UPSC Essay_ Credit Based Higher Education System – Status, Opportunities and Challenges
4
7/25/2015 UPSC Essay: Credit Based Higher Education System – Status, Opportunities and Challenges. | Khelo India https://thesupermanreturns.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/educatio/ 1/4 Khelo India E SSAY UPSC Essay: Credit Based Higher Education System – Status, Opportunities and Challenges. S EPTEMBER 17, 2012 | SUPERMAN | 6 COMMENTS Education in India has always assumed a larger than life role in the society. Whether it be the “Guru Gobind Dono Khadey, Kaakey Laagun Paaye…” of Rahim or the twice born doctrine in the Vedas, education has always had that spiritual connection and the business of imparting education was never considered a business at all. Perhaps out of this conceptualization only, education has always received the patronage of the taste and the wealthy through our history and was never a financial burden on the students. Whether it be the Kumaragupta founded Nalanda, or the Gangai Konda Chola Mandap mentioned in the Anaiyyavaram inscription of Rajendra Chola, or the madarassas founded by Sher Shah, the students and the teachers were always comfortably maintained out of the donations and India maintained its distinction of being one of the most sought after destinations of higher learning. Things changed for the first time under British India where it was clearly felt that “free education would not be valued properly by the natives”, and hence should be changed. But post independence, the Indian conceptualization again took the center stage and the seats of higher learning became the temples of modern India. Nehru knew the central importance of higher education in his vision of a planned economic development and hence ensured that the doors of these temples remained open to the very best of minds – irrespective of their financial capabilities. So liberal state grants were made for this cause and thus the fees were maintained low as well. Within all its constraints such a system functioned remarkably well in serving the needs of the economy. However, by the 1990s the structure of this economy began to change. State led approach gave way to a market determined pattern of development and the enterprising potential of the economy was unlocked. Naturally the wants of this economy from its education sector were much larger in scale and more diverse and dynamic in character. To meet these new demands, the higher education sector had to reform as well. First of all its size was simply not big enough. India had a particularly unimpressive record of the penetration of higher education and this was simply not consistent with the ambitions of taking the economy on a high growth trajectory.
-
Upload
anonymous-w63sfqiq -
Category
Documents
-
view
213 -
download
0
description
Credit based higher educational system by upsc exam topper.
Transcript of UPSC Essay_ Credit Based Higher Education System – Status, Opportunities and Challenges
-
7/25/2015 UPSCEssay:CreditBasedHigherEducationSystemStatus,OpportunitiesandChallenges.|KheloIndia
https://thesupermanreturns.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/educatio/ 1/4
KheloIndia
ESSAY
UPSCEssay:CreditBasedHigherEducationSystemStatus,OpportunitiesandChallenges.
SEPTEMBER17,2012|SUPERMAN|6COMMENTSEducationinIndiahasalwaysassumedalargerthanliferoleinthesociety.WhetheritbetheGuruGobindDonoKhadey,KaakeyLaagunPaayeofRahimorthetwiceborndoctrineintheVedas,educationhasalwayshadthatspiritualconnectionandthebusinessofimpartingeducationwasneverconsideredabusinessatall.Perhapsoutofthisconceptualizationonly,educationhasalwaysreceivedthepatronageofthetasteandthewealthythroughourhistoryandwasneverafinancialburdenonthestudents.WhetheritbetheKumaraguptafoundedNalanda,ortheGangaiKondaCholaMandapmentionedintheAnaiyyavaraminscriptionofRajendraChola,orthemadarassasfoundedbySherShah,thestudentsandtheteacherswerealwayscomfortablymaintainedoutofthedonationsandIndiamaintaineditsdistinctionofbeingoneofthemostsoughtafterdestinationsofhigherlearning.
ThingschangedforthefirsttimeunderBritishIndiawhereitwasclearlyfeltthatfreeeducationwouldnotbevaluedproperlybythenatives,andhenceshouldbechanged.Butpostindependence,theIndianconceptualizationagaintookthecenterstageandtheseatsofhigherlearningbecamethetemplesofmodernIndia.Nehruknewthecentralimportanceofhighereducationinhisvisionofaplannedeconomicdevelopmentandhenceensuredthatthedoorsofthesetemplesremainedopentotheverybestofmindsirrespectiveoftheirfinancialcapabilities.Soliberalstategrantsweremadeforthiscauseandthusthefeesweremaintainedlowaswell.Withinallitsconstraintssuchasystemfunctionedremarkablywellinservingtheneedsoftheeconomy.
However,bythe1990sthestructureofthiseconomybegantochange.Stateledapproachgavewaytoamarketdeterminedpatternofdevelopmentandtheenterprisingpotentialoftheeconomywasunlocked.Naturallythewantsofthiseconomyfromitseducationsectorweremuchlargerinscaleandmorediverseanddynamicincharacter.
Tomeetthesenewdemands,thehighereducationsectorhadtoreformaswell.Firstofallitssizewassimplynotbigenough.Indiahadaparticularlyunimpressiverecordofthepenetrationofhighereducationandthiswassimplynotconsistentwiththeambitionsoftakingtheeconomyonahighgrowthtrajectory.
-
7/25/2015 UPSCEssay:CreditBasedHigherEducationSystemStatus,OpportunitiesandChallenges.|KheloIndia
https://thesupermanreturns.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/educatio/ 2/4
Nexttherewasaneedtomeetthenewunconventionalneedsoftheeconomy.Nolonger,thus,itsufficedtoproducegraduateswithstandarddegreespossessingstandardskills.Oneneededtobedynamic.Similarly,asoureconomycompetedonaglobalscale,weneededhumanresourceswhocouldworkwithworldclasstechnologiesandmanagementpracticesaswell.Thusalargescaleinvestmentinthesectorwasneeded.
Nowthisiswheretherelianceongovernmentcouldbecomeaconstraint.Becausepublicfundsarescarceandslowincomingandarejustnotsuitedforsuchadynamicenvironment.Thusbudgetconstraintsbecamehardandthesectorwasforcedtorelymoreoninternalresourcegenerationandthusthecreditbasededucationsystemproliferated.
Therewereotherfactorsdrivingthechangeaswell.Forinstancetheneweconomyofferedalargernumberofbetterpayingjobs.Sopeoplewerenowpreparedtopaymoreforthehighereducationwhichcouldlandthemwithsuchjobs.Anditisalwaysdifficulttorunagainstthemarketforcesinfullswing.Ifwehadntallowedthehighereducationinstitutionstoincreasetheirfee,itwouldsimplyhavecreatedmorecomplianceissuesasthehigherfeewouldhavebeenpushedunderthetable,becausemarketforcescantberesistedonamacroscalewithoutsignificantcosts.
Moreoverastheeconomybecamemoreintegratedwiththeworld,sodidthepeople.Migration,speciallyofthequalifiedpeople,increasedandifourinstitutionsdidntofferbettertermstotheteachers,themorequalifiedoneswouldhavesimplymigratedaway.Similarlyifourinstitutionsdidntofferworldclassfacilitiesandeducationtothestudents,boththestudentsandtheirprospectiveemployerswouldmigrateawayaswell.
Thustherewasaclearneedforhigherinvestmentinthesectorandsothecreditbasedsystememerged.Withtimetherehasbeenagradualstrengtheningofthesystemasmoreandmoreprivateinstitutionscomeup,governmentinstitutionsincreasetheirfee,privatejobsdevelopmoreandbanksreorienttheirbusinesstotakeadvantageoftheopportunity.Finallyaswespeak,thereareproposalstoallowforeignuniversitiesintoIndiaandabilltothateffectisintheparliament.
Havingexaminedthetransitiontowardsthecreditbasededucationsystem,letuspauseandaskourselveswhataretheimplicationsofsuchatransition.Canitcontinuetosuitusinfutureaswell?Whataretheopportunitieswhichlieforward?Orwhatdoesitdotothestudentandtoourcherisheddreamofequalopportunitiestoall?
Letuslookattheopportunitiesfirst.Clearlythebiggeststrengthofthemodel,asseenearlier,isthatitisalignedwiththemarketforces.Thismakesitsmooth.Thismakesitdynamicandthismakesitscalable.Thisgivesusthepotentialofcreatingworldclasshumanresources.Themodeliscapableofgeneratingandattractingresourcesfordevelopingstateofartinfrastructure,forretainingtoplevelteachersandstudentsandthuscreateapositivefeedbackmechanism.ApartfromprovidingthelubricanttoruntheeconomyefficientlythemodelcanalsohelpenhanceIndiassoftpower.Asourhighlytrainedprofessionalsgoabroad,theywillhelpcreatetheimageofanew,richIndia.Finally,thismodelisuniqueinthesensethatitcanproducethebarefootengineersneededtoadviseontheMGNREGSprojectsandcanalsoproducethebestinvestmentbankerscapableofdealingincomplexderivativetransactions.Thustheopportunitiesofferedbythemodelareimmense.Butbeforepassingtheverdict,letusalsolookatthepotentialcausesofconcern.
-
7/25/2015 UPSCEssay:CreditBasedHigherEducationSystemStatus,OpportunitiesandChallenges.|KheloIndia
https://thesupermanreturns.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/educatio/ 3/4
Giventhealignmentofthemodelwiththemarketforcesanditspotentialtoserveus,shouldwethenleaveitentirelytothemarket?Well,certainlynot.TobeginwithECO101tellsusthateducationhaspositiveexternalitiesandthusiflefttothemarket,themarketwillalwaysoverpriceitandprovidetoolittleofit.Thusstateinterventionisneededtocorrectthisdistortion.
Thenthinkofwhatthemodelisdoingtoitsprincipalstakeholderthestudent.Itisuppingthestakes.Andbyuppingthestakesitisputtingherunderalotofadditionalpressure.Andinaneducationalsystemnotexactlyknownforitssensitivitytowardsthestudents,addonemorewoetoheralreadylonglistofwoeshowwillIeverrepaythecreditifIfail?Thereisalreadyatleastnesuicideeveryyearinmyalmamatersinceatleastadecadedowewanttoincreasethatanyfurther?
Nextthinkoftheimplicationsinthecurrentcontextwhenaneffectiveregulatorymechanismislacking.Oneaspectclearlyisthatthisputsthestudents(andtheirguardians)inaworsesituationsincetheyarelockedinandthussubjecttobeingmanipulatedbythecollegeauthorities.Evenapartfromit,thinkofthewidercontext.Highereducationisaspherewherethereisaclearinformationasymmetrywiththestudentsbeingatthereceivingend.Thiscreditbasedmodelwillcreateaclassicallemonsproblemsincebecauseonewouldexpectthebetterinstitutestochargehigherfees,eventheworseoneswoldchargeahigherfeeforotherwisetheywouldbeconsideredbadbythevirtueofchargingalowerfee.Thenhavingputsomuchatstake,theseinstituteswouldbeinclinedtopublishpaidrankingsinthemediaandthuscompoundingtheinformationproblem.
Worsestill,whatwouldhappenifsuchinstitutescometogetherandformcartelscreatingartificialscarcityandhigherfee.Andinallthisletusnotforgetwhathappenstotheresearchoutputinsuchacase.Clearlyhavingpaidsomuchfortheeducation,studentswouldbeinclinedtotakeupjobsinindustryratherthandonningthescientistscoat.
Andfinallytheconceptofequitywhathappenstoitunderthismodel.Weallknowcreditflowstowardsthehaves.Itfiltersoutthehavenots.Howcanweexpectapoormanschildtoeverfurnishahundredthousanddollarsloanguaranteenotwithstandinghoweverdeservingshemaybe.Thusthesystemautomaticallyweedsoutthepoor.
Havingseenthepracticallimitationsofthemodel,itisclearthatweneedtobuildinsufficientsafeguardmechanismsfirst.Thiswouldensureitcontributestogrowthmeaningfulinclusivegrowthandnotjustanumbercalledgrowth.Clearlythereisaneedtosafeguardtheinterestsofthefinanciallypoorerchildren.Isthereanywayofdoingthiswithoutputtingastrainonthepublicfunds?PerhapswecandrawupontheUniversalServiceObligations(USO)Fundmodelfromthetelecomsector.OrwecanlooktowardsaRTEkindoffeature(25%reservation).
Toaddresstheotherissues,speciallytoprotecttheinterestsofthestudentsatlargeandalsotopreventalemonsproblemfromoccurring,weneedtoputinplacestrongandindependentregulatorymechanisms.Theproposedbillonthehighereducationiscertainlyawelcomestepinthedirection.Studentcounselingmustinvariablybeapartofthisregulatorypackageandweneedtobringlawswhichempowerthestudents.Andfinally,tomakesurethatresearchactivityisnotsacrificedinthedin,wewouldneedtoputinplacelargerincentivesstructuresoastomakeIndiaahubforglobalR&D.
Thecreditbasedmodelispowerfulbecauseitisalignedwiththetrendsoftheage.Itoffers
-
7/25/2015 UPSCEssay:CreditBasedHigherEducationSystemStatus,OpportunitiesandChallenges.|KheloIndia
https://thesupermanreturns.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/educatio/ 4/4
Thecreditbasedmodelispowerfulbecauseitisalignedwiththetrendsoftheage.Itofferstremendouspotentialtoservethecountryaswell.Andcertainlywemustencourageit.Butatthesametimeweneedtoputinsufficientsafeguardsaswell.Thefutureawaits
6thoughtsonUPSCEssay:CreditBasedHigherEducationSystemStatus,OpportunitiesandChallenges.
1. mmshariffsays:APRIL28,2014AT5:15PMThisisveryusefularticle,everyonemustreadthis.Everystudentmusttakeeducationasachallenge.
2. sonusays:JULY31,2014AT4:17PMWellfurnishedcontent.Thanx
3. Pingback:FromMacaulayPutra,WithLovePart2|KheloIndia4. vikassays:
NOVEMBER8,2014AT1:31PMexcellentarticle(y)
5. Pingback:HowtoWriteEssayforUPSCMainsExam?ToppersAdvice6. sovsays:
JULY7,2015AT9:10PMcanalsoproducethebestinvestmentbankerscapableofdealingincomplexderivativetransactionsroknahinpayekya
Follow
FollowKheloIndia
BuildawebsitewithWordPress.com
