Indian higher education’s three challenges

Indian universities struggle to rank among the world's top institutions despite having talented students and world-class capabilities in various fields. The issues are not solely due to inadequate funding, excessive regulation, poor infrastructure, and flawed policies. Instead, the underlying barriers can be explained by three main challenges: intention, concept, and execution.

Firstly, appointments, promotions, and admissions are often influenced by factors unrelated to merit, integrity, fairness, and long-term institutional interests. This lack of consistency in decision-making leads to favouritism, which undermines the quality of education. Secondly, universities need to adopt distinct governance models separate from government departments or corporate offices.

Universities should be viewed as unique learning communities that require different approaches to policy-making and decision-making. For example, the one-year probationary period for faculty appointments may not provide enough time to accurately assess a candidate's suitability. Thirdly, academic excellence requires a culture of trust, responsibility, and shared commitment to institutional goals.

Universities cannot thrive under excessive control or rigid policies, as they need autonomy to foster innovation and excellence. Moreover, policies should be tailored to the specific needs and contexts of different institutions, disciplines, and geographical locations. Effective execution of academic initiatives also demands capable leaders, robust processes, continuous learning, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

A culture of fear of failure discourages initiative and stunts innovation. Therefore, investing in academic leadership through coaching and mentoring is essential to turn sound ideas into effective practices. Lastly, higher education can only improve if we address the deeper challenges of intention, concept, and execution. Funding, infrastructure, and regulation are important, but they are insufficient unless we also tackle these fundamental issues.