Improvement in higher education quality of the North-East University of India

Abstract

The article traces the key enablers to improve the quality of higher education in all university-affiliated degree colleges in the North-East of India. The seven North-East Indian states, popularly known as ‘Seven Sisters’ are distinctly different from the other parts of the country in terms of the hostility of the geographic and socio-economic environment. As a pioneering attempt we have used the metrics of Measure phase under the Six Sigma Define Measure Analyze Improvement and Control (DMAIC) approach to identify the critically weak areas that need immediate attention in the higher education sector in a backward region. The study was conducted in two phases – Phase 1 determines the sampling plan. In the second phase of the study, using the Box plot technique, the study identifies the possible weak areas (sub-enablers) and weakest areas (critical domain) for improvement. In particular, while the entire North-East part of the country is characterised by adverse topography, a skewed rural-urban divide as well as erratic socio-political factors, tribal unrests, militant activities, our study focuses on providing a theoretical dimension to the abysmal quality and passing rates in such a hostile environment and suggested possible improvements.