About Higher Education in India

Education is India was introduced in the ancient times and gradually it developed into divergent streams. Educating the people has helped the society to reach the position of a cultured, civilised and enlightened world. Imparting education became distinct. The education system was organised into various levels and Higher Education in India evolved. Higher education is that level of education which is imparted by the universities, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology. Higher education can be of different courses such as technical courses, vocational courses or trade syllabus.

Higher Education in India is guaranteed to all irrespective of caste, creed and sex. Right to education is Human Rights and the United Nations` International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states that "higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education". The higher education system of the country is monitored by an apex body and is indirectly controlled by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. History of Higher Education in India is very extensive. In the ancient days there were Universities and colleges and they used to impart the oldest formal education. The education system in India changed with different invasions.

Education system is India is categorized as a three tier system. The first and basic stage is the pre- primary level that further continues to Primary, secondary and tertiary level. The tertiary level is the post secondary or the phase of Higher Education in India. It is a non compulsory form of education which introduces the students to colleges and universities. These institutions of higher education provide students training on all subjects including science, arts and commerce. The subjects taught take in mathematics, literature, philosophy and astronomy. Colleges in India are funded by central or state governments.

Higher Education in India includes Universities that are affiliated to the state governments or central government. Universities in India are engineering education and business schools that are monitored and accredited by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Various professional courses are offered by these universities and institutions. The students interested in technology and engineering can enroll in the prestigious IITs in India. The higher education in the country also produces trained business administrators. They get their training in the premier institutions of management and most esteemed among the management institutes are the IIMs in India. Admission to all these professional education colleges is done through all-India common admission tests such as IIT-JEE, AIEEE, CAT and CPMT.

History of Higher Education in India

India has a long and venerable history in the field of higher education. In ancient times, the country was known to have been home to the oldest formal universities in the world. The more striking of these ancient universities were Takshila (now in Pakistan), Nalanda (in the modern state of Bihar) and Ujjaini (in modern Madhya Pradesh). These were famous in the prehistoric world and attracted students from all parts of India, Central Asia, China and South-east Asia. The Hindu-Buddhist university of Takshila, the oldest, was probably established in sixth century B.C.. Unfortunately, Takshila University was destroyed by the White Huns (Ephthalites) around 460 A.D. In 1193, Nalanda University was sacked and totally destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji. This event not only ended the university, but was also followed by a rapid decline in the practise of Buddhism in India. In 1235, Sultan Iltutmish completely destroyed Ujjaini, a major centre for mathematics, literature, philosophy and astronomy. History of higher education in India had thus begun its journey quite with a bang, which had to face temporary hindrance in the form of outside invasion. It is significant that at exactly the same time, half-way across the world, Oxford University was being established.

The following centuries saw a few centres of Islamic and Hindu learning emerge. However, India did not produce another world-class university for several hundred years. Just like in any other sphere in daily life, it was only during British colonial rule that formal university education was revived. Modern colleges were set up in Agra, Nagpur, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in the early nineteenth century. This introduction of Western learning, made accessible through the knowledge of English, was a very important factor that allowed the emergence of India`s middle class. And this so termed `middle class` would go on to produce legends after legends when it came to history of higher education in India. In 1857, three federal examining universities on the pattern of London University were established in the three main British-controlled cities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The existing colleges were affiliated to these universities. Over the next several decades, more universities were founded and by 1947 there were 25 universities in the country.

Post Independence, history of higher education in India went through phases of rapid expansion. The number of universities in the country leapt from 25 in 1947 to 348 in 2005. Enrollment rose from 0.1 million in 1947 to 10.5 million in 2005. In present times, the country`s higher educational institutions have an enrolment of 10.5 million students and turn out 2.5 million each year. Approximately 45 per cent of the students pursue degrees in the arts, 20 per cent in sciences and 18 per cent in commerce. The remaining 17 per cent are enrolled into professional courses like law and medicine. The sheer numbers may seem enormous, but that appears pretty small for a country of India`s size.

Higher Education of Women In India

Education in India especially higher education in India is indeed one amongst other elements which has captured the world`s attention. The Vedas, Puranas, Ayurveda, Yoga, Kautilya`s Arthasahtra are some of the significant traditional Indian knowledge system which even today, India can boast of. It is certainly not an overstatement to say that the history of higher education in India is long, pregnant with its copious past.

Higher education in India is defined as the education attained after the completion of 12 years of schooling. Higher education for women has gained a wider role and responsibility all over the world. Today, in the 21st century, one cannot afford to ignore the importance of higher education for women any longer. The reason for its need and urgency is that there is no biological difference in the systems of males and females. Need for higher education among women assumes all the more importance in countries like India where colonialism has remained a great force hindering education for the general masses and for the women in particular. Higher education of women in India is indeed necessary. Whether to provide society with competent men and women trained in agriculture, arts, medicine, science and technology and various other professions, or to strive to promote equality and social justice or whether to reduce social and cultural differences through diffusion of education, diffusing higher education of women in India is certainly that hidden key.

The objective of the Indian Society as has been laid down in the constitution is to achieve a democratic, socialistic and egalitarian society. In such a society women are supposed to perform their roles at par with men. Their status structurally needs to be equal with men and in the present scenario, higher education is certainly that factor which can actually support them to execute their role at par with men.

Higher Education may also be viewed in terms of the needs of its consumers. The term consumer is very wide and heterogeneous. It includes young and old of both sexes. Theoretically the need for Higher Education for both males and females is the same. But it`s sometime argued that males and females are different in their social and cultural needs.

The basic argument which is given for women Higher Education is not that Higher Education for women is different from that of men. The main thrust is that in the field of Higher Education, women should also be equal partners. The commission on the Higher Education for women, University of Madras in 1979 has rightly observed: "for Women and men college education is necessary for character formation, ability to earn, creative self expression and personal development".

MAIN FACTORS INFLUENCING WOMEN`S SUCCESS / FAILURE IN COMPLETING HIGHER EDUCATION:-
Research has unveiled the fact that there are few influencing factors which supports in the success and failure in completing higher education in women.

Success :
• Women are strongly motivated to succeed in the education stream.
• The merit basis of the education system permits females to excel.
• Prejudice against women`s education has been reduced. Higher Education has come to be considered equivalent to a bride`s "dowry".
• Women`s universities promote women`s Higher Education.
• Women`s expectations for education based employment are high.
• Some Higher Education courses provide scholarship facilities for women.
• Female students have been provided with residential facilities in some areas.

Failure :
• Female students have difficulties in access to transport facilities in general.
• Sexual harassment as well as occasional student violence hinder female students completion of higher education.
• Marriage in many cases leads to early withdraw.
• Gender stereotyping inhibits completion of studies.
• Financial constraints can cause withdrawal from the education stream.
• Part-time work to earn living interferes with studies.