Towards Excellence: Strengthening Quality in India’s Higher Education System

By Dr Lakshay Sharma, Dr Salineeta Chaudhuri, Ms Nipunika Shahid, School of Social Sciences, CHRIST University Delhi NCR

Explore the challenges and reforms in India’s higher education system, focusing on quality, accreditation, faculty shortages, and employability. Learn how NEP 2020 aims to transform universities and boost research output.

Over the last few decades, India’s higher education system has seen phenomenal growth. From a mere 30 universities in 1950, we now have more than 1,168 Universities, including central, state, and private Universities and over 45,000 colleges. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), a measure of the percentage of youth (18–23 years) in higher education, has remarkably enhanced, reaching 28.4% in 2021–22. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisages an ambitious goal: 50% GER by 2035.

At first glance, this appears to be a success. Yet beneath this numerical achievement lies a more profound concern: has India focused more on expansion than ensuring quality?

The Cost of Rapid Expansion

This growth has significantly strained infrastructure, teaching staff, and institutional capacity. A recent University Grants Commission (UGC) report highlighted that almost 30–40% of Indian HEIs are unaccredited, even after five decades of functioning. NAAC accreditation is considered a minimum quality indicator, but numerous colleges and even some universities operate outside of this.

Only about half of the sanctioned teaching positions in India’s central universities are filled. Faculty often juggle between administrative and teaching tasks in premier institutions like the IITs and IIMs. Instructors are usually burdened with administration for research or student mentorship. A healthy faculty-student ratio—frequently cited as 1:18—is rarely met; many state universities report ratios closer to 1:30 or worse.

According to an AICTE survey in 2019, more than 60% of technical institutions lack adequate infrastructure, including labs and libraries, affecting students’ learning experience and practical training. These figures underscore how severe the quality strain has become as the system has scaled up rapidly.

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Quantity Without Research Depth

India has made strides in research output, recently becoming the fourth-largest producer of scientific publications globally. Yet, regarding citations per paper—a key indicator of quality and impact—we lag far behind countries like China, Germany, and the United States. India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) remains at a meagre 0.7% of GDP, with over half coming from government sources. Conversely, China spends roughly 2.4% of its GDP, and the United States nearly 3.5%.

The gap between innovation on the ground and research is equally vast. India’s industry-academia interface is among the weakest in G20 countries, according to a 2023 NITI Aayog report. Most patents, technologies, and innovations originate from a handful of elite, top-notch institutions. At the same time, half a dozen state universities and private colleges hardly contribute to national research production.

A Tale of Two Systems

This dichotomy is widening. On one end, there is the emergence of high-end private institutions such as Ashoka University, OP Jindal Global University, and the Indian School of Business (ISB) that recruit foreign faculty, have low student-faculty ratios, and focus on research. Conversely, the typical public college—particularly in rural and semi-urban locales—grapples with dilapidated infrastructure, patchy internet connectivity, and outdated syllabi.

An All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) survey concluded that only 45% of graduating engineers were employable in core competencies. Management education is also ailing: of almost 4,000 business schools in India, only the top 10–15% of them churn out employees with excellent employment opportunities. The remaining institutions risk becoming degree mills, fuelled as much by admissions data as learning results.

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Rankings: Glimmers of Progress

India’s recent global ranking performance is encouraging. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, 54 Indian institutions were ranked, a rise from a mere 11 institutions in 2014. IIT Delhi stood out among Indian institutions, ranking at 123 worldwide, followed closely by IIT Bombay and IIT Madras.

Yet, most Indian institutions still score poorly on faculty-student ratio, international faculty, and research citations. Global recognition remains concentrated in a handful of institutions, leaving the rest of the system behind.

Media and Research Articles on Higher Education Quality in India

Media Articles

 Academic & Research Papers

What Educationists Believe: Balancing Standardization, Freedom, and Employability

Educationists believe that while the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 lays a strong foundation for reform, the real challenge lies in striking the right balance between standardized benchmarks and institutional autonomy. Simrat Gulati, a senior educationist with the International Institute of Mass Media, emphasizes that although standardization is essential in a fragmented system plagued by quality disparities, it risks suppressing academic freedom and creative learning. She warns that rigid regulations and bureaucratic pressures might elevate struggling institutions but could simultaneously dilute the excellence of already well-performing ones, pushing them toward mediocrity. Dr. Tasha Singh Parihar, Professor at Galgotias University, views NEP 2020 as a pragmatic compromise—allowing innovation through autonomy while enforcing accountability through quality frameworks like the HECI. Both experts agree that employability is a critical concern but stress that the issue is not simply about technical skill gaps. Gulati argues for instilling value-based “real-world readiness” such as discipline, respect for hierarchy, and teamwork—traits often overlooked but vital in any work environment. Dr. Parihar, on the other hand, suggests structural reforms like mandatory internships, skill-based electives, industry integration, and incubation centers to make education more responsive and relevant without compromising academic rigor. Together, these perspectives underscore a shared belief: that true transformation in higher education must go beyond content delivery to shape mindsets, foster responsibility, and align education with both societal and professional realities.

India’s higher education system is currently at a crossroads, grappling with multiple interconnected challenges that undermine both quality and outcomes. A key concern is accreditation and governance, especially in light of the recent shift by NAAC to a binary accreditation model—labeling institutions simply as “Accredited” or “Not Accredited.” While this aims to streamline the process, it also raises questions about whether such simplification may mask the nuanced differences in academic standards across institutions. However, state-level initiatives such as the University Department Ranking Framework (UDRF) are showing promise by offering more structured and granular evaluations.

Another pressing challenge is faculty quality. A range of studies and audits have highlighted the widespread shortage of qualified teaching staff. Institutions often rely heavily on part-time or underqualified faculty, resulting in compromised teaching quality and limited mentoring for students. This is exacerbated by insufficient training and lack of faculty development programs, which collectively hinder the intellectual depth of academic delivery.

The issue of employability continues to be a major concern. Numerous media reports and educational blogs have criticized the growing disconnect between academic degrees and real-world job skills. The lack of practical industry exposure, inadequate career mentoring, and curriculum rigidity have left graduates underprepared for the evolving demands of the job market. This misalignment is contributing to the perception that degrees in India are often “without depth.”

Funding and infrastructure constraints also weigh heavily on institutional performance. Despite the ambitions outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, public spending on education continues to hover below 3.5% of GDP—well short of the targeted 6%. The uneven distribution of funds, coupled with outdated or inadequate infrastructure in many colleges and universities, further undermines efforts to deliver a high-quality educational experience.

Finally, while research output is currently dominated by centrally funded institutions such as IITs and IIMs, there is a gradual democratization underway. Newer and private universities are beginning to contribute meaningfully to India’s research landscape. This indicates a positive trend, but sustained support and policy backing are needed to encourage a more inclusive research ecosystem.

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Reforms Are in Motion—But Are They Enough?

The NEP 2020 is the most ambitious change in Indian education policy in decades. It envisions multidisciplinary, flexible undergraduate programmes, internationalisation of Indian campuses, and a total revamp of regulatory agencies. The mooted Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) is designed to simplify regulation and maintain quality without bureaucracy.

Also, the National Research Foundation (NRF), which was announced in the Union Budget, is to increase funding and encourage the culture of academic research. If well implemented, it would assist in filling the research gap and cut our reliance on foreign journals and grants.

However, policy is not enough to address structural deficits. The government has to significantly raise investment in public higher education, particularly in research and faculty development. States need to be incentivised to enhance accreditation processes and develop transparent measures of institutional performance.

Why Quality Matters Now More Than Ever

The stakes are nothing less. India boasts the world’s most youthful population. The median age is a mere 28, and millions enter the higher education system annually. If they emerge from graduation with mediocre skills, the implications are economic, social, and even political.

Employers frequently complain that the issue isn’t necessarily a lack of talent, but an absence of trained, industry-ready graduates. In 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that almost 01 in 05 Indian college-educated youth are unemployed. Too many have to go for extra certifications—usually through private edtech platforms—to make themselves employable, further emphasising the disconnect between classroom deliveries and practical skills needed in the workplace.

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Reforms for a Transformative Future

To truly move “Towards Excellence” and fulfill the vision outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, India’s higher education system must undergo a strategic and holistic transformation that prioritizes quality over mere expansion. First and foremost, the accreditation process must evolve beyond procedural checklists to embrace outcome-based metrics, evaluating institutions on tangible parameters such as graduate employability, innovation, and research contributions. Such a shift will promote accountability and reward institutions for real-world impact rather than bureaucratic compliance. Equally critical is the need to strengthen the faculty pipeline—a task that demands sustained investment in faculty development programs, the creation of stable and rewarding career trajectories, and a reduction in over-reliance on ad-hoc or underqualified teaching staff. Teaching quality lies at the heart of academic depth, and it must be nurtured with the same seriousness as research. Parallelly, public funding for higher education must be significantly enhanced and aligned with NEP’s target of 6% of GDP. However, increased funding alone is not enough; it must be disbursed equitably and used transparently to bridge infrastructure gaps and build inclusive learning environments.

Further, it is imperative to ensure institutional autonomy, especially in state-funded universities where bureaucratic control often stifles innovation. Empowering institutions to make academic, financial, and administrative decisions will encourage creativity, local relevance, and faster adaptation to emerging trends. Addressing the employability gap is another urgent priority. Curricula must be reoriented through meaningful collaboration with industry partners, integration of vocational modules, internships, and real-time mentoring to equip students with skills that matter in today’s dynamic job market. Lastly, to position India as a knowledge economy, there is a pressing need to expand the research ecosystem. This requires supporting both public and private institutions through competitive grants, interdisciplinary collaboration, and access to cutting-edge infrastructure. By fostering a vibrant and inclusive research culture, Indian universities can drive innovation, influence policy, and enhance their global standing. In essence, achieving excellence in higher education is not about producing more degrees—it is about creating deeper, more transformative learning and research ecosystems that empower individuals and contribute meaningfully to national development.

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