India: The next university superpower?

[pmaitra]

India: The next university superpower?

By Yojana Sharma
Asia Editor, University World News

India has ambitious plans to increase graduate numbers in a way which would give it the size and status of an education superpower.

Students queue for application forms for Delhi University - an institution with 300,000 students

The figures are staggering. India's government speaks of increasing the proportion of young people going to university from 12% at present to 30% by 2025 - approaching the levels of many Western countries.

With US enrolment stagnating and the UK cutting back on university places, "Indian graduates will become more visible globally, particularly in technical and engineering fields", Mr Agarwal predicts.

Hundreds of new institutions are being set up, including large new public universities in each state. The number of prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Management (IIMs) are being expanded from seven to 15.

India's private university sector is also growing rapidly, particularly in professional education in information technology, engineering, medicine and management where there is huge demand from the burgeoning middle classes.

But that will not be enough. To bridge the gap the government last year tabled legislation to invite foreign universities to set up branch campuses. The Foreign Providers Bill is currently making its way through parliament.

While more than 95% of children now attend primary school, just 40% attend secondary school, according to the World Bank. That in itself will limit growth in university enrolment.

The World Bank has said India's economic success cannot be sustained without major investment in education, including higher education, with public spending on the sector still lagging behind countries like China and Brazil.

Some "gold diggers" were dissuaded as the government made it clear for-profit companies would not be allowed to exploit India's thirst for higher education.

An eastward shift in the geography of science and technology is a major draw as international companies set up research and development sites in India and China.

Read full article: BBC News - India: The next university superpower?

 

[Armand2REP]

I think the measure of an education super power is the number of foreign students one attains.

 

[amitkriit]

Indians are too desperate to become a Superpower. We are so desperate that we invent new classifications.
"University Superpower" <---------

 

[Armand2REP]

The US is the University Super Power, followed by UK and France. The British don't seem to want to hold on to their spot though.

 

[Ankit Purohit]

india bas naam hi kaafi hai

jai hind

 

[panduranghari]

I think the measure of an education super power is the number of foreign students one attains.

Upto a certain extent I agree with you. However, on the similar vein we constantly hear universities from UK trying to woo students from India and China to come and study in England thus bringing in a lot of forex for the universities.

Most of British universities are not that good. Some are high class. The rating system is skewed in a way to encourage the ingress of foreign students. More foreign students, higher the rating you get. There is a perverse incentive to encourage foreign student intake. The quality of education imparted is not really that better.

The US has a system in place which is much more open and very clear in terms of admission. It perhaps makes the American education system in comparison to the European system a lot better.

The fees in Europe are also capped. Irrespective of whatever faculty you choose, the fees have only recently increased per annum to 9000£ from 3000£. Hence the level of student debt is lower in Europe. Also the student debt was another way to sell more debt in this economy. Did you know USA has the highest unemployment among PhD's!!

 

[Energon]

India needs to officially drop the word "superpower" from its vocabulary lest it wants to remain the world's laughing stock.

Perhaps it would make more sense to first reach the "barely enough" category when it comes to education prior to indulging in superpower wet dreams. The numbers speak for themselves so I don't think there's any need to reiterate the issues.

This post also reminded me of an amusing piece I read in the NYT a while ago.

 

[venkat]

^^^^problem-solving abilities, which are rarely taught in our schooling system, are understandably weak among India's graduates, even though India is the home of the famous "jugadu," the inveterate problem solver who uses what's on hand to find a solution. Let's translate this intrinsic ability to the workforce.

those words speak for themselves the quality of our education. Educating our youngsters is a roaring business in our country.

 

[Sunder singh]

^^ jugaad technology we surly No. 1 therefore we invented zero and decimal with no self value but put any of them as prefix or sufix or in between number c the magic the value changes dramatically

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Education is big business in India. Many schools are nothing more than
high revenue generators the quality of education needs to be addressed.

 

[Bangalorean]

India needs to officially drop the word "superpower" from its vocabulary lest it wants to remain the world's laughing stock.

Perhaps it would make more sense to first reach the "barely enough" category when it comes to education prior to indulging in superpower wet dreams. The numbers speak for themselves so I don't think there's any need to reiterate the issues.

This post also reminded me of an amusing piece I read in the NYT a while ago.

This "superpower" word is certainly overused by the silly reporters and journalists.

A few days back, there was a thread posted here about how India will be a "superpower in missile technology in 5 years". At the very least, say that "India will be a world leader in missile tech" dammit, stop throwing around "superpower" in every other sentence.

 

[Dovah]

Build one world class university first.

 

[Energon]

^^^^problem-solving abilities, which are rarely taught in our schooling system, are understandably weak among India's graduates, even though India is the home of the famous "jugadu," the inveterate problem solver who uses what's on hand to find a solution. Let's translate this intrinsic ability to the workforce.

those words speak for themselves the quality of our education. Educating our youngsters is a roaring business in our country.

The fundamental concept of Jugaad is inherent to human nature, so in that sense it doesn't definitively say anything about India. Even if there's a high entrepreneurial spirit in India it means nothing unless that potential is harnessed through appropriate policy.

I have no problems with parts of the education sector being for profit provided:
1. Fundamental education is accessible for every citizen.
2. There is a qualitative pay off: If a person pays a lot of money to obtain a degree but picks up no real skills along the way it is entirely pointless.

 

[Armand2REP]

Upto a certain extent I agree with you. However, on the similar vein we constantly hear universities from UK trying to woo students from India and China to come and study in England thus bringing in a lot of forex for the universities.

Most of British universities are not that good. Some are high class. The rating system is skewed in a way to encourage the ingress of foreign students. More foreign students, higher the rating you get. There is a perverse incentive to encourage foreign student intake. The quality of education imparted is not really that better.

The US has a system in place which is much more open and very clear in terms of admission. It perhaps makes the American education system in comparison to the European system a lot better.

The fees in Europe are also capped. Irrespective of whatever faculty you choose, the fees have only recently increased per annum to 9000£ from 3000£. Hence the level of student debt is lower in Europe. Also the student debt was another way to sell more debt in this economy. Did you know USA has the highest unemployment among PhD's!!

University rankings aren't really based on how many foreign students they have. The methodology is taken from students, faculty and peer reviews. It certainly isn't official, but gives a sense of how it compares to others and is how many prospective students make their choice. The rankings aren't just academics, but graduation rates, completion rates, housing, campus life, diversity, activities, sports and many others... so it isn't just an academic rank.

There is nothing clear about US uni acceptance except what minimum score you have to get on a TEFL and SAT test. The range of US university quality is broad from Harvard to University of Phoenix. The lower you go the easier to get in.

Number Of PhD Recipients Using Food Stamps Surged During Recession: Report

Simple explanation is US PhDs go on welfare and take janitorial jobs... hence employed.

 

[pmaitra]

Upto a certain extent I agree with you. However, on the similar vein we constantly hear universities from UK trying to woo students from India and China to come and study in England thus bringing in a lot of forex for the universities.

Most of British universities are not that good. Some are high class. The rating system is skewed in a way to encourage the ingress of foreign students. More foreign students, higher the rating you get. There is a perverse incentive to encourage foreign student intake. The quality of education imparted is not really that better.

The US has a system in place which is much more open and very clear in terms of admission. It perhaps makes the American education system in comparison to the European system a lot better.

The fees in Europe are also capped. Irrespective of whatever faculty you choose, the fees have only recently increased per annum to 9000£ from 3000£. Hence the level of student debt is lower in Europe. Also the student debt was another way to sell more debt in this economy. Did you know USA has the highest unemployment among PhD's!!

I have heard that before, and I have seen a few instances where people could not get hired because they were overqualified. Sad, but true.