The Crisis of Higher Education in India: How Can Public Policy and Governance Reforms Help?

Tuesday, April 19, 2016
12:00-1:30pm, Lunch will be served
Bechtel 240
Dr. C. Raj Kumar
Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, India
Dean, Jingal Global Law School, India

The Indian higher education system is facing a crisis that is affecting its ability to build world class higher education institutions. Issues relating to quality, access and equity are some of the significant challenges of the higher education system in India. The historic context of the evolution of higher education system in India had focused on expansion and access with a view to providing opportunities for higher education to large number of aspiring students. This has led to a situation where quality and excellence have been given lesser importance. Since the Indian independence in 1947, there has been a significant expansion of higher education in both the public and private sectors with a stronger impetus since 1980s in private higher education. In recent times, the debate surrounding the need for the Indian higher education institutions to offer world class education has focused on higher education policy, regulation, and the governance of universities. It has also brought to a sharper focus issues relating to internationalization, global rankings, accreditation, assessment and the bench- marking of institutions. The talk will critically examine these issues with a view to understanding as to how public policy, regulatory and governance reforms in higher education can help India build, nurture and develop institutions of global excellence.

Biography

Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar was appointed as the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in India at the age of 34 in 2009. Professor Kumar is the Dean of Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) and Director, International Institute for Higher Education Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd). Professor Kumar has academic qualifications from the University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Hong Kong, University of Delhi and Loyola College. He is also a Member of the National Legal Knowledge Council (NLKC), and was a faculty member at the School of Law of City University of Hong Kong. Professor Kumar's areas of specialization include human rights and development, terrorism and national security, corruption and governance, law and disaster management, comparative constitutional law, and legal education and higher education. He has over hundred and fifty publications to his credit and has published widely in peer reviewed journals and law re- views in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan and USA.