Three pathways for us to achieve the Indian dream

Context: The pandemic necessitates a fresh look to question and re-evaluates our higher education system.

Indian dream:  India enjoys a unique position (with an average age of Indian just 29, ten years lower than in China) that provides tremendous opportunity to make a defining and dominant contribution to the world. 

Higher Education:  

• Significance

• Educating the future leaders of society- by building solid personal foundations of adaptability, resilience, societal consciousness, and ethics
• Developing life skills: By imparting critical thinking and collaboration, that will help individuals succeed in any career they choose.

• Ground Reality of higher education:  It is suffering from three issues.  

• Issue of access: For almost every seven students did not have the opportunity to study. 
• Lack of Qualified Professors: There is a chronic and structural lack of qualified professors and teachers. 
• Neglect of Life skills and competencies: an overemphasis on professional education in fields such as engineering, medicine and accounting, led to neglect of a broader set of life skills and competencies. 

Three Pathways to harness historic opportunity: 

• Reform at university level - issues can be addressed by enhancing the campus experience with technology and digital learning.

• Scalability of online learning: It can fulfill the need of young workers to build a foundation of life-skills even while they work.

• Employable skills: Companies must be encouraged to open up these skill courses online, conduct online assessment, and provide formal credentialing.

Conclusion: A firm and sustained policy commitment to investment in the development of these pathways is essential.