Indian Higher Education: Challenges and Pathways to Reform

Indian Higher Education: Challenges and Pathways to Reform

India's higher education system is indeed one of the largest in the world, with a rich network of institutions that include globally recognized entities like the IITs and IIMs. The QS World University Rankings for Asia 2024 reflect India's significant role in higher education. However, the system is grappling with challenges that affect its quality and relevance. The current government has been replacing university vice chancellors with appointees who are politically pliable and lack higher education experience, which is reshaping universities with politically allied faculty and other changes.The politicization of higher education is seen as part of broader “illiberal” trends in society and is a concern for the future of intellectual life and India’s aspirations for global academic recognition.  Current Status Student Enrolment: There's been an increase in student enrolment, with significant growth in women's enrolment, particularly at the postgraduate level. Gross Enrolme…