Challenges in Indian Higher Education System and Solutions

Education plays a vital role in National development. Education is the backbone of any nation; higher education occupies the top of educational pyramid in the formal process of Indian education. Globalization has increased the demand for higher education resulting in a virtual explosion in the number of universities and colleges in the country. Keeping in view the spurt in demand of higher education meeting the global requirements and standards in terms of competitive markets, free economy, and influence of information technologies, the growth of private educational institutions is ever increasing. We have also witnessed that the education has become costlier, reaching beyond the reach of common man. Its objectivity is being discussed by every segment of Indian society-from a layman to higher echelons of intellectuals. In this paper the authors want to discuss the growth of Higher Education Institutes in India since independence and Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher education in India and also assess Quality issues in private Higher Education Institutions. There is a need to think upon quality of education provided by Higher Institutions. It needs to be regulated that they are not allowed to mushroom without really impacting the quality of education. What we really need is both numbers and their contribution qualitatively as well. If such institutions want to survive for the long run then they have to have quality.