Impact of Globalization on Higher Education in India: Issues, Challenges and Alternatives

Globalization is an umbrella term that refers to increasing global connectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural, political, and ecological spheres. It is a unitary process inclusive of many such sub-processes, perhaps as best understood as enhanced economic interdependence, increased cultural influence, rapid advances of information technology, and novel governance and geopolitical challenges. Higher education includes certain collegiate level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools, and career colleges that award degrees, diplomas and certificates. Globalization of higher education has brought remarkable changes in cross-border education. Attracting a good number of international students has been fairly a strong base of educational trade that is growing rapidly around the world. India has one of the largest and most complex higher educational systems in the world. Prior to a few decades ago, due to multifarious reasons, India was unable to attract a good number of foreign students in its universities. Keeping this in mind, the Government of India has taken various steps and launched a few ambitious programmes. Now, Indian universities and other institutes are open to the global market and hope to attract foreign students. This paper examine different aspect of globalization which can usefully be viewed as challenges to higher education especially in its efforts to develop diverse ideas and demonstration of quality and systems of quality guarantee that will be useful and sustainable in this situation.