Meera Nazer - Higher Education Globalised

This institution has faced a sea of snag globally. Especially with focus to this infant democracy,

driven by factionalism whose caste and religious divisions seemed to be written in stone. The

expression “education” or Vidya was something reserved for the upper caste social elite then.

Globally this establishment found place especially higher education when the first university was set up in Germany (Philip G. Altbach 2009) which redesigned its intact nature.

The concept of education was later, as the nation won independence, seen as an important

development marker especially with regard to our target of being a developed economy by 2020. World over once said that our nation’s ordeal with democracy was going to be carved in history’s strongest voice as a humungous failure because around 80% of the population was illiterate.

Then we moved on to the focus on “literacy” from which we haven’t diverted yet as the implementing authority i.e. Parliament which is considered as the agent of destiny by the “aam admi” had various vested destinies. Literacy is to do with reading and writing and basic math. Education is to do with thinking and awareness. And Thinking and Awareness is what we as a fully functioning democracy aspires to.

This is true as we examine a part of the picture, as we examine the other part we discover the excellence of middleclass and aristocratic youth in the higher education sector. This is partly or wholly attributed to the notion of “globalization” which spread its mighty wings and cast a shadow upon education too. With this came the student exchange programs, overseas branch set up of renowned academia and engagement of inter institutional partnerships. For many this influence seemed overwhelmingly satisfactory as it catered to their aspirations of an internationally accredited degree. It blessed them with an opportunity to study and research no longer limited by nation’s boundaries. But there were many too who felt this as an assault on national culture and autonomy.

However beating all this higher education sector is on a growth spree wherein significance is provided to the wealth of nations and universities which directly determines the quality and centrality of a university /academic institution. It fuelled competition which at times even resulted in a sense of decline of academic community mission and traditional values. Higher education exercises a dominant role especially due to the shift to post industrial economies worldwide after the cold war era. But it’s tainted again with the social inequality in access it faces.

Higher education is actually fraught with the problem of accommodating the millions who are knocking their door and denied access to. As a result many private institutions have set up their branches wide across the nation and are providing the students with a namesake certificate. Mainly because they are profit driven and not committed to the field. With the public funding being no more in a position to take-up the challenging task of expansion and diversification of the higher education system in the country to meet the continuously growing demands at present, there is little option other than bringing in private initiatives in a massive way to meet the various challenges. The deregulating mechanism of controls started with the granting of “Autonomous Status” to identified Colleges in the 1970s. Some of these Colleges have graduated further to receive the “Deemed to be University” status in later years. Now, the country is on the threshold of the establishment of Private Universities in different States. To add fuel to this dangerous situation it’s again the play of globalization which demands talent, competence, drive, initiative and innovation at several levels. So the populations being exposed to these flee in bee numbers to wherever they can earn a paper showing they are competent.

A paradigm shift has been noticed in higher education now a days, from ‘national education‘to ‘global education’, from ‘one time education for a few’ to ‘lifelong education for all’, from ‘teacher- centric education’ to ‘learner centric education’. The Indian higher education system therefore has a new role and a challenge to provide to the nation and the world at large, skilled human power at all levels, having breadth of knowledge and confidence to effectively confront the social and economic realities.

But this is again met with rising costs involved as with regard to materials or tuition fee. Another major drawback is the lack of full time teachers which results in lower academic records and skill development among candidates.

All we can expect is a better shift of government’s attention towards this development marker to expect a better turn in our nation’s efficient functioning.