EDITORIAL ANALYSIS !! 05 DECEMBER 2019 !! { India’s higher education system }

TO REGISTER FOR UPSC CSE MAINS 2019 MOCK TEST SERIES CLICK THE LINK BELOW http://mocktest.aptiplus.in/indexpage... FOR ANSWER WRITING CHALLENGE CLICK THE LINK BELOW https://iasgyan.in/answer.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TELEGRAM CHANNEL - https://t.me/joinchat/AAAAAFYrI5kpQsE... INSTAGRAM -   / iasgyan1   TWITTER -   / iasgyan1   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANSWER Q.1 - A Q.2 - B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India’s higher education system The recent issue of fee hikes at the Jawaharlal Nehru University has spurred deeper questions about the quality of university education. The Indian universities has ranked low in both research and teaching parameters. Higher education has the potential to increase the productivity by twofold. Why education is important Education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future. Education is a force multiplier that enables self-reliance, boosts economic growth by enhancing skills. It improves people’s lives by opening up opportunities for better livelihoods. It is the key to enhance India’s competitiveness in the global economy. Education is the most powerful instrument for reducing poverty and inequality. Indian university and ranking According to the University Grants Commission’s the total number of universities in India is 874 (2018). That figure includes 47 central universities, 391 state universities, 125 deemed universities and 311 private universities. Only seven Indian universities were ranked in the top 400 universities by the well-regarded QS World University Rankings for 2019. Among the seven, six of these were Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The only non-IIT Indian institution in the top 400 is the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. Problem of the Education system The country does not have an educational landscape to harness the true potential of youth to meet the challenges of a global economy. Most universities across the understaffed and underfunded. Faculty shortage in the government institutions are at 50% on average. The problem lies in increased demand and stagnant supply. The university's research and teaching activities is depriving students to cutting-edge ideas. Youth employment issue The nation is set to become one of the youngest nations in the world by 2030. Around 140 million people expected to be in the college-age group. ‘India Skills Report’ The latest ‘India Skills Report’ suggests that only 47% of Indian graduates are employable. Macroeconomic impact Quality education could affect macroeconomic indicators such as labour productivity, which is determined by innovation and human capital. The workers of tomorrow need to transition to the formal, non-agricultural sector, armed with higher education. An increase in research could lead to more innovation in the economy this will turn up labour productivity. Draft National Education Policy (DNEP) The government released a Draft National Education Policy (DNEP) in June 2019. The DNEP aims to double education spending to 6% of GDP. The ‘Institutions of Eminence’ programme started in 2018 that gave increased funding to some research universities. Experts, however are doubtful about whether the dramatic increases will be politically feasible Way Ahead HEFA (Higher Education Finance Agency) is a welcome step in providing finance to premier educational institutions for creation of high quality infrastructure and innovation ecosystem. The government needs to recognise the desired requirement in higher education. The reforms must be pushed through legislation that will fund research-based universities. Local and regional universities urgently need to correct course and improve their infrastructure, increase the number of laboratories and enhance the skills of teachers to teach and motivate students.