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Unit 26: Quality Improvement Issues in Higher Education

National Council for Rural Institutes (NCRI) is an autonomous society fully funded by the Ministry Notes
of Human Resources Development, Government of India. It was established with a main objective
of promoting Rural Higher Education for advancing rural livelihoods with the instrument of education
based on the values proposed by Gandhiji.
State Councils of Higher Education (SCHE) Following the National Policy on Education, respective
state governments have established State Councils of Higher Education (SCHE). These councils
prepare coordinated programs of development of higher education in each state. Thus, they seek to
consolidate the efforts and investments of institutions of higher education with the state.

26.2 Growth of Higher Education in India

Before Independence, access to higher education was very limited and elitist, with enrolment of less
than a million students in 500 colleges and 20 universities. Since independence, the growth has been
very impressive. The number of universities (as on 31st March 2006) has increased by 18 times,
(from 27 in 1950-51 to 367 in 2005-06). The number of total colleges has increased by 35 times (i.e.
from 578 in 1950-51 to 18064 in 2005-06). The colleges for general education has increased from 370
in 1950-51 to 14400 in 2005-06, while the colleges for professional education has increased from 208
in 1950-51 to 3664 in 2005-06 (Table 1A and IB). In its size and diversity, India has the third largest
higher education system in the world, next only to China and the United States.
The government initiative for the planned development of higher education in the country and
establishment of University Grants Commission has transformed the elitist system of education
favoring the rich and higher class to a more democratic and mass based system. Around 40per cent
of enrolments now comes from lower socio-economic strata, and women comprising of approximately
35 per cent of the total enrolments
Enrolment : Enrolment in higher education has been rising steadily although the enrolment rate has
continued to remain low compared even to some of the developing countries of Asia and Latin
America. The enrolment in Ph.D. rose by 28per cent during 1980-81 to 1990-91 and further by 39per
cent during 1990-91 to 2000-01. This phenomenal increment in Ph.D. was due to addition of new
institutions and expansion of seats in existing institutions in the country. The increase in enrolment
at the PG level has also been impressive. It rose to 83per cent during 1990-91 to 2000-01 as compared
to 22per cent increment during 1980-81 to 1990-91. Further the rise in enrolment of general graduates
(Art, Science and Commerce), technical graduates (Engineering, Medical, B. Ed.) and Diploma were
75per cent, 75per cent and 85per cent respectively during 1980-81 to 1990-91 against that of 120per
cent, 65per cent and 24per cent during 1990-91 to 2000-01. It was mainly due to the result of expanding
facilities for higher education across the country.
Funding of Higher Education : Higher Education in India has been receiving continuous financial
support from both the Central and the State Governments. At the start of the planning process in
1950, the total allocation for higher education was only Rs.170 million which has now gone beyond
Rs.90,000 million. This impressive increase is offset to some extent by the rise in prices (inflation)
and rise in number of students entering higher education. An analysis of government expenditure
on higher education shows a real annual growth rate of 7.5per cent in the 1950s, 11 per cent in the
1960s, 3.4per cent, in the 1970s, and 7.3per cent. From the Annual Financial Statistics of Education
Sector 2011-12, it is clear that the total expenditure by the government on education has increased
by 243per cent during the period 1993-94 to 2004-05. Further the priority was given to technical
education by allocating 10.72 per cent against 9.53per cent of higher education during the tenth
plan.

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