Ingenuity and Indian Higher Education

Indian higher education has long been beset by challenges such as inadequate quality, irrelevance to contemporary needs, reliance on an examination and teacher-centric approach, poor research standards, and a disconnect between education and employability. These issues are not new; as early as the 1930s, the Indian government recognised that universities were failing to meet their expected roles. In response, the Sargent Committee was established in 1938 to propose solutions for improvement. Though its work suffered interruptions due to the outbreak of World War II, the committee submitted its report in 1944. The report outlined several recommendations aimed at enhancing both teaching-learning and research in Indian universities and colleges. One significant observation was that, given the state of affairs at the time, it would take nearly 40 years to fully implement these reforms. Indian leaders, however, were unwilling to wait until 1984 for the desired change. What was needed instead was innovative thinking — an approach that would leverage available resources, focus on human capital development, and foster ingenuity to drive progress. Unfortunately, that was not to be.

The Compounded Challenge

Immediately after independence, India faced significant challenges stemming from the partition, large-scale human migration, and a fragile economy recovering from two centuries of colonial rule. The first major reforms in the education sector were introduced through the National Education Policy (NEP), 1968, which was based on the Kothari Commission’s recommendations. While some structural changes were implemented, progress in enhancing the quality of teaching, learning, and research remained limited. A similar fate befell the National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.

In 1947, India had only 17 universities, 636 colleges, and approximately 240,000 students enrolled in higher education. Today, these numbers have surged to over 1,200 universities, 55,000 colleges, and 35 million students. Despite the rapid and exponential growth of the higher education sector since 2001, the challenges concerning the quality of teaching, learning, and research have only intensified.

Throughout this period, Indian policymakers and academic leaders have predominantly relied on a bureaucratic approach, often failing to embrace innovative, forward-thinking strategies. Even the National Education Policy, 2020 seems to have succumbed to the trend of seminars, discussions, and large-scale events, with little tangible progress in improving the quality of education and research. It is not uncommon to hear education “experts” share their insights using complex jargon, while those responsible for implementation often struggle to understand the nuances of how to put these ideas into practice.

Ingenuity and Indian Experience

Since time immemorial, humans have demonstrated remarkable ingenuity through the innovative and creative capacities of individuals and societies. The primary goal has always been to solve problems and adapt to challenges with resourcefulness and invention. In the context of teaching and learning, ingenuity refers to the ability to think creatively, engage learners’ attention, and approach problems from unconventional angles. This applies to both educators, in terms of pedagogy and curriculum delivery, as well as to students in their learning experiences.

For senior academic leaders, ingenuity involves the conceptualisation and implementation of curricula. It also extends to the design and execution of new programmes that address the evolving needs of society.

In research, ingenuity refers to the ability to think creatively and develop novel solutions to complex problems. It entails, first and foremost identifying research questions,  finding innovative ways to approach these, applying original thinking to solve problems, and advancing knowledge through both the thinking process and the development of creative solutions.

The liberalisation of the Indian economy in the 1990s spurred significant growth, creating a growing demand for skilled manpower. This placed immense pressure on Indian universities and higher education institutions (HEIs) to meet the need for trained professionals. The liberalisation also ushered in complex socioeconomic changes, further emphasising the need for HEIs to equip students with the skills to address emerging societal challenges. Recognising this, Indian policymakers introduced the Plan of Action (POA), 1992, aiming to effectively implement the NPE, 1986. It is noteworthy that it took six years for them to formulate a plan to put NPE, 1986 into action. However, the implementation of POA, 1992, fell short of expectations, getting mired in bureaucratic delays and endless discussions at various levels.

Around the same time, China also began rethinking its educational system. Unlike India, China devised a concrete plan and successfully executed it. As a result, numerous Chinese universities have become globally competitive and have made significant contributions to national development. A typical example is the role being played by the start-ups in the two countries. Today, while China’s start-ups are mostly engaged in electric vehicles, battery technology, semi-conductors, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, global logistics and trade, deep technology and infrastructure, the Indian start-ups are mostly concentrating on food delivery applications, instant grocery deliveries, betting and fantasy game applications, reels and influencer economy. This is a reflection of the state of affairs in Indian universities where the focus of research has deviated from contribution to development of national economy. Thanks to these advancements, China stands on the verge of being recognised as a developed nation. In contrast, India’s higher education sector has earned the sobriquet, “an expensive talking shop”, with much discussion but limited tangible progress.

The Skewed Concept of Ingenuity

Indian regulatory bodies, in their pursuit of enhancing the quality of education in the country’s universities and other HEIs,  have adopted a policing approach rather than fostering growth, improving quality and encouraging innovation. They have overlooked the dictum that regulation should follow innovation and not vice versa. Instead of adopting an enabling policy, the regulations have created an overly regulated yet under-governed system. For example, in late 1990s the concept of online learning had been ushered in by the leading universities of the world. However, the UGC did not allow Indian universities to embrace it. Later it allowed only 20% of the academic content of a course to be delivered online. However,  when COVID struck the UGC had no option but to keep silent and let the universities adopt this mode of academic delivery. But, at that stage, the faculty had not been trained to teach through online mode. Rightly speaking, the UGC could have adopted an enabling approach ab initio by starting programmes to train teachers to be familiar with the nuances of online learning.

In response to the environment of stringent regulations, universities and HEIs have begun to ‘innovate’ by finding ways to bypass these. This has led to a skewed understanding of ingenuity in higher education, where institutions focus on achieving high rankings and ratings rather than on actual improvement in quality. They have meticulously analysed the processes involved in ratings and rankings, prioritising strategies to score well on various criteria over genuinely enhancing educational standards. As a result, universities and HEIs have stayed one step ahead of the regulatory bodies. The latter, rather than focusing on improving the quality of education, have got bogged down in efforts to ‘catch up’ with universities.

Public universities, in particular, have been plagued by politicisation, with top administrative, and even academic, positions often going to political appointees who lack a genuine interest in educational quality. These appointees frequently prioritise ‘innovation’ aimed at furthering the agendas of their political masters. Unfortunately, the heads of regulatory bodies are also political appointees and have remained mute spectators to this malaise.

Private universities have often prioritised profit over academic integrity. Their primary focus tends to be on improving ratings and rankings, rather than fostering genuine educational or research advancements. Consequently, research efforts are frequently aimed at increasing publication numbers rather than contributing to meaningful scientific knowledge. In many cases, unethical practices, such as “cartelisation of authors”, are employed, where individuals are added to publication lists on quid pro quo basis. Additionally, many institutions resort to questionable methods to artificially boost citation counts for faculty publications. As a result, it is unsurprising that, in a recent ranking survey, prestigious institutions like the Indian Institute of Science were ranked significantly lower than many lesser-known universities. Indian universities, have displayed ‘ingenuity’, to break through the systems like Scopus!

In the systems employed by regulatory bodies, accreditation agencies, and national ranking frameworks, teaching and learning are often evaluated through ‘proxy’ measures such as, teacher-student ratio, number of books in library, number of computers available, number and size of classrooms, as well as job placement rates. As a result, universities and HEIs often resort to surface-level strategies, focusing more on ‘brick-and-mortar’ aspects rather than prioritising genuine improvements in the quality of teaching and learning. Furthermore, HR personnel from even prestigious companies are frequently incentivised with material rewards to boost job placement statistics and enhance the perceived reputation of these institutions.

The concept of internationalisation in higher education has also been negatively impacted by this skewed approach to ingenuity. Universities have capitalised on the strong desire of Indian students and their parents to pursue higher education abroad, while foreign universities, eager to admit high-fee-paying students, readily welcome them to bolster their revenues. Although the UGC has established strict regulations governing international collaborations by Indian universities, these are often circumvented through ingenious tactics. As a result, the flow of Indian students to foreign institutions remains one-directional, with only a small number of international students opting to study in India, and that too mainly from SAARC countries. Indian universities, in turn, have not been particularly innovative in seeking collaborations with foreign institutions to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, and research.

Bolstering Genuine Ingenuity

The capacity to innovate refers to an individual’s or organisation’s ability to generate new ideas, develop creative solutions, and adapt to change in a dynamic environment. It involves fostering a culture that encourages experimentation, embraces risk-taking, and continuously seeks improvement. Thus, innovation is not just about inventing new products or technologies but also about improving processes, enhancing experiences of users, and finding unique approaches to solve complex problems. A strong capacity to innovate drives growth, adaptability, and competitiveness in today’s fast-paced world.

 To innovate in education, individuals need a combination of knowledge, curiosity, creativity, and resilience. Curiosity drives the desire to explore new ideas and solve problems, while creativity allows for thinking outside the box and developing novel solutions. Resilience is essential, as innovation often involves facing setbacks and challenges. Additionally, adaptability helps innovators stay flexible in a constantly changing environment, while collaboration fosters diverse perspectives that can lead to breakthroughs. These traits, coupled with requisite knowledge, create a mindset that thrives on continuous learning and improvement.

Senior leaders in academia must first identify the challenges their institutions face, then develop strategic plans for improvement. A key concern is the capacity of the faculty, which is shaped by the examination-centric education system many faculty members experienced. During their own student years, the focus was often on acquiring degrees rather than fostering deep, conceptual knowledge. Unfortunately, senior leaders in academia have not displayed any inclination to innovate, devise and implement plans towards capacity building of faculty.

A solid foundation in fundamental principles is crucial for innovation. It serves as the bedrock upon which understanding existing systems and identifying areas for improvement are built. Without a thorough grasp of core concepts, it becomes difficult to think critically or push the boundaries of any field. This challenge is further exacerbated in today’s interdisciplinary environment, where the ability to apply knowledge across multiple domains is increasingly important. Innovation often arises from reinterpreting basic principles in new ways, recognising patterns, and solving complex problems. In this context, a strong understanding of the fundamentals equips individuals with the intellectual tools to think creatively and translate ideas into ground breaking solutions.

Innovation is also essential to shift students’ focus from merely acquiring degrees to enhancing their knowledge. By fostering critical thinking, curiosity, and real-world problem-solving skills, education can evolve to emphasise lifelong learning, personal growth, and intellectual engagement, empowering students to become innovators and critical contributors in society.

Innovation in research practices at universities demands incorporation of steps that encourage generation of knowledge and sharing it. With advancements in technology, interdisciplinary collaborations, and open-access platforms, researchers could be trained to work more efficiently and inclusively. Universities could embrace data-driven approaches, AI tools, and virtual laboratories to enhance experimentation, while fostering a culture of creativity and flexibility that encourages unconventional ideas and solutions. This evolution could accelerate scientific progress and drive real-world impact.

Some Suggestions

India is facing a significant challenge in addressing the neglect of its higher education system, which has persisted for nearly a century. This task is vast and will take considerable time and effort. Policy makers do not have the luxury of time on their side and must display ingenuity and strategic thinking to make the desired progress. The succeeding paragraphs outline some suggestions.

Teachers.  Being the most critical change-agent the teachers could help by: –

• Augmenting their own knowledge and strengthening core concepts in their own specific domains and also related multidisciplinary fields. They have to particularly pay attention to application of knowledge, enhancing their analytical and problem solving skills.
• Innovate their teaching strategies by moving ahead from relying on a monologue in the class to letting the students participate in the learning process. In this direction teachers have to be familiar with the art of conducting discussions both in small and large groups. Discussions could be among the students with teacher moderating it or between the teacher and the students.
• Incorporate the joy of learning in their pedagogy by ensuring that these are congruent with the learning styles and preferences of the present-day students.
• Adopt project assisted learning and be familiar with the nuances of the art of guiding a project. It has to be a systematic and structured process with definitive learning outcomes. This could foster problem-solving among students.
• Display resourcefulness by making the most of limited resources and finding innovative ways to use what is available to enhance the learning environment.
• Be ingenious and create opportunities for students to express their creativity and develop their own unique approaches to learning.
• Using technology to enhance the teaching-learning process.

Students. Teaching-learning process can only succeed if the students are keen to learn. In this direction the students must:

• Learn to question assumptions, explore different perspectives and endeavour to find creative solutions to problems. Teachers must encourage them by providing suitable inputs that help them to formulate their own concepts and examine these against what is being taught.
• Approach challenges with a resourceful and innovative mindset, rather than relying solely on memorisation and rote learning.
• Participate actively in the learning process by expressing themselves in unique ways and finding new ways to learn and applying knowledge. Such ingenious ways can foster creativity.
• Being adaptable to changing circumstances and embracing new challenges.

Senior Managements and Academic Leaders. Senior management and academic leaders play a pivotal role in enhancing teaching and learning. Their ingenuity can significantly impact the effectiveness of pedagogy, student engagement, and the overall educational environment. Some ways they can foster innovation and improve teaching and learning are: –

• Invest in professional development of faculty and encourage lifelong learning through a well-structured and systematic plan. Adequate number of mentors and resource persons may not be available to support this initiative. One potential solution is to leverage the expertise of the Indian diaspora from foreign universities. They could be engaged to enhance the knowledge base of the faculty and improve pedagogical practices.
• Promote active learning environment by devising and implementing pragmatic curricula and incorporating active learning pedagogies.
• Leveraging educational technologies and fostering digital literacy.
• Encourage cross-disciplinary learning and making it an important feature of the curricula for various programmes.
• Foster an equitable learning environment, promote differentiated learning and personalised learning.
• Create a culture of innovation by supporting experimentation and risk-taking.
• Promote community and industry partnerships at local, regional and national levels. This may have to be done in phases depending upon resources available and calibre of faculty and students.
• Encourage international collaborations especially for faculty development and research. 

Promoting Research. Promoting research in universities through ingenuity can be done by leveraging creativity, strategic planning, and the available resources. Some measures that could be adopted are: –

• Encouraging development of a research culture amongst the faculty and students and providing suitable incentives. Students could be involved in research activities from an early stage.
• Provide direction to research by carrying out a SWOT analysis of the institution and identifying niche areas for taking up research activities.
• Allocation of adequate resources in terms of funds, manpower, infrastructure and time.
• Accepting failures and learning from these.
• Encouraging intra-university, inter-university and industry-academia collaborations.
• Promoting research visibility, entrepreneurial thinking and establishing start-up incubators, and commercialisation of research.
• Create innovation challenges through competitions and problem-solving initiatives.

Regulatory Bodies. There is an urgent need for the regulatory bodies to bring about a paradigm shift by adopting an enabling approach. In an environment of resource constraints they must encourage ingenuity but insist on achieving laid down objectives.

Political Leadership. India’s political leadership must show maturity and avoid the temptation to use the country’s universities and HEIs to promote their political agendas. They must realise that the country’s interests transcend their party interests.

Conclusion 

Ingenuity in Indian higher education is crucial for fostering innovation and addressing the diverse challenges faced by the country. Unfortunately, due to extraneous reasons, Indian universities and HEIs have not been very diligent and honest about incorporating ingenuity in their operational philosophies. As the global landscape of technology and knowledge rapidly evolves, they must embrace creative and adaptive teaching methods, interdisciplinary research, and practical problem-solving approaches. This would not only enhance the quality of education but also equip students with the skills needed to tackle real-world issues, drive economic growth, and contribute meaningfully to positioning India in the international arena. Emphasising ingenuity helps build a resilient education system capable of producing forward-thinking leaders, researchers, and professionals who can navigate the complexities of an interconnected world.