Senior academics and politicians warned of a deepening crisis in higher education across India even as they praised Kerala’s efforts to strengthen publicly funded universities at a national research conference that ended in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Former Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru director S. Balaram said higher education in the country is witnessing a steady decline in publicly aided universities, faculty strength and research programmes, leading to depletion of many departments. In contrast, Kerala has emerged as a potential model for rescuing higher education through sustained public funding.
He described both school and higher education as public goods, warning of increasing privatization that was reducing many universities to “teaching shops” focused on producing degrees rather than creating knowledge. He also drew attention to the growing problem of unemployment among educated workers, including among PhD holders.
Research standards
Economist Prabhat Patnaik delved into the sharp deterioration in research standards nationwide, particularly in the social sciences. He said critical areas such as income inequality research had virtually disappeared in the country, prompting researchers abroad to conduct such work.
He attributed the decline to two key factors, namely the fear of contradicting the dominant official narrative and the commodification of education, which is driven by shrinking public finances. When degrees become marketable commodities linked to employment and loan repayment, basic and critical research suffers, warned Prof. Patnaik.
Kerala State Planning Board Vice-Chairman VK Ramachandran elaborated on the state government’s policy initiatives during the 13th and 14th Five Year Plans, including a 30% increase in higher education allocation during a period of financial stress. He pointed out that investments in infrastructure, teacher training, curriculum reforms and management restructuring have led to measurable improvements in institutional ratings and standards.
He also warned of central interference in university governance, particularly through the role of governors as chancellors and the influence of the University Grants Commission, as a crisis that threatens secularism, democratic functioning and academic freedom in universities.
Higher Education Minister R. Bindu, who presided over the valedictorian session, said that the state’s higher education sector is going through a transformational period with significant funding and paradigm shifts in curriculum and research methodology.
Scholar Connect
It also launched ‘Scholar Connect’, a digital platform designed to facilitate structured engagement between higher education institutions and the global academic diaspora. Certificates were also presented to the postdoctoral fellows of Chief Minister Nava Kerala on the occasion.
Kuvempu University Vice-Chancellor Sharath Ananthamurthy, Kerala State Council of Higher Education Vice-Chairman Rajan Gurukkal and Member Secretary Rajan Varughese also spoke.
Published – 11 Feb 2026 20:30 IST