Need for restructuring higher education in India

By Paras Nath Choudhary

India ranks almost equal with USA and Russia, having the largest network of tertiary educational institutions. The country has over 200 full fledged autonomous universities and about 50 institutions deemed as universities. In addition, there are over a dozen institutions of national importance. In all there are 8500 colleges claiming an enrolment figure of six million students.
 
The 1968 education policy considers higher education as a decisive input for country’s development. Higher education in India has an old history, beginning with ancient Indian sylvan universities (gurukul system) long regarded as a remarkable experiment in the field of higher instruction. Basically, these ancient institutions located in woods used to be great centers of theological studies where students enjoyed the freedom of indulging in long and incisive debates unmolested by mundanities of human life. Even scholars from other parts of the world came and savored rare discussions in woodland atmosphere. Discourses used to be extremely theoretical and metaphysical. As a rule, these centers of learning used to be residential universities and the recipients of knowledge had access to all possible facilities. But the economics of sylvan centers was unconventional and interesting. Particularly, its resource collection was mould-breaking. Students used to be roving mendicants and the universities used to live off the alms collected by them.  

University in Nalanda in Bihar alone had 10,000 scholars who used to study as well as keep the economy of university in shape. During renaissance period, even western universities focused on theological studies. Bologna, Salamanca, Padua, Paris and several other centers are mentioned as distinguished examples. But in India whatever system was in place came to an end in the 19th century. 

In 1818, for the first time Danes built a western style university in Serampure near Kolkatta and subsequently British empire completely put paid to the Indian system. In 1854, the English framed a new education policy and began setting up universities in India on the model of London University. By the middle of 19th century, universities came into existence in various parts of India and in 1904 the so-called Indian University Act was enacted to bend whole educational system to needs of the colonialists. 

In post-independence period, higher education was accorded priority and university education had a tremendous expansion. However, due to an excessive obsession with higher education, primary education was neglected. The then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who had a visceral fascination for huge, ambitious plans demonstrated contempt for monotonous details of development at the grass-roots level. This resulted in the neglect of primary education and agricultural development which suffered because of the insufficient allocations. Gandhian values too were relegated to the background. In 1957 after meeting Jawaharlal Nehru a scholar from the west had said Nehru reeked of a post-graduate understanding of India’s problems. It is sad that a country one billion strong, can not boast of even one single world class university.     

Most of the universities are in pathetic conditions. Limited funds, universities have are spent on salaries of staff and on sundry administrative items. Most Indian universities lack latest scientific infrastructure and well equipped laboratories.

Science education itself is well below world standards. The curricula at the universities are antediluvian and development of knowledge lacks speed and direction. Universities have failed to bridge the huge communication divides that exist between different layers of society. It is not surprising that the academia has failed to forge a meaningful relationship with the masses. Knowledge produced on the campuses is not being translated into humanitarian gains. Not only that, most of the students cynically use the facilities on the campuses preparing for Indian administrative exams. This not merely amounts to misusing the universities for narrow ends, but this also underscores the irresponsible attitude of Indian students about higher education.
 
In 1956, as per the Technology Act passed by Indian parliament, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) were set up and all kinds of declarations made. It was claimed that the goal of acquiring advanced education in the field of technology and engineering would be achieved. But in reality, IITs have ended up being an Indian subsidy for the rich nations of world in the field of higher education. After finishing their studies 95% of the IITians flee abroad and the scanty remainder stays home. Education economists say the brain drain is terribly costly and India loses crores of rupees each year. It deserves mention here that the country spends on an average Rs.15/- to 20 lakhs per IITian. What is perhaps more hurting and humiliating to the country is the fact that most of these so-called highest educated Indians demean themselves by accepting positions of scientific assistance in US or some other European country. Green-back is the only consideration in this self-devaluation and all their noble and great ideas vanish into the thin air. 

Quite frequently one comes across write-ups in western newspapers praising Indian institutions of technology but this is exclusively prompted by the aim of acquiring cheap qualified Indian labor. If the Indian higher education has failed to produce a single Nobel laureate in more than 50 years after independence, the reason is that most of our centers of learning and research institutions are staffed by mediocre and incompetent people who neither have the interest nor the motivation to pursue higher goals. What is still worse, not enough attention is being paid to fundamental researches and thus development of needed knowledge is still a far cry. 

In sober analysis, rehashing and recycling the knowledge developed elsewhere seems to be the only preoccupation of the Indian academia which is not only out of tune with today’s realities but ill prepared for the challenges of the future.  

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