Pre-budget quote from Dr. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor, FLAME University

Pre-budget quote from Dr. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor, FLAME UniversityThe nation’s rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic has been a booster shot for the economy and Budget 2023 can be expected to reflect this confidence, which will translate into a positive impact on the Indian higher education system.

A stronger push for digitization, which will also benefit the Indian higher education system, is one of the government’s priorities that we can anticipate in the upcoming Budget. An increased budgetary allocation for tech enhancement will support Indian HEIs’ plans to raise their standards of excellence and become more competitive in a world that is becoming more digital and globalized. Having experienced the benefits of online pedagogy and how it can change the way education is delivered, Indian HEIs have increased the adoption of technology into their teaching and learning processes and upgraded their IT infrastructure. Along with this, the government may think about providing incentives to the telecom sector to invest, innovate, and improve infrastructure and internet connectivity, as well as provide digital devices at affordable prices, which will go a long way toward ensuring anywhere, anytime access to education for all.

Increasing funding for R&D is another significant way that the government can support the higher education system. Supporting HEIs to invest in research will fundamentally alter the nation’s higher education system. Our institutions must invest in creating a research-oriented ecosystem that enables them to compare their performance to international standards of excellence, and the government’s attention to this issue will be a key enabler. This gains significance in light of the UGC’s plans to enable the international expansion of Indian educational institutions and establish foreign universities’ campuses in India.