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India’s storied heritage has a strong basis in scholarship and learning. A history that dates back to the oldest universities in the world the most famous of them being Nalanda.

Nalanda was an institution that was renowned for promoting excellence. It was one of the first universities to maintain an extensive library, have an exceptionally gifted faculty, and encourage debate and dissent. It removed all barriers to learning, promoted interdisciplinary exchange of ideas, and welcomed students of all ages. It even attracted students from overseas—the well-known Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang was an alumnus. It was the epitome of high quality. Vikramshila, Taxila and Ratnagiri were the other ancient universities that were also famous as centres of learning.

The Indian government is today looking at resurrecting the glory of these exemplar universities by building new Nalandas. The XIth Five Year Plan, endorsed by National Development Council in December declared that 8 new Indian Institutes of Technology, 7 additional Indian Institutes of Management, 14 innovation universities, and 16 Central universities would be set up.

But, do we need these new initiatives? If we do, then how do we build them? And, most importantly, can they become the new Nalandas?

Is There A Need?
The primary question being raised by skeptics is whether we need these new institutions? Why does India want a new set of global universities, when its existing universities are declining or are derelict, and need immediate attention? Critics also point out that elementary and secondary education is still weak in the country, and that this “indulgence” in higher education is unnecessary. “What’s the use of adding muscle, if the bones are weak?” asks education activist Pradeep Pandey, pointing to the pathetic state of elementary education. Professor Kuldip Singh Dhindsa, the former Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry, London, feels that while it is a good idea to have centres for excellence, it is necessary to carry out structural realignments too.

Experts have also remarked that existing IITs and IIMs could have been allocated more funds and asked to increase seats to fill the gap, or that existing central universities could have been given more funds.

On the other hand, many feel that reviving old institutions poses a significant challenge since the people in old institutions are often unwilling to experiment. The Vice Chancellor of the newly formed Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dr Furqan Qamar is far more optimistic, “If these new universities come up with innovative ideas and people see these live models work then the fear of adopting new methods would go and they would also become willing to experiment.”

Boosting Quality and Access
Many also believe that the government has to contribute and increase access to higher education if India wants to improve its current Gross Enrollment Ratio of 11 percent. The government has set an ambitious target of 21 percent of Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher education by end of the XIIth Plan, with interim target of 15 percent by 2011 to 2012. To achieve this, university and college enrollment will be raised at an annual rate of 8.9 percent to reach 21 million by 2011-12. Which is why these institutions are required.

“Building new institutions is the need of the hour, if we are to address the yawning gap. Given their structure and emphasis, these universities would address issues of both access and quality,” says Manoj Kumar Singh, a Hindi professor at Magadh University, Bihar.

The issue of quality is another reason for these new institutions. Only 10 to 25 percent of approximately 16 million students enrolled in Indian institutions fit for employment when they graduate. This figure is 72 to 81 percent in the US, and 20 to 35 percent in Malaysia. Many of our existing institutions are not equipped to produce quality graduates. For years the handful of IITs and IIMs, have been the centres of excellence. We need more of them.

The government has acknowledged this in the XIth 5-year-plan which reads, “Despite expansion, it is evident that the education system is under stress to provide a sufficient volume of skilled human power, equipped with required knowledge and technical skills to cater to the demands of the economy. Accelerated growth of our economy has already created shortages of high-quality technical manpower.” “We have to keep up with a changing global reality. We need to emphasise on qualitative higher education. Initially, the government had focused on expansion of access to education, and results are visible both in urban and rural centres. Now, there is the need to improve higher education and make it at par with knowledge economies of the world,” remarks Ashok Tanwar, the member of the Standing Committee on Higher Education under the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) and a member of Parliament.

Agreeing with Tanwar, the Secretary of art, culture and youth in Bihar government, Vivek Singh, alludes to the paradigm shift in world economies. “Services industries have to be developed. Modern youth requires a new set of skills and ideas to excel. We were fine in a world that was not so specialised. Since change is imperative, we (government) should ensure this,” says the 1988-batch IAS officer.

Promoting Research
Other reasons cited by experts in favour of new universities is the growing need to propagate research. In 2006 India was granted 7,500 patents. This pales in comparison to the 173,800 granted in the US, 57,800 granted in China, and the 9,600 granted in Mexico. “To compete successfully in the knowledge based economy of the 21st century, India needs enough universities that not only produce bright graduates for export, but can also support sophisticated research in a number of scientific and scholarly fields,” writes Philip G. Altbach, the Monan professor of higher education and director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, in his essay—“A world-class country without world-class higher education: India’s 21st century dilemma”.

Creating Institutions of Excellence
While we need these centres of excellence how do we build them? While the plan for building the new Nalandas has identified many ingredients to build them successfully, the challenge is in execution.

One of the first requirements is to bring in regulatory changes and eliminate bureaucracy. The government is proposing a single regulatory body instead of the 13 agencies that exist currently, including the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Professor B.K. Kuthiala, the Vice Chancellor of Makhan Lal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, points out that an environment conducive to research is mandatory for ushering in quality education, “The primary threat to research comes from the bureaucracy. Our country’s administrative system is in hands of people whose goal is to maintain (the) status quo. Aspirations (of research scholars and bureaucracy) are different. Till the time the administration is asked to play a role in policy-making and goal implementation, change would be impossible. A scientist will thrive if an adequate environment is provided. Higher education has to be left to natural growth without interference. Of course, government can be one of the players, but not the key ‘regulating player’.”

A concept note titled—Innovation Universities Aiming at World Class Standards circulated by the HRD ministry, says, “The search for truth and ideas cannot be bound by conventional wisdom. Autonomy is a sine qua non for quality institutions. However, a university aiming at world-class standards would have to structure a framework that promotes autonomy, but inculcates a spirit of accountability.”

The good news is that the government has given reasonable leeway and autonomy to decide their courses, and asked to experiment and innovate. At a meeting with the newly appointed vice chancellors of central universities last year, Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal said, “The central universities must become benchmarks for academic excellence for the rest of the country.” Dr. Surabhi Banerjee, the vice chancellor of the newly formed Central University of Orissa at Koraput, admits that the freedom and autonomy that her institute enjoys, as a part of a central university, is her greatest relief and joy. “We want the university to make a difference in the global world, while remaining rooted in the local milieu. I am aware of the challenges ahead and yet positive that we can make a difference,” she adds.

An official from the HRD ministry, wishing to remain anonymous, adds that autonomy and accountability should go hand-in-hand. “Higher education institutions must subject themselves to internal accountability as far as stakeholders are concerned. They need to set their goals and targets to assess achievements. They must be subjected to peer review and an apex regulatory institutional mechanism that is at an arm’s length from the government and independent of stakeholders. This framework must be conducive to innovation, creativity and excellence,” he says.

Promoting Innovation
The government hopes that giving autonomy to innovation universities through freedom in pedagogy structure, admission and research, and encouragement of peer audit will promote new-age skills. “Innovation carries spin-off benefits. It yields social dividends for the broader civil society, helps reduce poverty, improves health and greater education and empowers women. Universities should be places were ideas germinate. It is a place where faculty and students challenge existing boundaries in a culture of creativity….,” reads the opening part of the Innovation University concept note, setting up the tone for new universities. “The idea is a novel one,” assures Umakant Mishra, the former principal director-general of the Centre’s press information bureau. Presently, Mishra is a consultant in the upcoming Jharkhand Central University. He believes that to avoid repeating past mistakes, the government and the new centres have to be vigilant. While the government goes the whole-hog with reforms, innovation and infusion, it is necessary to guard against past habits.

New courses are planned in the Central Universities, the IITs and IIMs. “We are trying to develop interdisciplinary schools, which are centres of excellence and yet provide flexibility and freedom. Very often students who join IIT are not interested in engineering per se We are exploring if they can have the option to choose branches after they join in rather than at the time of joining. We are also exploring if they can be allowed to exit with BSc or BASc if they want to,” says Prem Kalra, director of the newly formed IIT Jodhpur.