Educational Research in India

Urgent steps have to be taken to develop educational research and relate it effectively to the formulation of educational policies and improvement of education. During 4th and 5th plan periods some of the recommendations of commission were implemented for improving the existing conditions of higher education and for making it far more purposeful. In the 1st plan 14 crores, in the 2nd plan 48 crores, in the 3rd plan 87 crores and in the 4th plan 139 crores of rupees were earmarked for the expansion of university education.

However, there is a gradual and steady advancement of higher education in the country since the attainment of independence. Some of the prominent universities established after independence were, Rajasthan and Punjab 1947 ; Gouhati and Kashmir 1948; Baroda, Rurkee and Karnataka 1949; Gujrat 1950; Biswa Bharati-1951; Bihar-1952; Sri Venkateswar-1954; Jadavpur and Ballavbhai Patel (Gujarat) 1955; Kurukshetra-1959; Gorakhpur, Jabbalpur and Vikram-1957; Bardhaman and bhagalpur-1960; Punjab, North-Bengal, Rabindra Bharati, Magadha, Udaypur, Utkal (Ag.), Jabbalpur (Ag.) 1964; Dibrugarh, Kanpur, North-Gujrat, Saurastra-1965; Maduri and Mirat-1966; Sambalpur and Berhampur-1967.

Previously most of the universities were affiliating type; merely conducting examinations. But gradually the number of residential and teaching universities increased, where teaching and research facilities were provided in various subjects. Accordingly enrolment at the university stage in Science, Arts and Commerce faculties increased from 2.65 lakhs in 1947 to 3.5 millions in 1974-75.

Annual rate of growth of enrolment increased from 10 to 13 per cent and one can easily imagine the population explosion inside the campuses today. The Indian Education Commission envisaged an enrolment of 7 to 8 million students in the universities by 1985-86. By the year 975-76 the number of college for general education increased to 3,667.

At the beginning of the 6th plan U.G.C. was reconstituted. Various programmes for restructuring higher education and making it more relevant to national needs initiated by the Commission earlier began to be implemented by the different universities. In particular, programmes of revision and upgrading of the syllabi, establishment of autonomous colleges, enrichment of the libraries, improvement of the conditions of teachers, development of affiliated colleges, provisions of junior and senior fellowships, faculty improvement, improvement of science teaching, humanities and social sciences, examination reforms, advance level of research, non-formal and continuing education in the shape of part time, correspondence course etc. initiated during 6th plan period in a number of universities continued unabated. The U.G.C. adopted a liberalized pattern of assistance to institutions of backward areas.

The Commission advised all state governments to set up an Inter University Coordination Board so as to make the best use of all available resources and expertise for the coordinated development of academic programmes of the various universities in each state. The universities were also asked to set up a Planning Board which would engage itself in reviewing implementation of the various academic programmes in the universities. The financial allocation during 6th plan period increased from 377 crores in the 5th plan to 486 crores.

Though after independence we have been succeeded in making impressive advance so far as the quantitative aspect of university education is concerned, but the standards of education have gone down considerably. The fantastic acceleration in the expansion of student enrolment in the universities forced the states to open new colleges every year and set up new universities, although the existing colleges and universities were poorly staffed and ill equipped. By the year 1980, there were about 112 universities in India and 11 institutions deemed to be having the status of universities.

One of the reasons for the enormous growth of student population in the institutions providing higher education was the process of development going on in the country. For fulfilling the constitutional directives of imparting compulsory education to the children within the age group 6 to 14, steps are being taken at different quarters in recent years and as a result of which millions of boys and girls from humble homes came to the portals of schools and colleges. Education moved from the treasured privilege of the aristocrats to the less privileged underdog in society.

Naturally, there was a mushroom growth of colleges throughout the country. However, a major casualty of all these development in the field of education in general and higher education in particular has been the quality of education and the degrees were devalued than our currency in the international market. In-fact, the decade 1971-80, witnessed a greater degree of stability in the growth and enrolment in higher education.

There had been decline trend in the number of new universities and colleges established during the fifth five year plan period. Against this back-ground, the UGC formulated its sixth plan proposals with the main focus on improvement of quality of University Education, equalization of educational opportunities, removal of imbalances in the educational growth and facilities in different regions, linking education with development and developing institutions to a optimum size to increase cost effectiveness and efficiency of educational programmes.

Moreover, the sixth plan envisaged for the consolidation of facilities, improvement of standards and quality along with restructuring of courses of studies in the field of higher education. However, steps were taken to restructure the under-graduate courses for making them purposeful and also terminal for those seeking employment. Besides, importance was laid on vocational courses leading to employment and stress was given on certificate or diploma rather than an academic degree.

Further, emphasis was given on research on practical problems of local and regional relevance, including fundamental research at post-graduate level. It is needless to mention that the UGC took significant initiative in the implementation of these areas.

During 1980-81, the UGC placed emphasis on quality enhancement programme for improvement in teaching of science and humanity in colleges, establishment of university centers and instrumentation centers, installation of computers in the universities, modernisation of university level colleges in various disciplines, restructuring of courses, reforms and faculty improvement programmes. The following table gives the position of different higher educational institutions in the country during the years 1979 to 1981.

Coordination and determination of standards in higher education is a subject in the union list. The responsibility of higher education is of Central government. It has been discharged by the Department of Education mainly through UGC. Besides, a number of educational and research institutions have come into existence are being given central assistance since independence.

These are:

(i) Central Universities

(ii) Indian Council for Social Science and Research

(iii) Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla

(iv) Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, New-Delhi.

The main emphasis in higher education was on consolidation, improvement in standard and reforms in the system to make higher education more relevant to national needs. With this end in view, expansion of general higher education facilities were carefully planned so as to take care of the need to provide larger access to weaker sections and first generation learners from backward areas. In doing so, stress was laid on providing access to existing institutions through appropriate reservation, scholarships, provision of hostel facilities etc.

Therefore, a network of facilities was provided through open universities, correspondence courses and part-time education to meet social demand and the need of continuing education. According to the guidelines of UGC, the courses of study was restructured and application oriented courses were given due weightage. Extension activities were developed as components within each subject/discipline.

The IGNO, which was established as a pace setting institution also offered courses in higher education based on the principles of the open learning system. It was also responsible for training of personnel, production of programmes and development of material for utilization through the electronic media. As a matter of fact, National Open University was functioning as a nodal resource center for coordination of programmes and development of models for distance education, documentation and dissemination of information and organisation of appropriate support programmes.

In the area of post-graduate education and research, emphasis was placed on promoting quality programmes, inter-disciplinary studies and on new emerging frontiers. Research within the university system got due importance. As such, training of teachers in higher education was given special attention in the seventh plan.

The faculty improvement programmes were designed to impart knowledge of new methods and techniques of teaching, learning and evaluation, to develop a national value system and to prepare the teachers for the task of restructuring under graduate courses; Many of the reforms initiated earlier, such as autonomous colleges and examination form were given high priority for the speedy implementation for the modernisation of university administration. Besides, concerted efforts were made to increase the enrolment of SC & ST students.

India has the largest system of higher education in the world. But the spread and developments in this area had been uneven. The infrastructural facilities of universities and colleges vary widely which accounted for variation in quality of teaching and research. The courses offered by the universities are generally of a traditional nature and few are related to the job market and environment. The credibility of the evaluation system is being eroded.

The NPE, 86, visualized that higher education should become dynamics as never before.

According to the Policy, the main features of the programme and strategies to impart the necessary dynamism to the higher education system consist of the following:

(i) Consolidation and Expansion of Institution.

(ii) Development of Autonomous Colleges and Department

(iii) Redesigning of Courses.

(iv) Training of teachers

(v) Strengthening of Research

(vi) Improvements in efficiency

(vii) Creation of structures of Coordination at the state and national levels

(viii) Mobility

(ix) Finance

(x) Monitoring

The major developments in the field of higher education after NPE, 1986 and POA, 1992 were the revision of pay scale of university and college teachers, provision for career advancement linked to performance appraisal anti training, introduction of National Eligibility Test (NET) for recruitment of university and college teachers, establishment of Academic staff Colleges by UGC in different universities during seventh five year plan, conferment of autonomous status to the colleges of some states, expansion of the distance learning etc. Besides, some of the notable steps taken by the UGC up to the end of the seventh plan were the promotion of science education and research.

In addition to the above, the Commission provided support for introducing courses in emerging areas like. Bio-technology, Ocean Development, Electronics, Computers etc. In pursuance of the recommendations in the policy, UGC issued guidelines to state government and universities for establishment of State Councils of Higher Education (SCHE). As a matter of fact, higher education has a crucial role in training man power for national development. It was therefore, necessary to provide with adequate support and finance to maintain its infrastructure and to keep abreast with latest developments and meet future challenges.