Quality of higher education in India: A study of universities in Karnataka

Over the years higher education sector has witnessed a tremendous increase in its institutional capacity. After China and United States, India's higher education system is the third largest in the world, comprising of 330 universities and institutions of national importance, 16,000 colleges, 10 million students and 3,50,000 teachers (Narayan Jaiprakash 2005). The number of Universities/institutions has increased 18 times from a meager of 27 in 1950 to 677 in 2013. According to UGC 11th Five year plan the problem of higher education, in India is of low enrolment rate and the regional imbalance. It recognized that the 11% enrolment rate is too low compared to 23% of world average or 36.5% for countries in transitions or more than 55% for developed countries. GER is expected to increase from 15% to 2011–12 to 21% by 2016–17 and 30% by 2020. In absolute terms the total enrolment in higher education has been estimated to be 28.56 million with 15.87 million boys and 12.69 million girls. Girls constitute 44.4% of the total enrolment (AISHE 2010–11).

The Karnataka State Higher Education Council was established in the year 2010 with prime objects of policy making on higher education and advising the State Government, universities and institutions of higher education on the matters pertaining to higher education. The GER in higher education in karnataka is 18.1% in 2011–12 as compared to 12.9% (in 2007–08) and 13.6% (2008–09). The GER for men was 19.8% and for women it was 16.3%. For a GER of 35% in 2020, In Karnataka there is 24 universities out of which 13 universities are Non-Technical and 11 are technical.