'India's higher education is not up to the mark'

India's higher education institutions are not up to the mark and have failed to keep abreast with rapid changes, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday. The minister said the higher education system in the country has often been criticised for being rigid for both the students and faculty, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. "Too many of our higher educational institutions are not up to the mark. Too many of them have not kept abreast with rapid changes that have taken place in the world in recent years, still producing graduates the job market no longer needs," Singh told a conference of central university vice-chancellors here. His concern also stemmed from the fact that no Indian university has been ranked in the top 200 universities today. "In recognition of the fact that expansion without quality improvement serves little purpose, we will now give emphasis on quality and we need steps to bring about reforms," he said. Singh urged vice-chancellors to focus on extending the reach of education through work in contiguous areas and work on quality and faculty development. "I urge you to come up with new ways to benefit people in the area around your university by disseminating knowledge, encouraging innovation, promoting environmental conservation, developing skills and so on," he said. President Pranab Mukherjee, who is chancellor of the central universities, said private sector participation in higher education should be encouraged by formulating policies that do not compromise social objectives and quality.