‘Poor quality of curriculum hindering higher education system’

New Delhi, Sep 6

Higher education system in the country is faced with the problems of poor quality of curriculum, instruction, teacher quality and research, a Parliamentary Panel said today.

The panel chaired by Francisco Sardinha also said that India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education is well below global standards.

“The Committee is concerned to note that GER of women and higher education in India is only 16.50 per cent (2010-11) which is lowest among BRICS and other economies- 2010, whereas GER of China is way above at 27 per cent, Russian Federation 87 per cent and South Korea 86 per cent,” the panel said in its report tabled in Lok Sabha.

Citing state-wise data, the panel said GER of girls in higher education is highest in Goa at 30.9 per cent (as per data available for latest year 2009-10) and lowest in Odisha at 5.9 per cent.

“The Committee regrets to note that there is no special incentive schemes for promotion of higher education amongst women except construction of women hostels in colleges and polytechnics and establishment of day care centres in colleges,” the report said.

The 30-member panel said there exist wide regional imbalances in access to higher education with inadequate opportunities of higher education to socially deprived communities, women, minorities and differently abled persons.

Highlighting the problems in the higher education sector, the report said state universities are bogged down with affiliation and governance issues and faculty shortage.

“Significant problems exist in the quality of education provided. There is a need for expansion, upgradation and quality improvement in state higher educational institutions,” it said.

The panel recommended expansion, upgradation and quality improvement in state higher educational institutions.

“Since majority of students are in State sector (94 per cent), there is a need to incetivize states to step up investment in higher education,” it said.(PTI)