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Higher education system in India facing daunting challenges from within--forces from within the institutions, and from outside within the country, and from global forces. The system needs major and somewhat pressing, if not emergency reforms. At the same time, we are confronted with a variety of dilemmas in reforming higher education. It is argued here that some dilemmas are redundant, a few valid and genuine, and some need a little bold re-thinking--drawing from traditional wisdom and contemporary world experience. The paper deliberates on these different types of education dilemmas.

Global university rankings and world-class universities have become buzzwords almost in every country. Both exercise positive and not-so-positive impact on higher education systems. Universities everywhere are trying hard to improve their status and global rankings. The article reviews some of the important issues related to these two strongly emerging phenomena, and their influence on development of higher education in developing countries. A positive development is the increasing concern of the educational policymakers to improve the standards and quality in higher education institutions, and accordingly their launching of quite a few important "excellence initiatives". But the exclusive pursuit of status and ranks can have disastrous implications for the development of universities. Besides reviewing these two phenomena, the article critically reviews the approach of the Government of India in this regard.

There is a presumption among many policy makers that higher education is not necessary for economic growth and development; it is literacy and basic education and at best secondary education that are argued to be important. Estimates of internal rate of return contributed to strengthening of such a presumption. Accordingly, higher education has not figured on the poverty reduction agenda of many poor countries and of the international development organisations. The available limited research evidence shows this is not a correct presumption. However, most of the research concentrates on analyzing the role of literacy and basic education in development--economic growth, poverty reduction and social development, and the role of higher education in economic growth, not in poverty reduction and social development. The article uses most recently available secondary data on higher education and economic growth, poverty reduction and human development indicators such as infant mortality and life expectancy. With the help of regression analysis of data on a large cross section of countries--developing and developed--it analyses the relationship between post basic education and development indicators. The simple analysis attempted here leads us to conclude that higher education plays a significant role in development. It argues that though the contribution of higher education to development is quite significant, many developing countries do not pay adequate attention to it. (Contains 10 tables and 2 figures.)

There has been rapid growth in private higher education in most countries, including in Asia, during the last two-three decades. This growth, mostly motivated by profit, has had an effect on education and development in general and caused loss of equity--both social and economic, an increase in regional disparities, an erosion in quality, a change in attitudes, an erosion of national, social and educational values, public pauperisation and private enrichment, the crowding-out of the public sector, the development of an imbalanced higher education system caused by a loss of important academic disciplines in favour of marketable disciplines of study and research, and above all the loss of the public-good nature of higher education. Although there are wide differences between several countries in the Asian region, not only with respect to the levels of development, socio-economic development policies and their effects, but also specifically with respect to the growth of private higher education, the article examines some of these recent trends in the growth of private higher education in the Asian region, the socio-economic and educational effects, and the public policies in this regard, and outlines some implications for the future. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)

There is a general presumption among many policy makers that secondary and higher education is not necessary for economic growth and development. On the other hand, it is literacy and primary education that is argued to be important. Estimates on internal rate of return also contributed to strengthening of such a presumption. Accordingly, secondary and higher education do not figure on the poverty reduction agenda of many poor countries and of the international aid organisations. The Indian experience also testifies to all this. Secondary and more strikingly higher education has been subject to neglect by the government. Using most recent statistics, it is attempted here to show that the general presumption on the weak or negligible role of secondary and higher education in development is not valid and that post-elementary education is important for reduction in poverty, in improving infant mortality and life expectancy, and for economic growth.

This article critically reviews implementation of the National Loan Scholarship Scheme in India. It examines the program's strengths, weaknesses, and problems (e.g., a culture with negative attitudes toward such loans). It concludes that student loans are making little contribution to either the efficiency or equity of higher education in India. (Author/DB)

The current pattern of higher education funding in India is examined, and desirability and feasibility of several alternative funding methods are discussed. It is argued that, in view of resource constraints and equity considerations, wholly public funding is not appropriate and that a mix of support sources should be used. (Author/MSE)

Attributes the growth of private education to excess and differentiated demand for higher education. Argues that evidence shows that the higher quality of private education is exaggerated and that private school attendance does not result in higher salaries for graduates. Criticizes private education as not wholly self-financing, elitist, and limited in courses of study. (DK)

Crucial aspects of university finances in India are reviewed, including the pattern of flow of resources into the university system and the pattern of allocation of resources by the university between its different functions and faculties. (Author/MLW)

Examined are federal-provincial relations in Indian education, particularly financial aspects. A historical perspective on the problem is presented, as well as an indepth discussion of the role of planning and finance commissions. (SI)

As educational systems evolved from consumption or culture-transmission devices to systems of investment in individuals, the rationale for public expenditure on education should have undergone a concomitant radical transformation. Instead, investment in many countries is still guided by political, cultural, and consumption criteria, resulting in several limitations on education. (Author)