Policymakers have set ambitious targets - to attract 15% of students passing out of class XII (from the current 10%) into higher education by 2012, and 22% by 2017. For achieving this, they believe, the education sector must expand and upgrade on an unprecedented scale. So, the government's expansion agenda outlines the setting-up of 30 new central universities, seven IITs and IIMs, 10 National Institutes of Technology, five research institutes to be called Indian Institutes of Science, Education and Research, 20 IIITs, two schools of architecture and 330 colleges in educationally backward districts.
Would these measures, however, help sustain even the current enrolment ratio? According to V N Rajasekharan Pillai, vice-chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou), "At the present rate of growth in higher education,even the current enrolment is not sustainable. We desperately need to integrate all forms of higher education, supported by massive investment in infrastructure and quality improvement for manifold expansion. And private players have an important role to play."
Policymakers, too, agree that private participation would be crucial for the proposed expansion.The Plan paper also states that the government isn't in a position to ensure growth levels of 15-20% in higher education. Private investment will, therefore, be encouraged through tax breaks and other incentives. It has also sought private participation in providing services to existing institutions.
Bhalchandra Mungekar, member, Planning Commission, opined: "This Plan is massive in terms of expansion of higher education. And many of the projects would, no doubt, function on a publicprivate-partnership mode."
PRIVATE FACTOR
At present, there are 400 universities in the country, up from 240 in 2006. Meanwhile, the number of private universities has risen from seven in 2006 to over 50 at present. The role private players are playing in helping enrolment and accessibility is evident from the fact that of 17,625 colleges in the country in 2006 - 7,650 were unaided colleges and 5,750 were private-aided (private colleges receiving government grants).
Besides, at the end of the 10 th Plan, of the total 101 deemed universities - 63 were private universities. And of 104 lakh students in higher education, over 67 lakh were enrolled in private institutions.
For professional courses in higher education, too, the private sector played a dominant role. The number of engineering colleges rose to 1,478 in 2006 from 669 in 1999-2000. The private share for the same was an estimated 88%. For the same period, pharmacy institutions grew from 204 to 629 and the private sector was responsible for 94% of it. Another sector that witnessed major private participation was management education, where private players enjoyed a share of 64%.
In fact, in the period between 2000-2006, the overall share of the private sector in the growth of professional higher education institutions was 78%, while the professional education sector itself witnessed a 167% growth.
ROAD AHEAD
Going by the numbers, it is evident that private players have played a crucial role in the growth of higher education in the last decade.But what about the road ahead?
According to Shobha Mishra, joint director, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), "This is the era of selffinancing institutes. Since 2006, we have seen how private institutes have done better in terms of quality than aided colleges. Today, even Public Sector Units (PSUs) look to recruit students from private institutions, as their curriculum is more responsive to market demand."
Mishra added: "Moreover, we should encourage more private players to join the education scenario as they have strong industry links, which would be beneficial for students." So, while there seems to be a broad consensus on the need for private education, regulation and quality control remain a major concern.
REGULATORY ISSUES
Anish M Wig, CEO, International College of Financial Planning (ICFP), stated: "About 20 years ago, Bajaj Capital wanted to set up a Bajaj Business School but decided against it in light of the existing regulatory mechanism. We finally set-up ICFP in 2002 to offer diploma programmes in financial planning, as these programmes don't come under the purview of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Most government institutions miss the thrust due to rigid norms, while private institutions respond better to the market demands and trends. We have the flexibility to innovate."
Another take on regulation is that the market should decide which institute is better equipped to cater to its demand. C S Venkata Ratnam, director, International Management Institute, New Delhi, said: "AICTE should work towards ensuring minimum norms required to be fulfilled by such institutions and towards keeping a check on sub-standard practices. But beyond that, it should let the market guide the institution."
Agrees Mishra, "Let us not have the old regulatory framework. Most professional institutes are private entities and there is an urgent need for change in the regulatory mechanism. These institutes aren't being allowed to innovate. Everything cannot be measured on the same yardstick." He cites the example of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and how it facilitates schools to innovate rather than to merely regulate them.
BLAME GAME
According to Sunil Jindal, CEO, Vishveshwarya Group of Institutes, Greater Noida, "The only hurdle for private institutions is the lack of government aid. While our government run counterparts get the best brains, we are left to make the most unemployable youth employable. And yet, private institutions are stigmatised in the name of commercialisation of education. Serious institutions will not dilute their brand for money."
He added: "People have to understand the fact that private education has a big role to play in the tier-II level. Students of premier institutes would always get lucrative offers, but premier institutes can't support the masses. If we don't allow private institutions to grow, we would be creating more unemployment."
FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS
D Purandeswari, minister of state for human resources development, higher education, informed that the government is now evaluating public-private partnerships (PPP) for the IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology). "But the mode of partnership and regulations are yet to be finalised. For example, for the IIIT in Hyderabad, the state government provided the land and basic infrastructure and the central government also did its bit.We are now examining whether such initiatives can work out for other IIITs as well, in collaboration with the private sector."
She further said that discussions on private partnerships are currently underway, where private players would get to come forward and contribute. `We have set up a committee in this regard and now, we will have to wait for the committee's report.''
In all, as Mishra summarised, "We have to take a cue from how the industry was treated and liberalised. At present, the education sector is at the same stage - straitjacketed by regulations yet eager to be liberalised. After all, the aim is to motivate quality, be it in the public or private sector."
Sunil Sharma
Moderator
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please Leave Your Precious Comments Here