Huge capacity constraints in higher education: Assocham

India has a huge capacity constraint when it comes to quality higher education. The answer lies in establishment of high standard quality institutions which could be set up on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model,it said.

“Higher education in India is subsidised in the government sector. An IIT student pays an average USD 150 fee monthly,while students opting for education in institutions in Australia and the US shell out USD 1,500-4,000 a month as fees,” Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.

The study suggests that good quality foreign universities should be encouraged in India,especially in tier-II cities like Agra,Bhopal,Chandigarh,Jaipur,Lucknow,and Nagpur.

Further,Rawat said,setting up of more higher education institutions in the country will also generate jobs. “This will create 30-40 million additional jobs in the field of education alone,” he said.

The study said with increasing competition and cut-offs in some universities going as high as 100 per cent,lakhs of students are left with not much alternative but to search for learning abroad.

“Therefore,more quality educational institutions should be set up in India on the lines of IIT and IIM in order to restrict the outgo of students,” it said.