Multiple Crisis in Indian Universities
What are some of the warning signs that India’s universities are failing?
Government Spending:
- Higher education funding has been stable at 1.3-1.5 percent of total government spending since 2012.
- In the meantime, the Ministry of Education is asking colleges and universities to raise admission capacity by 25%. (in order to put the 10% quota for economically disadvantaged groups into effect),
- Surprisingly, despite an increase in the number of students registered, the Ministry of Finance has sought to ban the creation of additional teaching positions.
- In FY 2022-23, student financial aid was reduced by 8% to 2,078 crores, down from 2,482 crores in FY 2021-22, and research and development funds were reduced by 8% to 218 crores.
What are the challenges that universities face?
Universities face a number of challenges:
Budget restrictions:
- University infrastructure spending has decreased. Overcrowding, poor air and sanitation, and insufficient housing plague the majority of Indian universities and colleges.
- The HEFA’s budget was cut from 2,000 crore in FY 20-21 to 1 crore in FY 21-22, which funds all infrastructure loans to colleges and universities.
- The payment of deemed/central university salaries has been postponed due to a financial flow issue.
- As a result, most universities are in debt; for example, Madras University was forced to seek an 88 crore loan from the state government.
- Faculty members had been waiting months for their salaries, which arrived just a few weeks ago.
- As a result, many Delhi institutions are unable to pay for basic database and journal subscriptions, reducing discretionary spending.
- Minor and major research project funding has been decreased by the UGC from 42.7 crores in FY 2016-17 to 38 lakh in FY 2020-21. Due to a shortage of finance and facilities, only 2.7 percent of India’s institutions provide PhD programmes.
- The National Research Foundation (NRF), which aims to boost university research infrastructure, has yet to be established and will have a small budget ($5-6 billion over five years).
Standards are deteriorating:
- Academic expectations and procedures are not being followed.
- Exam papers have started to leak: At June 2021, the University Grants Commission announced the Hindi test for the National Eligibility Test, which allows post-graduate students who pass to teach in State and Central colleges.
Repression:
- Universities have a long history of contributing to the strengthening of democracy and civic society. Madan Mohan Malaviya’s Central Hindu College in Delhi, for example, was a hotbed of political debate throughout the national movement. In recent years, institutional apathy has resulted in persecution.
- The arrest and imprisonment of students for campus protests at a select schools (such as JNU and Jamia Millia) has placed a pall over freedom of expression on college campuses.
What are the necessary actions to take?
- Increased funding is important, as is the introduction of dedicated funding streams for infrastructure grants/loans and financial aid. Universities can use the money saved to invest in new revenue streams like start-up royalties and advertising.
- Increased research funding: Rather than replacing existing research funding programmes, the National Research Foundation (NRF) should augment them (including those from the Ministry of Science). Undergraduates should have access to course-based research opportunities.
- To improve the integrity of the examination process, a decentralised approach will be required, with universities having the authority to make decisions about academic programmes, promotions, cohort size, and other issues.
- We must cultivate tolerance for a variety of viewpoints because our kids have formative experiences on our campuses and require the opportunity to develop as individuals.