State of India’s Higher Education:
- Dr Sp Mishra
- Aug 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 26
A Conversation with Prof. M.K. Surappa (ICC Blog #108)
India’s higher education system, once a source of global admiration, today stands at a critical juncture. In the early decades of the 20th century, institutions such as Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay Universities nurtured scholars of global stature. Sir C.V. Raman’s Nobel Prize-winning research at Calcutta University was not an isolated feat—it symbolised a culture of inquiry, curiosity, and academic freedom that defined Indian higher learning. Yet, since the 1980s, the landscape has shifted. Technical education surged, while the pure sciences, humanities, and commerce slowly receded into the background.
Paradoxically, this decline in academic vitality has unfolded even as the system expanded to become one of the largest in the world. With more than 40 million students enrolled across thousands of colleges and nearly 10 million graduates emerging annually, India possesses both scale and reach. What it lacks, however, is the capacity to translate these numbers into meaningful outcomes—whether in research, innovation, employability, or global reputation.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Prof. M.K. Surappa—former Vice Chancellor of Anna University, Dean of Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, and founding Director of IIT Ropar—offered a candid critique of the systemic ailments afflicting Indian higher education. His observations are both sobering and constructive, offering lessons for policymakers, educators, and students alike.
Governance Without Accountability
At the heart of the malaise lies the governance structure of Indian higher education. The University Grants Commission (UGC), the country’s chief regulator, has produced a 1,100-page compendium on university governance. Yet, as Prof. Surappa points out, the UGC’s voluminous rulebooks have done little to instil accountability. While institutions are flooded with mandatory, recommendatory, and optional guidelines, enforcement remains weak. Dubious practices—from questionable admissions to financial mismanagement—often go unpunished.
This overregulation has created a culture of compliance rather than creativity. Vice Chancellors and faculty spend disproportionate time fulfilling paperwork, uploading data, and ticking boxes, while their core academic mission—teaching, mentoring, and research—suffers neglect. Worse, the obsession with expanding Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) has prioritised quantity over quality. India may succeed in enrolling more students into higher education, but too often, these students emerge underprepared for the complex demands of the real world.
Leadership Deficit
A recurrent theme in Prof. Surappa’s analysis is the crisis of leadership. At the helm of universities, Vice Chancellors and Heads of Departments are expected to embody vision, courage, and integrity. Yet, many appointments are mired in politics, patronage, or expediency. Without leaders who are willing to take difficult decisions, uphold merit, and resist unethical pressures, even well-intentioned reforms collapse into tokenism. Transformational leadership—anchored in values rather than vested interests—is the missing piece in the governance puzzle.
Research Integrity and Innovation
India’s research output has grown in volume, but quality remains uneven. Retractions of research papers, often linked to plagiarism or flawed methodologies, are increasing. Prof. Surappa argues that these lapses cannot be brushed aside as individual failings; they must be addressed transparently. Public discussion of retractions and punitive measures against repeat offenders is vital to preserve academic integrity.
Beyond integrity, the deeper concern is innovation. Too much of Indian research is derivative, produced to satisfy requirements for promotions or rankings rather than driven by curiosity or societal need. Prof. Surappa calls for a cultural transformation—one that encourages original thought, interdisciplinary exploration, and risk-taking. Funding alone cannot achieve this; what is needed is an ethos that prizes curiosity over conformity and creativity over compliance.
Equity Beyond the Elite
India’s premier institutions—the IITs, NITs, and a handful of central universities—receive disproportionate attention and resources. Their graduates enjoy privileged pathways to opportunities, while the vast majority of students in state universities and regional colleges remain neglected. This inequity, Prof. Surappa notes, is not only unfair but unsustainable. National development depends on the upliftment of all institutions, not just a select few.
Equally important is democratizing the policymaking process. National committees and decision-making bodies are often dominated by representatives from elite institutions. While their perspectives are valuable, they cannot substitute for the lived realities of smaller, regional universities. Broader representation would enrich debates, bring diversity of experience, and make policies more inclusive.
Tackling Malpractice
The credibility of any higher education system rests on integrity. From examination scams to fake journals, from manipulated rankings to corrupt recruitment, malpractice has eroded public trust in universities. Prof. Surappa calls for zero tolerance: whether it is a student caught cheating or a Vice Chancellor complicit in fraud, accountability must be non-negotiable. Without restoring integrity at all levels, no reform will succeed.
At the same time, universities must be freed from the suffocating burden of bureaucracy. Reducing compliance rituals, simplifying processes, and devolving autonomy can unleash creative energies. Instead of measuring progress in reports submitted, the system should evaluate itself in ideas generated, innovations patented, and graduates meaningfully employed.
The Road Ahead
Prof. Surappa’s reflections amount to a clarion call for change. India’s higher education system cannot be content with producing graduates in bulk. It must aspire to cultivate thinkers, innovators, and citizens who can contribute to national and global progress. Achieving this requires bold leadership, policy courage, and a shift in culture—from compliance to creativity, from hierarchy to integrity, from numbers to outcomes.
The task is daunting, but the stakes are high. In the coming decades, India’s demographic dividend will either become its greatest strength or its gravest liability. A higher education system that nurtures excellence and equity could propel India into global leadership. A system that settles for mediocrity risks leaving millions of young minds unfulfilled.
The choice, as Prof. Surappa reminds us, lies not in the compendiums of regulations but in the courage to reimagine education as the empowerment of minds. That vision, once realised, would not merely restore India’s academic legacy but redefine it for the future.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation with Prof. M.K. Surappa
Expansive Landscape: India runs one of the largest higher education systems globally, with millions of students enrolled and graduating each year.
Challenges & Opportunities: While access has grown, urgent reforms are needed to improve research quality, skill development, and equity between elite institutions (IITs/NITs) and state/regional universities.
UGC’s Role: The University Grants Commission has historically shaped Indian higher education, but it must evolve—moving from compliance-heavy regulation to enabling creativity, accountability, and innovation.
Creativity & Integrity: The future lies in fostering curiosity-driven research, encouraging original thought, and enforcing zero tolerance for malpractice across all levels of the academic ecosystem.
Audio Blog:
Watch the conversation with Prof M K Surappa here:
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