Problems and prospects for higher education in India by Prof. S. K. Khanna Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education, New Delhi

The Indian higher education system has undergone tremendous qualitative and quantitative changes during the past few decades. This article looks at its historical development, depth, spatial spread, diversity and dimensions, and then considers its future growth.

Background ndia has a long tradition of learning and scholarship. I Takshashila and Nalanda enriched

knowledge until the year 1200. Later, the Muslim rulers encouraged higher education through schools known as 'Madarsas'. Besides teaching theology. these schools imparted learning in the traditional areas of humanities, social sciences and sciences, as well as in the art of healing. The traditional learning prior to and after 1200 AD was greatly influenced by religion, and quite a few educational centres developed around the ideologies of Bhaktism and Sufism during 1:his period.

The year 1857 is a landmark in the history of Indian higher education, because it was in this year that the foundation of a modern university was [aid. The first

education was literary biased and had negligible science and professional content. During the First Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920, Mahatma Gandhi founded institutions such as Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Kashi Vidyapeeth, Bi har Vidyapeeth, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth and Jamia Millia Islamia. Emphasis in these educational institutions was to build strength for the national movement. India had no facility for postgraduate teaching and research until 1947.

Recent initiatives in higher education

echnical education is the most crucial component in human T resource development, and

thus i t must dedicate itself to the economic development of the nation.

university. set up in Calcutta, was soon followed by the establishment of universities at Bombay and Madras. These were modelled on the then London University. The Punjab and Allahahad Universities were founded in 1882 and 1887, respectively, with almost similar character to that of the first three universities. The Indian Government Resolution on Education in 1913 defined the concept of jurisdiction which helped in establishing the universities at Dhaka, Aligarh and Banaras, followed by those at Rangoon, Patna, Nagpur, Mysore and Hyderabad.

During the British colonial period, the main focus was to create an educated class which could act as an interpreter for the British so as to govern India effectively. Indian

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India's policy makers were quick to recognise this, our successive 5 year plans, accordingly, laid great emphasis on the integrated development and promotion of technical education. In fact the past four decades has witnessed a phenomenal expansion and diversification of this sector in the country. Today, in the technical education sector, there is a capacity of 65 000 intake at the first-degree level, and 130 000 intake at the diploma level; altogether this gives us an annual capacity of nearly 200 000 qualified and trained personnel. Along with this, facilities for postgraduate work and research have also been created in 150 cent res.

India is steadily shifting to the fast track of economic and industrial development, which, inevitably leads to mounting demands on technical education. Adaptation of ever new technologies constitutes a key strategy in the emerging global as well as national competitive environment. This calls fcir a highly diversified human resource capable of acquiring, utilising, adapting and improving technologies that ensure low-cost bu t high-quality manufacturing capability. This would require generic skills normally attained through higher levels of technical education. Technically competent human resource, therefore, becomes absolutely vital to the conception and successful implementation of economic restructuring. At the same time, it ensures sustainable economic development. The onus of making available this resource clearly lies on our system of technical education. But is our system geared to meet this challenge? Undoubtedly, the system has registered impressive growth in the past four decades. It still suffers from a variety of weaknesses and problems. On many

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occasions, the existing system has become unable to muster an effective response to our changing needs. It is imperative, therefore, that the system be suitably revamped to enable i t to give a meaningful and prompt response.

Economic considerations

L at national and international levels, government subsidies will decline and instead greater reliance will have to be placed on market forces. Constrained financial investments would make policy planners think twice before deciding on support for human resource development programmes. Education is a core input for the entire developmental effort which correspondingly makes the educational sector a high priority sector. But the availability of funds remains restricted because of the overall budgetary constraints. India has been spending about 3.5% of its GNP on education. The Indian government recently announced its intention to enhance the allocation for education to about 6% of GNP in the ninth five-year plan, which is a welcome step indeed, and in the right direction.

Literacy and primary education are instrumental in human development. These receive a large slice of funds. Technical education, comparatively, may have to face a somewhat reduced budgetary support from the government. However, one cannot possibly argue against the value and the urgency of the need for investment in primary education. In fact we should realise that sustainable development depends on the total spectrum of manpower, not merely a segment of it, spanning all areas and levels of an increasingly complex economy. Education at all levels will thus have to be considered seriously to generate the needed manpower that fills the complete spectrum. The extent of investment to be made in a particular subsector of education should, obviously, depend on the type and quantum of manpower needed, keeping in view the prevailing and the future state of the economy. Given this compelling consideration, I believe that we would need larger investment in technical education.

Additional sources of revenue e, however, need to reduce the financial dependence of MI the technical institutions of

higher learning on state funding, and encourage them to become self-

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et us not forget that, in the envisaged new economic order

reliant. India’s Finance Minister, while presenting the budget in February last year, was quite categorical about it: ‘Our institutes of higher learning’, he said, ‘have been almost entirely dependent on government funds. As government

funds are limited, we must find ways of funding these institutions from industry. This will also bring them closer to industry and more responsive to its needs’. We therefore need to explore the alternative avenues of funding.

While exploring possible strategies for mobilising financial resources, it becomes absolutely essential that such measures which minimise expenditure are adopted. In this regard, reducing student enrolment in redundant programmes and diverting funds to new marketable needs-based programmes could be considered. This will not only reduce expenditure but also increase the benefit-to-cost ratio in real terms. There is urgent need to introduce the austerity measures to generate savings from avoidable activities without affecting the academics.

Industry is the major beneficiary of higher education. The students who get the privilege of higher learning should be willing to pay a significant portion of the actual cost of the education they receive. A part of the cost of education should be recovered from the direct beneficiaries. Equity in a democratic set-up, however, necessitates that merit is not sacrificed. It would be necessary, therefore, to evolve a system of scholarships, assistantships and student loans so that realisation of higher fees does not restrict the access of technical education only to affluent students. Meritorious and motivated, but not- so-well-off, students should be given

loans on simple terms, payable over a period that does not put too much burden on the recipient.

Industry has to play a pivotal role in generating resources for institutions of higher learning, since it is doubtlessly a major beneficiary. It is to its own benefit and interest that education does not suffer for want of funds. The largesse from industry would not come easily and the institutions would have to do some hard selling. Financial input from these sources can take many forms, for instance: creation of special centres within the institute; contribution to corpus funds: instituting scholarships, awards and loans to the students; sponsoring short- and long-term industrial projects; purchasing of technology: and so on.

It cannot be stressed enough that this financial assistance should in no way affect the autonomy of the institute as far as its normal functioning in terms of admissions, evaluation, future plans and other activities are concerned. The government, for its own part, has already initiated positive steps to encourage industry and entrepreneurs t o contribute to educational institutions by giving them rebates in taxes.

The role of the faculty and alumni

I generating funds through sponsored projects from government and non-government agencies, doing consultancy projects and by participating in continuing education programmes. The amount and range of such activity should, however, be limited to realistic levels so that the academic and other responsibilities of the faculty do not suffer or become impaired. Such participation must also be broad based so that most of the faculty is involved.

The alumni of an institution also has a great role to play in financially buttressing their institution. They do have natural identification and emotional attachment to their a h a mater. Even if a small fraction of alumni chooses to help in resource mobilisation for their institution, substantial amount of funds can easily accrue to their abna mater. That this comes about, the alumni living in the country and abroad should be made to feel a part of the extended family of the institution which enabled them to be what they are today, where they are sti l l wanted and owned, and who would in any case be contributing to an eminently worthwhile cause for the

t should be pointed out here that faculty too has a role in

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welfare of the coming generations. A permanent, warm and mutually responsive relationship between the institution and the alumni would have to be fostered and nurtured. Communicating the achievements of the institution and its ongoing activities and achievements to them through a regular publication would be one way of achieving this.

The alumni should be invited periodically to renew their contact with the faculty, give talks, participate in seminars and conferences, see for themselves the facilities obtaining in the institution and suggest ways of improving the quality of instruction there. They could also be included as members of certain committees and bodies of the institution. They could also be allowed to use some of its facilities and be encouraged to set up chapters or associations in their workplaces. Whenever they make a noteworthy contribution in a certain walk of life, or achieve a distinction, this must not only be acknowledged but also proclaimed as a matter of pride for the institution.

Once the institution has the requisite arrangement or a specific body in it to make and maintain contact with the alumni, tangible gains in the form of funds could accrue as a regular flow. Industrialist alumni could be persuaded to contribute directly to the corpus of the institution, or institute awards, scholarships, studentships etc. Those working for other industries could induce their managements to make suitable contributions in similar fashion. The alumni could donate teaching and research apparatus or equipment free of cost, or at substantially reduced costs. Alumni associations once formed can be active in raising funds for specific needs of the institution.

But more important than the funds is the role and performance of the administration, the faculty and the student body in creating and maintaining the atmosphere for academic excellence. This is more necessary in the emerging competitive environment where an institution of this type will be judged solely by the quality and acceptability of its product (i.e. its graduates] in the market.

Among the three major elements in the activities and functioning of an educational institution, the students happen to be the beneficiaries of the various academic programmes devised to equip them for life. Any batch of students stays on the campus for a limited duration; in that period their primary role is to learn and develop their minds. The

students quite evidently contribute much to creation of an academic- friendly environment.

The faculty can, and must, play an actively constructive part in this regard, by immersing themselves deeply in the affairs of the

institution. The faculty is abundantly competent to do this and achieve enviable results for all concerned. The attainments of a vast majority of the faculty members of the various institutions in India and abroad bear eloquent testimony to this fact. Even though the teaching profession is not very attractive as a career option, it opens several avenues t o the engineering graduates. The new All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) scales of pay are reasonable keeping in view other sectors of employment. This reality should help in making available adequately qualified candidates for appointment to the faculty. We should ensure selection based strictly on merit by open competition on an all-India basis, in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the AICTE; a competent and perhaps an enviable faculty would be its reward and an enduring asset. There can be no better incentive for excellence.

The initiative to get the faculty involved in institution building lies, mainly, with the administration. A strong administrative support is very necessary for the faculty to contribute its best. There is a tendency, sometimes, on the part of the administration to find fault with the faculty in self-righteous condemnation. Inasmuch as the responsibility implies being answerable for someone else's lapses, the administrators must accept that for the failure of the faculty they, in the ultimate analysis, are accountable. It is therefore imDerative for the administration to

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see why it is that the faculty has failed to discharge its obligations, and identify the reasons that pose obstacles and hindrances.

All possible efforts should be made to educate the teachers about their multiple roles and responsibilities in the institution. Requisite opportunities should be provided for in-service training on educational technology, curriculum development, guidance and counselling, institutional management and related areas of responsibility. Industrial experience/ training must be made a mandatory requirement for career advancement. Concurrently, a mechanism must be worked out and translated into action which will enable the teachers to acquire industrial experience at first hand. Flexible staff structures may be introduced so that teachers doing exceptionally good work can be elevated to higher positions once they surpass the predetermined levels of achievement, without having to wait for vacancies to arise. A faculty exchange programme may be implemented whereby teachers are enabled to spend a semester or two once in five or six years at another reputable institution in India or abroad.

The entire issue is rather complex, of course, and there is no universal approach, nor are some simple solutions for all the institutions in existence that could be followed. Each college and institute must examine the problem carefully, and in depth, and prepare a blueprint which must then be implemented quickly and vigorously.

Conclusion

T professional education have a distinct role to play in society to be effective participants in socio- economic development. They must remain up to date and always be willing to deal with immediate and long-term problems confronting the nation. They should have the heart and the mind as an organic body to deal with the problems and search for their solution. If any Institutions fail in this, then their existence is irrelevant and meaningless.

This article is based on an Address by the author at the Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra, on the 9th April 1994.

o close, I must reiterate that the institutions of technical and

0 IEE: 1994 Prof. Khanna is Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education, lndira Gandhi Sports Complex. IP Estate, New Delhi 110 002. India

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