Amit Pandey
of reforming and strengthening public universities, it has chosen to make them vulnerable to political interference and administrative inefficiencies. The case of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) is a glaring example of how public universities are being sabotaged. The Vice-Chancellor of NEHU has been denied entry into the university for the last four months, a clear indication of the chaos prevailing within one of the most prestigious institutions in the Northeast. If a government-funded university faces such disorder, what does it say about the state of higher education governance in India?
The issue of private universities functioning with absolute impunity was even raised in the last Parliament session, where Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar made sensational disclosures about widespread irregularities in India’s higher education system. He admitted that several private institutions were running unauthorized courses, granting degrees without proper accreditation, and violating UGC norms. Yet, despite these admissions, no stringent action has been taken.
This brings us to a fundamental question: why hasn’t the government introduced an ordinance to regulate private universities? If higher education is indeed a matter of state importance, as the numerous mishaps suggest, why hasn’t there been a nationwide crackdown on these fraudulent institutions? The government’s unwillingness to act raises suspicions that privatization of education is not merely a policy failure but a deliberate strategy to weaken the public education system and push students toward unreliable private entities.
The slow dismantling of India’s educational institutions is a result of misplaced priorities. Instead of investing in public universities, ensuring better faculty recruitment, and providing adequate research funding, the government has consistently reduced grants for public institutions. The University Grants Commission (UGC) itself has faced budget cuts, leaving many state universities struggling to maintain academic standards. As a result, students who cannot afford expensive private institutions are left with subpar public education, while those who opt for private universities often find themselves holding degrees that lack credibility.
The crisis is further exacerbated by rampant commercialization. Many private universities function more like businesses than academic institutions, prioritizing revenue over education. They charge exorbitant fees, admit students indiscriminately, and grant degrees without proper evaluation. This is evident in the mushrooming of private engineering and management colleges across the country, where thousands of students graduate every year only to find that their degrees hold little value in the job market. The growing unemployment among graduates is a direct consequence of this failing system.
Another pressing concern is the politicization of education. The appointment of Vice-Chancellors based on political loyalty rather than merit has weakened the academic credibility of several institutions. In states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, allegations of political interference in university appointments have become common, leading to a decline in research output and academic excellence. When institutions are run by political appointees rather than qualified academicians, the very purpose of education is lost.
The deterioration of India’s higher education system also has far-reaching implications for the country’s global standing. Indian universities are consistently absent from the top rankings of global academic institutions, largely because they fail to maintain rigorous academic and research standards. The best Indian students now prefer to study abroad, causing a brain drain that further weakens the country’s intellectual capital. If this trend continues, India risks becoming an exporter of talent while failing to create a robust domestic education system.
It is time to acknowledge that India’s education system is at a breaking point. The exposure of fraudulent universities, the neglect of public institutions, the lack of regulatory oversight, and the government’s complicity in allowing private players to dominate the sector are all symptoms of a failing state. If the government does not take immediate action—by imposing stricter regulations, increasing public funding for universities, and ensuring accountability—it will only accelerate the collapse of higher education in the country.
The government’s current approach appears to be one of deliberate neglect, allowing the education sector to crumble under the weight of corruption, mismanagement, and commercialization. The NEHU crisis, the USTM scandal, and the revelations in Parliament are all warning signs that the system is being hollowed out from within. The question now is not just about fake degrees or fraudulent private universities—it is about whether India’s next generation will have access to quality higher education at all. If the government fails to act, the damage may soon become irreversible.
( Author is Managing Editor of The Emerging World)
