Relevance: GS-2: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.

Key Phrases: traditional face-to-face education, digital mode of learning, digital varsity, Kothari Commission, ABC, SDG 4.3;

Context

• The Covid pandemic had caused disruption in the traditional face-to-face education system. The higher education system had to shift to Technology-enabled and mediated digital learning.
• This opportunity was utilised by the government to propose Digital University in Budget 2022-23.
  • Kerala had taken the initial steps by launching the country’s first Digital University in February 2021.
• In this article we will look into various aspects of the Digital Higher Education Ecosystem.

Key Highlights

Higher Education in India

• It includes universities (both private and government-aided) and Colleges.
• It is administered by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education.
• UGC (Universities Grant Commission), established in 1946 and given statutory status by UGC Act 1956 is responsible for
  • providing funds and
  • coordinating, determining and maintaining standards in institutions of higher education.
• In 2013, there were only 722 universities against the recommendation of 1500 of the National Knowledge Commission.
  • Number of Degrees awarding Universities/ institutions has increased to 895 (UGC 2016 data).
• In 2013-14, the central government had estimated to spend 4.44% of GDP on education and 1.35% of GDP on Higher Education (Budget Estimate).
  • Kothari Commission(1964-66) had recommended the educational expenditure of the Central Government to be 6% of GDP.

Challenges in Higher Education System in India

• Quality
  • Indian universities have failed to enter top 100 ranks consistently over the years
  • In QS Ranking 2022, only 3 featured in top 200
    • IIT Bombay - 177th
    • IIT Delhi - 185th
    • IISC Bengaluru - 186th
• Gross Enrolment Ratio
  • Approx. only 1 in 4 students are enrolled in Higher education.
• Inequity
  • Social inequity
    • Difference in GER across different sections of the society
      • males (26.3%)
      • females (25.4%),
      • SC (21.8%) and
      • ST (15.9%)
  • Regional inequity - College density (number of colleges per lakh eligible population) has a regional variation (All India average of 28)
    • 7 in Bihar
    • 59 in Telangana
  • Urban-rural divide - most of the premier institutions have been centred in a metropolitan and urban city.
• Employability and Skill development
  • As per India Skills Report, less than half of Indian Graduates are employable.
• Infrastructural Challenge
• Faculty
  • India has a poor pupil-to-teacher ratio of 30:1 vs China (19.5:1) and Brazil (19:1).
• Research
  • India’s GERD (Gross Expenditure on Research and Development) is about 0.7% of GDP whereas in the top 10 economies it is 2% of GDP.
  • Most of it is funded by the Government (56%) whereas for the top 10 economies it is <20%.

What is Digital University?

• Digital University will provide education to the students in virtual mode along with provisions of hybrid mode or phygital mode (Physical + Digital).
• The main goal is to ensure world-class quality universal education with a personalised learning experience at doorsteps.
• The content will be within the student’s reach in different languages and in ICT format.
• It will involve Hub and Spoke Model
  • Hub being premier public institutes and
  • Spoke being other smaller public and private universities.

Advantage of Digital University

• A step toward universal education through Open Courses.
  • This will fulfil SDG 4.3 - By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
• Customised Learning Experience
  • This will enhance Ease of Learning through AI and Machine Learning.
• Flexible, Holistic and Multidisciplinary education
  • As one can choose a different combination of courses and get the desired specialisation.
  • Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) will be helpful in this regard.
• Economies of Scale
  • With the concentration of resources and reduction in expenditure on hard infrastructure, quality enhancement of the university is possible.
  • Hard infrastructure will include the creation of an offline physical university.

Challenges of Digital Mode of Learning

• Digital Divide
  • Both in terms of comfort to using tech for learning and Affordability of tech due to lack of sufficient income.
  • This is more prominent for women as most often smartphone users in a family are men.
    • As per the 2020 report, by GSM Association, women in India are 28% less likely than men to own a mobile phone and 56% less likely than men to use mobile Internet.
• Acceptance of Online Degree
  • Most recruiters prefer to hire those who have graduated in face-to-face mode.
• Lack of equivalent rigour
  • As Online courses aren’t subjected to similar rigour to that of Offline courses like hours dedicated to tutorials, experiments performed etc, the level of learning and understanding may differ in students.
  • Higher education is a lot more than borrowing content and delivering them online or outsourcing content.
• Privatisation of Higher education
  • As UGC has decreased the requirement of open universities from 40 acres to just 5 acres.
  • It will lead to increased For-profit organisations' venture into education.
• Higher recurring expenses
  • Initially, it requires massive capital investment in infrastructure.
  • But also demands significantly higher recurring expenses on content development and their continuous updating and upgradation.

Conclusion

• A hybrid model of higher education must be encouraged. But, the online education initiatives must be subjected to similar quality control and assessment. India shouldn’t become a consumer of knowledge, but, we must exploit our full potential to emerge as a producer of knowledge and providers of the global workforce.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. “Technology-enabled and mediated digital learning is projected as the future of higher education. Such learning is supposed to end face-to-face formal education.” Analyse the statement in light of the proposal of a Digital University in the budget 2022-23.