Education sector reforms need to be realistic. Government reforms must focus on creating an ecosystem that stimulates excellence in quantity and quality and access to higher education for all segments of society.

Higher education reform has been the subject of prolific debate that has intensified since the new government came to power earlier this year. Much of the enthusiasm was generated by the pro-reform statements of the new HRD Minister. They came as a breath of fresh air after the stifling stranglehold that his predecessors had exercised over the sector. They reflect not only his frank acknowledgment of the ills that plague the entire education system, but equally important, his willingness to explore bold and innovative solutions. Abolishing the AICTE and the UGC and establishing in their place an independent regulator, introducing the Foreign Universities Bill, revising faculty pay scales, abolishing board exams for class X, setting up of a single regulatory body for higher education, etc., are among the slew of initiatives that he has announced. He has also piloted the approval of a law (though defective in many respects) mandating the right to free and compulsory education. His 100-day agenda includes measures relating to expansion of education both at school and higher education levels, legislative and policy initiatives to enhance quality of education, curb educational malpractices, encourage use of ICT in education, reforms in the examination process, establishing regulators, etc.

While several critical issues have been addressed, the holy cow of the Indian education system—maintaining education as a not-for-profit activity—has been left untouched. Many of these measures, particularly ensuring that the law providing the right to free education is effectively implemented, will require massive resource allocation that will be beyond the scope of the government alone. We believe allowing Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to be run by `for-profit' organizations must be a necessary part of the strategy to diversify the number of legal avenues for raising funds. Government reform must focus on creating an ecosystem that stimulates excellence in quantity, quality and access to higher education for all segments of society. While there would be several components to a reform program, and we discuss some of these in subsequent paragraphs, financial resources will be the key pillar, since at the end of the day, everything costs money.

The Analyst Magazine, Higher Education Reform, Higher Educational Institutions, HEIs, financial resources, National Knowledge Commission, NKC, Gross Enrollment Ratio, GER, World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, structural and regulatory issues, National University of Educational Planning and Administration, NUEPA.