Private sector makes a mark in higher education

Ernst & Young (E&Y)and FICCI (Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) report on ‘Private Sector participation in Higher Education, 2011’ says 91% engineering schools, 95% pharmacy, 64% business and 50% medical schools in India are non-government. The scene is the same in hotel management, dental college, teaching colleges, architecture and computer application colleges.

The statistics show that the private sector is not only cashing in on school education but in professional disciplines too. Over 52% students of India are studying in private higher educational institutes.

Amitabh Jhingan, education sector leader of E&Y, said that over 1.4 crore students are enrolled in 31,000 higher education institutions across the country. “To meet the 30% gross enrolment ratio by 2020 as per the Centre’s target, 4 crore students will need admission and 2.5 crore additional seats would be required. This needs an investment of Rs10 lakh crore, of which, half would come from private sector” Jhingan said.

But despite the initiative and potential, private institutions are not supported enough by the government, says the report. Multiple authorities such as AICTE, bar council, medical council, and the UGC create hurdles in the growth of private institutions.

The report also states that the policy of government funding should now be student-specific, so that students can choose the centre and get financial aid.

But educationist and professor in a pharmacy college, Milind Wagh disagrees with the idea of student-specific funding. He said that instead of diverting fund to the private sector without any accountability, the government must invest in professional education.

Prof CS Kulkarni, principal of Thadomal Shahani College of engineering (pvt), said: “To uplift private institutions, they should be nationalised. Higher education policy should be need-based, scientifically designed and uniform.”

Professor Uday Salunkhe, group director of Welingkar Institute of Management (Pvt), said: “The Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business of America allows academically qualified and professionally qualified teachers. We should be allowed to hire industry people as faculty even if they don’t have a PhD.”