GUEST COLUMN
Onkar Singh
Higher education systems across the world admit students and roll them out with degrees after fulfilment of the stipulated requirements. Thus, the degree comes as the fruition of completing the prescribed education processes in higher education institutions (HEIs) at respective levels like undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate. It is a testament to the individual’s understanding of the respective subjects by the individual possessing the degree. While a generic framework guides most HEIs, each institution follows its statutory entitlement to issue degrees, which are recognised and accepted worldwide. However, the perceived value of these degrees often varies significantly depending on the reputation of the issuing HEI. This perception is influenced by factors such as the rigour and quality of the institution’s education processes.
Besides, ranking and accreditation frameworks—both nationally and internationally—which have gained prominence in recent years, the societal stratification of HEIs based on perceived worth has long existed. Interestingly, public perception of an HEI often diverges from its formal rankings or accreditations, which are based on selected parameters. This discrepancy typically stems from differences in the rigour and effectiveness of teaching, learning and evaluation processes, which ultimately shape the competencies of graduates. As a result, the impact and significance of a degree vary depending on the HEI that awards it, highlighting the critical role of institutional quality in shaping academic and professional outcomes. In recent years, the gaps between the expected competencies of degree holders and their actual abilities, resulting in poor employability, have emerged as a significant challenge for higher education systems in many countries, including India. Consequently, students often enrol in degree programmes but fail to achieve the desired outcomes, leaving them dissatisfied with their academic pursuits. These limitations, compel the students to enrol for one after the other degrees and the race for piling up degrees continues with the hope that some of these may fetch them a secured pathway to livelihood. Eventually, it burdens the higher education system and calls for expanding the gross enrolment ratio (GER) through capacity enhancement in HEIs in the public sector as well as the private sector. In the rush to achieve the targeted GER of 50 by 2035, the quantitative expansion predominates the qualitative regulation of education processes. As a result, students face persistent uncertainties about their career prospects, leading them to pursue higher qualifications in a cycle of accumulating degrees without necessarily improving employability. A contemplation of reasons for deficiencies with respect to employability in India shows that in spite of HEIs following the globally accepted academic framework in coherence with the standards set by the regulating bodies, there are numerous lapses in deliveries. Generally, it is perceived that educational institutions focus on theoretical knowledge and academic qualifications and miss out on the real-world experience and practical skills sought by employers. It could be true in certain situations, but the mandate of the higher education system is multifaceted and comprises majorly of imparting academic excellence, inculcating critical thinking, advancement of knowledge, and developing requisite skills for pursuing a career. The direct correlation between any degree qualification and its substantiveness for some specific jobs and in case of an individual’s unfitness for them, misconstruing the relevance of higher education calls for a deep dive into the whole spectrum from different perspectives.
Curriculum and teaching-learning:
A common explanation for the mismatch between education and employer needs is the outdated curriculum’s misalignment with market requirements. However, a merely updated curriculum is insufficient for quality enrichment; effective teaching and learning processes are equally crucial. While hands-on experience and experiential learning are being integrated into curricula through field internships, projects and group tasks, a lackadaisical approach to practical subject classes and lax oversight of internships and projects undermines students’ practical training. Undoubtedly, in most of the educational frameworks, the components of practical, hands-on experience, etc. are adequately built in, but the lapses are in the understanding of their importance and inadequate involvement of teachers and students in them. The insufficiency of capabilities of teachers in respect to practical exercises is also attributed to relying upon the virtual content and lesser focus on these at the time of their formal education is creating a vicious loop. This vicious trap is worsening the scenario. Simultaneously, cultivating soft skills such as professional communication, teamwork, collaboration, and critical thinking is essential for producing graduates equipped to tackle real-world problems. By addressing these issues, we can ensure that higher education delivers degrees that are both relevant and valuable to the job market. A well-designed curriculum alone is insufficient. Effective teaching, which fosters conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills, and fair assessments that value creativity, are crucial. Without these, degree accumulation becomes a futile pursuit of employability.
Higher Education Institutions:
The proliferation of higher education institutions (HEIs) with subpar infrastructure, unqualified faculty and inadequate resources has devalued degrees. Achieving the targeted GER requires a significant number of highly qualified teachers, which are currently unavailable. Additionally, many teachers lack the ability to equip students with the skills to navigate professional challenges and think critically. Ultimately, a degree’s value is contingent on the institution’s commitment to quality education.
Higher education regulators must put stringent checks on the fulfilment of prescribed norms and standards by the HEIs before giving them clearance to admit students and start functioning. The HEIs ought to fulfill the requirements of well-qualified teachers and infrastructure as per norms and standards before admitting students to facilitate enablers for acquiring good degrees.
Industry and employers:
Ubiquitously, the purpose of any degree is to land its holder in a suitable role or a job to survive and thrive for a brilliant career The expectation of industry and employers to get readymade human resources customised for their specific job requirements is a challenge unless certain degree programmes are customised and run to suit them. Given the degree programmes being generic for catering to a wide spectrum, employers should not shirk making investments in their customisation as per specific needs. Higher education institutions face a constant dilemma: should they prioritise specialised, job-ready programmes or focus on advancing knowledge and research? Striking a balance is crucial, as graduates must contribute to society for many years. Industry and employers must also acknowledge the limitations of traditional education. They should invest in training new graduates and create supportive work environments to retain talent and maximise their return on investment.
Way forward:
To address these challenges, it is imminent to ameliorate the quality of degrees by enriching curricula and refining the teaching-learning–assessment ecosystem to meet the specific needs of individual HEIs. The trend of pursuing multiple degrees merely to secure employment can be mitigated by ensuring that each degree equips graduates with skills and competencies that align with job market requirements. Simultaneously enrolling in multiple degree programs may undermine their value, as the limitations of time and human effort may prevent students from fully engaging with and benefiting from each programme. Recognising and addressing the weaknesses in education processes through open deliberations and collaborative efforts among HEIs, regulatory bodies, and the government can pave the way for meaningful strategies and policy reforms. It is essential to build an effective education system so that students keep on exiting it at different levels and earn their livelihood based on competencies acquired therein, instead of going for degree after degree to secure life.
(The author is vice chancellor of Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun; views expressed are personal)
