Education: Higher Education in India

Definition: Denotes the tertiary level education that is imparted after 12 years of schooling. This includes undergraduate courses such as bachelor’s degrees, postgraduate courses such as master’s degrees and doctoral programs, as well as professional courses.
Facts:
- As per the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) 2019-20,
- There are 1,043 universities, 42,343 colleges, and 11,779 stand-alone institutions.
- 78.6% of colleges are privately managed, of which 65.2% are private-unaided and 13.4% are private-aided.

Type of institutions	Structure of regulation
Central Universities	Set up by an Act of Parliament. There are 20 central universities in the country. The President of India is a visitor at all central universities. Ex: The University of Delhi, Allahabad University, etc.
State Universities	Set up by an Act of State Legislatures. There are 215 state universities in the country. Ex: University of Calcutta, University of Madras, etc.
Private universities	Established through a state or central act by a sponsoring body. Sponsoring body can be a society registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 or a public trust, or a company registered under the Companies Act of 1956. Ex: The BITS – Pilani (funded and run by the Birla Group Trust).
Deemed to be universities	They are not universities, but in recognition of their high caliber of education, granted the status of a university. Centre grants the status on recommendation of the UGC. Autonomy to set their own syllabus, admission criteria, and fees. Ex: Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Symbiosis International Education Center, etc.
Institutions of national importance	Serves as a pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified region of the country or state. Status is granted by an Act of Parliament. Can award degrees without being affiliated with a university. Ex: All IITs, NITs, AIIMS, etc.

Body	Function
University Grants Commission (UGC)	Established in 1953 and became a statutory organization by a parliament act in 1956. Coordinates, determines and maintains the standards of teaching, examination, and research in university education.
National Medical Commission (NMC)	Established through the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which succeeded the Medical Council of India. Aim: To improve access to quality and affordable medical education. To ensure the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of the country.
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)	National-level Apex Advisory Body for technical education By the provisions of the AICTE Act, 1987. Objectives: Promotion of Quality in Technical Education, Planning and Coordinated Development of Technical Education System.
Bar Council of India (BCI)	Statutory body to regulate and represent the Indian bar association. It also sets standards for legal education and grants recognition to Universities.
Accreditation Bodies	National Board of Accreditation (NBA) established by AICTE. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) was established by UGC.

Quality of Education
- Variability in educational standards.
- Faculty shortages and outdated curricula.
Access and Equity
- Geographical disparity between urban and rural areas.
- Socio-economic barriers, especially for marginalized communities.
- Gender disparity in education access.
Research and Innovation
- Low research output and funding for research.
- Brain drain due to lack of research opportunities in India.
Funding and Financial Constraints
- Inadequate public funding for state universities.
- High costs in private institutions making education unaffordable.
Curriculum Relevance
- Outdated curricula disconnected from industry needs.
- Lack of practical skills and employability focus.
Employability
- High unemployment rates among graduates.
- Skill mismatch and lack of vocational training.
Regulatory Challenges
- Bureaucratic inefficiencies in regulatory bodies like UGC and AICTE.
- Over-regulation in some areas, under-regulation in others.
Infrastructure Deficiencies
- Poor infrastructure, especially in rural institutions.
- Digital divide affecting access to online education.
Internationalisation
- Limited global collaboration and lack of international students.
- Bureaucratic hurdles in international student recruitment.
Language Barriers
- English as the medium of instruction poses challenges for rural students.
- Linguistic diversity complicates uniformity in education.

Funding and Financing
- Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
Research and Development
- Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF)
- The Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC)
- Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT)
- Impactful Research in Social Sciences (IMPRESS)
Technology and E-Governance
- National Educational Alliance for Technology
- National Academic Depository
- e-PG Pathshala
Surveys and Ranking
- National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
- All India Survey on Higher Education ( AISHE)
Vocational Education
- National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS)
- SHREYAS Programme
International outreach
- Study in India Programme