India accounts for 17% of the global population. Despite this, its share in international students pursuing higher education is only 1%. To strengthen the education budget, the Government of India introduced a 2% education cess in 2004. Since 2019, this education cess has been replaced with a 4% education and health cess.
When we talk about becoming a Vishwaguru (global leader), we also highlight the role of educational institutions. However, at present, ten central universities in India are awaiting regular vice-chancellors. Among them, the post has been vacant at BHU for six months and at IGNOU for a year. Last month, after nearly a year, the Ministry of Education appointed vice-chancellors in four central universities—BBAU Lucknow, EFLU Hyderabad, Pondicherry University, and Wardha Hindi University. At Visva-Bharati University, the appointment was made after two years. In state universities, about 30% of vice-chancellor positions are vacant. Delays in appointments hinder both academic and administrative functioning.
Leaving such crucial positions vacant indefinitely is detrimental to the development of these institutions. Universities already struggling with inadequate library and laboratory facilities now face a major issue of faculty shortage. In the last session of Parliament, Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, stated that as of January 31, 2025, more than 5,410 teaching positions are vacant in universities. A recent NITI Aayog report indicates that over 40% of teaching posts in state universities remain unfilled. While new centers of knowledge are being established across the country, there is a serious shortage of teachers. Due to this, academic sessions are not being completed on time.
It cannot be said that there are no qualified teachers to fill the vacancies. The number of ad-hoc appointments continues to rise from the primary level to universities. The negative effects of ad-hoc appointments are not just short-term—a teacher's appointment influences generations. Entrusting centers of knowledge to such temporary teachers, who are more concerned about their uncertain futures, is questionable. In most places, they receive limited or no benefits compared to permanent faculty.
As of May 2024, India's Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education was 28.4%, with over 43 million students enrolled across approximately 1,200 institutions. This figure is significantly below the global average of 36.7%. No Indian institution is ranked among the top 200 globally. A large number of Indian students are leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad. According to the Ministry of Education, nearly 900,000 students went abroad for higher education last year, spending ₹5.1 lakh crore. This amount is ten times more than the central government’s annual higher education budget of ₹44,090 crore for FY 2023–24.
India accounts for 17% of the global population. Yet, its share in the international student market is only 1%. To strengthen the education budget, the Government of India introduced a 2% education cess in 2004. Since 2019, this has been replaced by a 4% education and health cess. While this cess is not a permanent revenue source for the government, it has funded 70% of the total education expenditure since 2015.
This shows that the cess has become a regular means of funding education. Our state universities are continuously affected by decreasing financial support, leading to a decline in infrastructure and academic standards. Their funding model relies heavily on student fees, which pushes quality education further out of reach for many students. The issues in the education sector must be addressed on a priority basis, as education is the cornerstone of a country’s economic development.
To achieve this, emphasis must be placed on entrepreneurship education and empowering students so they can contribute to the nation’s growth after completing their schooling or college. The recommendations made by the Prof. Yashpal Committee in 2009 remain relevant even today. These included allocating more funds for higher education and enforcing strict regulation and monitoring of private bodies.
Next month marks five years since the implementation of the National Education Policy. Without additional funding, it will be difficult to implement its recommendations across the country. Ambitious programs like Digital India, Make in India, and Skill India will only succeed if the money spent on various “freebie schemes” is redirected towards the education and research sector. For a developed India, it is essential to strengthen the foundation of quality education. Alongside aligning Indian education with the needs of the modern world, the shortage of teachers in educational institutions must be urgently addressed.