Telangana higher education grows in numbers; privatisation and inequality glaring

Telangana’s performance in the higher education domain has improved significantly over the past three decades. Its gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education reached 40% in 2021-22, one of the highest among Indian States. The State also has the third-highest number of higher education institutions per lakh college-age population, after Karnataka and Puducherry, according to ‘Higher Education in Telangana: Facts and Figures’, a report by the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS).

However, the report flags two key concerns: the small size of institutions and increased privatisation. Nearly two-thirds of colleges have fewer than 500 students and many are single-disciplinary. Telangana also has the highest share of privately managed colleges or enrolments among all States.

The report was released on Wednesday and discussed by CESS founder member Sukhadeo Thorat, Jandhyala B.G. Tilak of the Council for Social Development, New Delhi, former chairperson of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Shanta Sinha and CESS director E. Revathi.

The most crucial concern raised by the report is the State’s allocation of financial resources to education in general and higher education in particular. While all the States’ average spending on education is equal to or above 3% of the GDP, Telangana’s expenditure on education is around 2%. To put it simply, the per capita GSDP and total budget expenditure in Telangana are among the highest in India, but the per capita education expenditure is one of the lowest.

As a result, private costs and expenditure on education are increasing and is one of the highest in India. Concerns also are about governance and the burden of affiliation on a few universities, and the quality concern it raises is glaring.

According to Mr. Thorat, the overall objective of higher education is to impart scientific and quality knowledge, and inequality and access to quality of education are key factors Telangana must address. There are a number of faculty vacancies in universities, he pointed out.

Mr. Tilak who chaired the discussion of the report, said quantitative expansion or higher education is remarkable in the State, but increasing privatisation is a concern. “Telangana is still one of the States with lowest literacy rates across States in the country. Inequalities in higher education between the rich and the poor are widening,” he said.

Ms. Sinha also said privatisation of education in Telangana is undemocratic, exclusionary and unequitable.