GUEST COLUMN
Onkar Singh
Kudos to ubiquitous digital content, smartphones, laptops and the continuously strengthening internet access for transforming the educational landscape of higher education in India. Learning resources, which were previously limited to books and notes, are now available in various formats, including e-books, presentations, digital content in text and audio-video formats. From time to time, the government and regulators have been incentivising the creation of digital learning content and online education to address gaps in the quality of teaching across the rapidly expanding educational setup. Alongside, the charm of flexible and affordable online learning is being capitalised by e-content creators and online education platforms, with its current size estimated at USD 3.6 billion, growing to USD 23.9 billion by 2034, following a compound annual growth rate of around 23.28 per cent from 2026 to 2034, as per a report. Thus, in comparison to the scant availability and access to learning resources in libraries with printed books in higher educational institutions (HEIs) many decades ago, there is a paradigm shift in the present time, and the abundance of learning material in the print and digital form together is evident. The government’s initiatives like DIKSHA (Digital infrastructure for knowledge sharing), SWAYAM (Study webs of active learning for young and aspiring minds), National digital e-Library, e-PG Pathshala, ONOS (One nation one subscription), are also providing uniform online access and strengthening digital content availability. As a consequence, the deserted libraries in a large number of HEIs are becoming increasingly common.
Digital learning ecosystem
For quite some time, the learners have been utilising the content through the digital learning ecosystem to fulfill their academic and non-academic needs. Additionally, HEIs provide access to digital libraries and internet facilities, motivating students to use their own devices to access online learning resources that supplement academics and bridge the learning deficiencies. In general, digital content is cost-effective as compared to printed content and offers ease of audio – video access to desired content using one device instead of referring to multiple printed books. Also, the frequency of content updation in digital form is quicker than that of printed content, which makes it sought after. Undoubtedly, the digital learning ecosystem is changing the reading habits of the students in HEIs, and more interest is seen in the crisp and brief video, which is reducing the attention span of students while reading. The learning through video lectures of the respective course is preferred over participating in classroom sessions with teachers. Easier access to digital content, lecture summaries and AI assistance instead of cognitive efforts to read full texts is also changing the learning approach and the reading apathy is visible in many instances. The greater reliance on online study material also inculcates an illusion of redundancy of physical learning resources, teachers and HEIs.
Learning deficit
Despite the abundance of learning resources and their ease of access through various means, the quality of education is frequently questioned. Prima-facie this is attributed to inadequacy in teaching-learning-assessment processes, for which firstly teachers, secondly students and thirdly institutional governance are collectively responsible. Nowadays, students have easy access to learning resources in both digital and print formats, yet the absence of the habit of in depth reading is conspicuous because they can afford to complete the educational programme requirements without thorough reading. Considering the on-campus education system, one comes across the lackadaisical approach of teachers towards class interactions and rigour in examinations. The lessening rigour of examination keeps students in a comfort zone to pass exams; however, it results in a vicious trap of lowering standards of assessment tools, leading to lessening depth of engagement of students in studies and eventually resulting in the overall standard of education going down. Consequently, the insufficient engagement of teachers and less rigorous exams result in students taking advantage and trying to complete the programme by just reading the selected portion that is necessary to pass the examination, skipping the classrooms as they do not remain worthwhile and pursuing courses as non-attending students, or even using unfair practice(s) to succeed. The lessening of the rigour of the learning outcome assessment tools with respect to critical thinking and reasoning is facilitating students to pass examinations without thorough study of the courses and selective reading is becoming the norm. For some time, concerns about poor employability have also brought skill development into focus. Thus, the emphasis laid upon skill development dissuades students from deeper reading to seek knowledge. The change in perception about the purpose of higher education from knowledge creation to merely fetching jobs is also contributing to the lack of interest in exploring, reduced independent thinking emanating from detailed reading and the weakening of reading habits of students. Further, the growing share of the private sector HEIs operating in self-finance mode compels them to strategize for maximising student admissions and ensuring better employability of students without bothering for their knowledge attainment. In the process, admission seekers are seen exploiting the situation and asking for dilution in academic processes and assurance to pass exams and placements in such HEIs. Every relaxation in academics culminates in a spiralling effect of lowering the standard of education and the education ecosystem is questioned for maintaining its quality. Academic dilution sets off a spiral of declining educational standards, putting the credibility and quality of the entire education ecosystem under scrutiny.
Way forward
Higher education is posited at the junction of digital and physical learning resources. While the abundance of learning resources is a positive development, the decline in reading habits among students in higher education calls for honest contemplation by academics to find ways to address it. Among different initiatives to inculcate reading habits in students, an increase in the rigour of assessment, raising the examination standard, improving the quality of teaching in classrooms/laboratories, and changing the focus of higher education from skill development to knowledge transfer and creation will help in strengthening higher education. At the same time, a balance is required in utilising the digital and physical learning resources, for addressing the challenges of shorter attention spans, AI-assisted reading, over-dependence on audio-video content, etc., in the era flooded with digital content whose veracity is also questioned in some instances. For this, the teachers have to come forward to design courses, have meaningful class interactions, and raise the standard of examination, such that the students cannot afford to avoid a thorough reading of the textbook while using the associated digital content as well to supplement their learning deficiencies.
(The author is former vice chancellor of Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University; views expressed are personal)
