Indian Higher Education Sector Research Articles

New Education Policy and Higher Education Reforms in India

The New Education Policy (NEP), 2020, adopted by Government of India, envisages significant and far-reaching reforms in higher education sector in India. In this article, I foreground certain peculiar features of the process of massification of higher education in India, including privatisation and fragmentation. I locate the political economy of higher education in India in tensions inherent in centre–state relations and the pressure to respond to popular aspirations on the one hand and maintain standards on the other. The NEP, 2020 does not appear to acknowledge these historical processes. Instead, they appear to rely on a corporate model of BoG-driven governance of higher education institutions to drive the envisaged changes.

Emotional intelligence and mental well-being of students in Indian higher education sector: an SEM based analysis

Purpose This study aims to provide empirical insights pertaining to the impact of trait emotional intelligence on the mental well-being of students in higher education institutions (HEIs) in India. Design/methodology/approach In the current study, responses from a total of 252 students were randomly taken from different universities of Uttarakhand (India). The analysis was done using structural equation modelling AMOS 23. Findings The current study empirically established the positive impact of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) on the mental well-being of students and highlighted the relevance of TEI in curbing the psychological distress in students of HEIs. Originality/value This study endeavours to bridge the empirical and population gap by examining the emotional intelligence and its impact on mental well-being of the students of Indian HEIs, where studies are still scant and demand massive exploration of the perceptions of students. Strong emotional intelligence is pivotal in strengthening the mental well-being of students so that they can make appropriate decisions pertaining to their career and personal life.

Work–Life Balance, Supervisor Support, and Life Satisfaction in the Higher Education Sector

Abstract The study explores the relationship between work–life balance and supervisor support in the Indian higher education sector. More specifically, the study explores the effects of supervisor support on the work–life balance of female employees working in academia. We used online panel data comprised of 300 employees working in various universities, which we analysed by employing structural equation modelling. Results reveal that supervisor support is positively related to employee work–life balance and ultimately their life satisfaction. The findings also stress the importance of supervisor support for female employees, as its presence is a major boost in helping women reach the desired work–life balance. With the objective to augment work–life balance of women academicians, the work would guide managers as well as decision makers involved in the academic sector to implement women-friendly policies and programmes.

Policies and Practices of Managing Higher Education in India: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic Experience

The COVID-19 epidemic has affected higher education worldwide, more so in developing societies. While several studies have looked at the impact of this pandemic on higher education, evidence on the changing policies and practices of managing higher education in a global crisis is still sparse. We present an analysis of how the higher education sector was managed at the system (national/state) institutional and individual levels during the pandemic in India. Drawing on the notion of federalism, we examine the process of decision-making and policy implementation during the crisis and its long-term implications on the governance of higher education. We use student and teacher survey data and critical review of documents by the government and regulatory bodies of higher education, at national and state levels, in our analysis. We find that students have faced the issues like a lack of peer group interactions, unavailability of study materials and lack of regular interaction with teachers that often helps them in performing better while in colleges and universities. Teachers, particularly from private higher education institutions, suffered immense economic distress due to undue delay in receipt of salaries, salary cuts or retrenchment. More importantly, responses to the pandemic-led challenges for higher education by regulatory and coordinating bodies are seldom based on assessing the challenges students and teachers face. It is argued that federalism in education has been substantially weakened as the pandemic response followed a centralised and unilateral approach of decision-making. The article concludes with the short-term and long-term implications of the pandemic-led crisis on the higher education sector in India, adds to the growing literature on the issue.

Exploring the challenges and facilitators in the adoption of e-HRM practices in Indian higher education institutions: a qualitative exploration

PurposeDue to government policies, accreditation demands, competition, digital India reforms and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the need for electronic human resource management (e-HRM) has increased considerably in the Indian higher education (HE) sector, but the literature has revealed that the adoption of e-HRM practices in Indian HE institutions (HEIs) is still in its embryonic stage; therefore, the purpose of the current qualitative study is to explore the challenges and facilitators of e-HRM adoption in the Indian HE sector through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).Design/methodology/approachThe present study incorporates IPA, to capture the personal lived experiences of the HR executives employed in the Indian HEIs. Using purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the HR executives employed in Indian universities and institutions to know the perspectives on the adoption of e-HRM practices in Indian HEIs.FindingsThe study identified two superordinate themes, namely, challenges and facilitators of e-HRM adoption in the Indian HE sector. The superordinate theme “challenges” comprises eight sub-themes. Further, the theme “facilitators” consists of six subthemes.Practical implicationsThe study has implications for the stakeholders of the HE sector, i.e. HR practitioners, top executives of the HE sector, government and HE regulators and other stakeholders of the HE sector.Originality/valueThis study has given deep insights into the challenges and facilitators in the adoption of e-HRM practices in the Indian HE sector, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study till date has filled this knowledge gap through qualitative exploration using IPA.

AN ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA

Higher education is the integral part of social infrastructure which determines the destiny of any nation. Public policy on education is one of the most significant areas of contemporary development strategy and in a developing country like India, investment on education assumes most important place in such a policy. The higher education sector in India has witnessed a paradigm shift in recent years, in order to shape the future social and economic progress it is necessary to expand, restructure and raising the quality of education in the country. Development of human resources is one of the main purposes of Higher Education, which will play a critical role in preparing the workforce to be constructively utilized. Therefore, India needs to show more concern over higher education in terms of quantity and quality. In this background, the paper presents a birds eye view of the public expenditure by the centre and the state on higher education along with sector wise allocation in the country. An attempt has been made to analyze the growth and trends in public investment with the help of statistical tools like correlation and regression analysis. KEY WORDS: Higher Education, Public Investment, Sector-wise Allocation, Gross Domestic Product.

Restructuring Indian Higher Education System through RUSA

Social transformation and human development are measured through education, it serves as a benchmark for both individual progress and overall societal shifts. Education is a dynamic aspect of the individual that influences the individual's mental, emotional, physical, and social growth. The growth and development of a nation are considerably enhanced by the higher education system. It facilitates the acquisition of lives for members of society, promotes healthy development, and enhances the overall potential of the nation. Higher education should be pursued with the goals of improving the lives of people and contributing to the overall strength of the nation. It is for the purpose of instilling in each individual member the high standards of behaviour and conduct as well as the integrity of their personality. During the past decade, the education sector has become increasingly important in the process of economic planning across the world's emerging nations. Due to strategic planning and a wider vision that correlated economic development to transformations in the education sector, in particular higher education and research, in order to become globally competitive, the economies of these countries progressed from developing to advanced during this time period. The higher education sector in India is in a state of transition despite the numerous new programmes and reforms that have been implemented by both the national and state governments with intervention from the private sector. The Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), also known as the National Higher Education Mission is a flagship programme by the government of India that was put into action as part of the 12th Five Year Plan for higher education in India. This initiative is being taken with the goal of elevating the standard of higher education across the country. The primary focus of this paper will be on the role of RUSA in restructuring Indian higher education system.

A Study of the Mediating Effect of Work Stress on Work-life Conflict and Turnover Intention in the Private Higher Education Sector in India

The main focus of this study is to analyze the impact of work-life conflict on turnover intention and examine the impact of work stress as a mediating variable among the teaching employees of private higher education institutions. The current study drew upon samples of 145 teaching employees of private higher education institutions in the education sector of Haryana. A questionnaire was administered to gather the necessary information. Data was evaluated by using the Smart PLS (v.3.2.9) software. In addition, structural equation modeling was conducted to achieve the study’s objectives, and SPSS 25 software was used to compute the demographic profile of teaching employees. The findings indicated that the turnover intention of teaching employees is positively associated with work-life conflict and work stress. In addition, work stress as an intervening variable positively and significantly impacts kinship amid work-life conflict and turnover intention. The teaching employees like to stay in their institutions if there is no work stress. The main concern is not only reducing the work stress of teaching employees but also reforming the quality and level (of work), so they can have less work-life conflict, thus reducing turnover intentions. To dwindle job-related stressors and work-life conflict among employees, various family-friendly benefits and job stress management policies may provide the benefits. This study enhances the understanding of work-life conflicts and work stress. Further, it also has taken into account some antecedents of work-life conflict and work stress, which will aid researchers and academicians in comprehending their impact on turnover intention. The current study has discussed limitations and future directions.

Perceived 'Glass Ceiling' Dimensions of Women's Career Advancement at Higher Education Institutions: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Over the last few decades, the Indian higher education sector is witnessing a significant rise in the number of women in faculty positions. However, their career progression in the academic hierarchy appears to be slow. They tend to remain concentrated toward entry-level positions. The present study aims to identify the perceived 'Glass Ceiling' barriers hindering the career advancement of women faculty members at higher education institutions (HEIs). Secondly, this study attempts to find the impact of perceived 'Glass Ceiling' barriers on the career advancement of women faculty members at HEIs. Using a purposive sampling method, responses from 252 women faculty members designated as assistant professors, associate professors, and professors at HEIs of Jaipur City (Rajasthan, India) were collected through a structured questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis has been applied to identify the 'Glass Ceiling' barriers, followed by a structural equation model using AMOS to study the impact of the barriers on career advancement. The findings of the study exhibit barriers recognized as gender stereotypes, attitudinal aversions, family and organizational factors which create a 'glass ceiling' effect for women and restrict them to rise in their career progression. The identification of multiple barriers offers a substantial contribution to the policymakers of Indian HEIs.

Longitudinal effects of high-performance work practices on job performance via person–job fit

PurposeThis present three-wave longitudinal study aims to elucidate underlying mechanism in high-performance work practices (HPWPs) and job performance relationship by examining the role of person–job as a potential mediator.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 357 faculty members of universities in Punjab (India) using a well-structured questionnaire for four consecutive months. Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM software.FindingsThis study results substantiated HPWPs have a direct favorable impact on the person–job fit because their extensive engagement policies, such as employee empowerment and rewards, help employees to perceive their jobs as being a good fit. Furthermore, these practices fulfil employment expectations for employees, resulting in job fit and boosting the employee’s performance; highlighting person–job fit as potential mediator.Research limitations/implicationsGrounding on the person–environment congruence theory, this study shed light on the relationship between HPWPs and job performance via person–job fit in the Indian higher education sector. This develops a unique management philosophy and strategies for long-term sustainable growth of organizations to give proper concrete evidence for the significance of human resource management (HRM).Practical implicationsThis study findings persuade HR professionals in higher education institutions to actively engage in reconsidering and implementing their current HPWPs efficaciously to ensure that the employees are well-suited to their roles, i.e. increased person–job fit and perform at a higher level. Furthermore, considering the favorable impact of HPWPs on job fit and performance, it is pertinent to extensively use these practices in organizations all over the world especially across developing nations as a successful HRM solution.Originality/valueThis longitudinal study provides first-hand information on person–job fit intervening as a mediator in HPWPs and job performance relationship thereby contributing to the current corpus of HPWPs work. This fills the gap in HPWPs and job performance literature by identifying a novel concept of person–job fit that is mostly unexplored in developing countries like India.

Status of women leadership in the Indian higher education sector

PurposeIn the two consecutive surveys conducted by the authors in 2015 and 2018, it was found that out of a total of 810 and 1008 Indian higher educational institutions, only 54 and 63 institutions (6.67 and 6.25%) were led by women, 725 and 934 institutions (89.51 and 92.7%) were led by men and 31 and 11 (3.83 and 1.1%) were reported to either have no information about their leaders or those posts were vacant (Banker and Banker, 2017; EduShine Report, 2015 and 2018). The current study is a follow-up attempt so that the knowledge around the status of women academic leaders in Indian higher education (2021) can be upgraded. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative exploratory research approach was followed for conducting the study.FindingsIt was found that out of the current total of 1151 Indian higher educational institutions, still only 110 (9.55%) are led by women, 1031 (89.57%) are led by men and for 10 institutions (0.86%) data on leadership is unavailable. Important contextual inferences have been made in the discussion section followed by the concentrated literature around the possible reasons for such low representation of women leaders in the global higher education sector.Research limitations/implicationsOne possible limitation of this study is that it does not provide an idea about why there is the highest women leadership in central institutions and the lowest in INIs. Taking the contextual factors into consideration, an extended exploration could have been made of different facilitators and barriers for each type of Indian HEI. The author invites future researchers to conduct this inquiry and come up with certain remedies, which is also one of the limitations of this study. Different enablers and disablers can be found through different primary and secondary research.Practical implicationsIncreased women leadership will bring diversity in the institutions' modus operandi and impact their culture in a great way. It is the prime responsibility of women to break the glass ceiling and come out of their shells. Family responsibilities contribute to their career stress in a great way, and women may balance their personal and professional lives by creating a sound support system in their family. Utilizing domestic help services will liberate them partially from their routine and unimportant duties. This will allow women to focus on more important work related to their careers. Trending nuclear families is also one of the major contributors to low women leadership; joint family pattern may benefit women to nurture and build their career keeping their sanity intact. Institutional decision makers and other stakeholders at work will be sensitized toward different barriers experienced by not only women leaders but also women in lower positions. Men at work across the levels are responsible for creating a more inclusive and conducive workplace for women. Inclusive workplace policies will render women equal opportunities and fair rewards. Ensuring unbiased and prejudice-free work culture will have a positive impact on the self-efficacy level of women which can be validated through their performance.Social implicationsSlow and steady efforts consciously made by both men and women in the workplace for the betterment of women may progressively help overcome the social preconditioning at a macro level.Originality/valueAll the studies reported in this paper have been sequentially conducted and are unique in the Indian higher education system.

Job stress amongst female faculty members in higher education: an Indian experience from a feminist perspective

Women academicians in higher education in India have a more rigorous path to follow than their male counterparts in achieving their due professional status. There are several factors that hinder their progress, including patriarchal concepts in certain role expectations from women; stereotyping of women in certain roles; and non-acceptance of women in certain others. The notions about women that have thus got embedded in the higher education sector in India have a negative impact on their career progress. There is also the need to understand the phenomenon of the glass ceiling that women are faced with in their career promotion efforts in higher education and the inequalities they often encounter under male chauvinism. Against this backdrop, the present paper strives to study the factors that contribute to the job stress and dissatisfaction of women in higher education in India, using the constructs of feminism. The paper concludes that understanding these constructs enables the members of the academia to rationally navigate the experiences of women in higher education and to create supportive policies that ensure a sustainable future for academic women with job security, satisfaction, and dignity.

Workplace Spirituality and Organisational Effectiveness in the Indian Higher Education Sector: Exploring the Relationship and Mediating Role of Positive Organisational Scholarship Factors

Workplace Spirituality and Organisational Effectiveness in the Indian Higher Education Sector: Exploring the Relationship and Mediating Role of Positive Organisational Scholarship Factors

Relationship between perceived organizational politics and job satisfaction in Indian higher education sector

Relationship between perceived organizational politics and job satisfaction in Indian higher education sector

UGC-Human Resource Development Centres and Faculty Training in Indian Higher Education Sector

UGC-Human Resource Development Centres and Faculty Training in Indian Higher Education Sector

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): Analyzing Performance of Top 50 Management Schools

The present study aims to examine the statistical differences in performance across different categories of management schools in India against the five major NIRF performance parameter heads viz., Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR); Research and Professional Practices (RP); Graduation Outcomes (GO); Outreach and Inclusivity (OI); Peer Perception (PR); and Total Ranking Score (TRS). NIRF announced first ranking results in the year 2016 on the data of 2014-15. We have used the available NIRF ranking results of the top 50 ranked management schools for each of the six announcing years from 2016 to 2021. The study divided management schools into four categories as per their regulatory identity in India. Based on the relative performance and standing of four categories of management schools across five parameters of NIRF, the schools can strategize their efforts to retain and enhance their performance for achieving a higher NIRF ranking in the future. The findings are also pertinent to those management schools which are not ranked by NIRF for taking actionable decisions. This study claims its uniqueness as assessing the relative performance of institutions in the higher education sector in India. The theoretical underpinning of rankings can be a relevant addition to the existing literature of ranking systems for higher educational institutions.

INFLUENCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC ATTRIBUTES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ACADEMIC STAFF: A STUDY OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN A PROVINCE OF INDIA

Purpose:The performance of employee is determined by several factors such as their motivation, commitment, development, satisfaction level in their job, positive work climate and so on. One of the important factors which would determine the performance of an employee is their demographic attributes such as age, gender, education, family status, promotion, length of service, designation, etc. and these factors are inherent in each employee. Demographic attributes are acknowledged to have a deep impact on the performance level of the employee in any organization. Based on this theoretical consideration, this paper is an attempt to investigate the influence of demographic attributes of the academic staff on the level of their performance. Methodology:Demographic attributes are measured by age, gender, educational qualification, experience and promotion and performance by research and development activities of the academic workforce. A stratified random sampling technique was applied for data collection and the study was conducted in Liberal Arts and Science Colleges in Tamil Nadu Province (India). A total of 656 academic workforces were responded from all four regions (East, West, North, and South). The statistical tools of Frequency distribution, Independent T-test and one-way ANOVA with Post hoc test were applied to test the significant variation, if any, between demographic variables and the performance level of the academic workforce. Findings:The results clearly show that demographic attributes of Age, Educational Qualification, Promotion and Length of Teaching Experience have significantly influenced the level of performance of the academic workforce. However, results indicate that gender of the respondent has not significantly influenced their performance level and both male and female academic workforce equally performed well. Implication: The results of this study contribute to theoretical support about the influence of demographic factors of academic staff on the level of their performance. It also supports empirically the proposed hypotheses that contribute to understanding the influence of personal and professional variables of academic staff and their performance. Further, the influence of personal and professional variables on the level of performance confirmed or negated propositions that existed in the review of the literature. Originality/Value: There is a lack of research work in the Indian higher education sector which establish the influence of demographic attributes on the performance level of the academic workforce and this study fills this gap. Understanding the influence of personal and professional attributes of academic staff on the level of their performance would enable the educational administrators to formulate appropriate composition of academic staff and imply in the HR planning and recruitment strategy and also in other HR policies to attract and retain the highly qualified and experienced academic workforce.

Changing Reading Habits of Faculty of Higher Education in India: A Study of the COVID-19 Lockdown Period

ABSTRACT This study attempts to comprehend the reading habits of faculty members of the higher education sector in India during the lockdown period and a comparative analysis of the reading habits of faculty members prior to the lockdown and during the lockdown. The study used an online survey approach to gather information using a Google form. The study population was composed of teachers from the higher education sectors in India. The study revealed the change and the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown state on faculty members’ reading habits in India’s higher education sector. An online survey was conducted of the unknown population using WhatsApp received 734 responses. The responses were analyzed by the study’s objectives and tested a simple null hypothesis, i.e., “There is no significant change in the reading habits of the faculty members of the higher education sector in India during the lockdown period.” The study discovered that faculty members had spent more time for reading, reading habits have considerably increased, a positive impact on reading habits, utilized their lockdown time to satisfy their information needs, the change in reading habits is observable, and there is an inclination towards the utilization of digital and online information. The study would be helpful for librarians, libraries, and information centres to prepare future strategic plans, develop a system for crisis management in libraries, and provide better information services after knowing the opinion of faculty members of higher education. The study is original since no study combining variables such as teachers, higher education sector, India, and reading habits has been undertaken. This study would also guide future studies in this field.

Work from home issues due to COVID-19 lockdown in Indian higher education sector and its impact on employee productivity

PurposeThis study focuses on work from home (WFH) issues faced by faculty members of higher education institutes in India during the coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aims to understand the impact of these issues on faculty productivity. The study also analyzes the moderating effect of information technology (IT) training on the relationship between work- from-home issues and faculty productivity.Design/methodology/approachThis study is quantitative. Data were collected from 215 faculty members working in higher education institutes in India. Correlation and hierarchical regression analysis have been used to analyze the data.FindingsThe analysis revealed that online teaching, lack of technology acceptance, poor working environment and work–life conflict negatively impacts faculty productivity. Thus, IT training work as a moderator plays an important role in reducing the WFH issues mainly Online Teaching, Lack of Technology acceptance & Poor Working Enviornment by increasing faculty productivity. IT training work does not moderate the relationship between work–life conflict and faculty productivity.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited to the higher education sector; the research limits the generalization of the higher education sector's finding to other sectors.Practical implicationsThe findings would help policymakers and educational institutes to explore the use of digital technology to break boundaries of workplace and education institutes to disseminate knowledge to a global level. The findings also help to understand how the workplace is essential for the smooth functioning of tasks of the institute.Social implicationsThe study will also help management, institute, organization, society and individuals to change their mindset that education can be imparted through online mode in a better way with the help of digital technology.Originality/valueThere is a scarcity of research work examining WFH issues in conducting mandatory online classes due to COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19's relation to faculty productivity in the higher education sector. This study contributes to the knowledge regarding the impact of COVID-19 on faculty productivity in the education sector.

SOUL: An Institutional Transformation Framework for Indian Higher Education

The Indian Higher Education sector has made remarkable progress in the last few years in terms of capacity expansion and improving the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) significantly. Out of the three stated objectives of the national higher education policy, equity and access have been achieved to a large extent, while excellence remains confined to a few pockets. Quality concerns reiterated by reports from government agencies, studies by industry bodies and manifested in rapidly declining student enrolments persist. Therefore, there is an urgent need for institutions to transform themselves to create value for their stakeholders. It will help successfully navigate the challenges facing the higher education sector. We present SOUL (Strategy, Operations, Urgency, Leadership), a comprehensive institutional transformation framework customized for Indian academia, enabling leadership teams to introduce validated interventions and global best practices at their institutions in a phased manner. SOUL is novel, relevant and timely, especially in the Indian context considering that disruption and crisis create opportunities for institutional transformation.