from the NRIs or leading business houses because now higher education is expected to contribute more to economic growth than in the past. Hence, students will enroll in those subjects and degree programmes for which graduates are in demand in the employment market. With 50 per cent of the seats being reserved as payment seats what will be the plight of students who cannot pay for induction into these courses even though they are academically more sound? Equal opportunities for access to higher education is badly affected with the rapid expansion of privatisation in the universities. What would be the future of the Indian universities in 2030 AD? This question needs to be thoroughly considered. A revival process for our ailing universities must be the special assignment for our government and policy-makers. In the absence of such a commitment our university system may face serious threats.A mere replacement of UGC by Higher Education Commission Of India is not the answer.