Higher Education in India: Measures for Consolidating the Quality of Teaching Sharma Arvind K. Former Vice-Chancellor, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India. Email: arvind.sharma41@gmail.com Online published on 27 August, 2020. Abstract This paper examines select micro-level considerations as it portrays the strategies for academic excellence in the country's higher education sector. What light does the etymology of the two words – ‘university’ and ‘college’ – throw on the soul of the respective jurisdictions? A “university” is by definition an entity of universalistic values: the term (university) traces its origin to the word “universe”. Recourse to the internet in tracing the etymology of the word is an exciting exercise. One rudimentary hint one draws from this search is that a university is a community of masters and scholars who are devoted to the search for truth. Likewise, the word “college” which is, etymologically, a derivative of “collegial”: in using the word “collegial” reference is in essence to that which involves shared responsibility, as among a group of colleagues. A college is thus an institution committed to the values of collegiality. The emphasis is that teachers and students, of the entity called college, relate with each other as peers, not superior and subordinate. This stresses ‘horizontality’, ‘exchange’ and ‘give and take’ between the two players: namely, the teacher and the student. This elevates teaching into a demand-driven process where the teacher tailors the inputs to suit the needs of the student. In other words, does not allow teaching to degenerate into a ritual. This pictures the teacher as a missionary in the domain of knowledgecreation and knowledge-dissemination. In that background, the paper focuses first on the matters that determine the quality of the teacher-student interface. Three issues warrant a specific mention as one looks for the means to underline what it takes to elevate the level. These are as under: 1. Topic-wise Reading-list, 2. Lecture-end Feedback, and 3. Tutorials, Home-Assignments and the availability of the course-instructor for consultation beyond the class-hours. The paper focuses next on the dire need to launch a country-wide campaign to translate the classics of the respective disciplines in the Hindi and Regional Languages. Top Keywords College, Higher education, Quality of teaching, Teacher-student interface, University. Top |