India's higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States.[2] The main governing body at the tertiary level is the University Grants Commission (India), which enforces its standards, advises the government, and helps coordinate between the centre and the state.[3] Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by 12 autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission.[4]
As of 2011[update], India has 42 central universities, 275 state universities, 130 deemed universities, 90 private universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 33 Institutes of National Importance.[3][5][6][7][8][9] Other institutions include 16000 colleges as Government Degree Colleges and Private Degree Colleges, including 1800 exclusive women's colleges, functioning under these universities and institutions.[3] The emphasis in the tertiary level of education lies on science and technology.[10] Indian educational institutions by 2004 consisted of a large number of technology institutes.[11] Distance learning and open education is also a feature of the Indian higher education system, and is looked after by the Distance Education Council.[11] Indira Gandhi National Open University is the largest university in the world by number of students, having approximately 3.5 million students across the globe.[12][13][14]
Some institutions of India, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), National Institute of Technology (NITs) and Jawaharlal Nehru University have been globally acclaimed for their standard of education.[11] The IITs enroll about 8000 students annually and the alumni have contributed to both the growth of the private sector and the public sectors of India.[15] However, India has failed to produce world class universities like Harvard or Oxford.[16]
Driven by market opportunities and entrepreneurial zeal, many institutions are taking advantage of the lax regulatory environment to offer 'degrees' not approved by Indian authorities. And many institutions are functioning as pseudo non-profit organisations, developing sophisticated financial methods to siphon off the 'profits'.[17] The Encyclopædia Britannica</ref> Regulatory authorities like UGC and AICTE have been trying very hard to extirpate the menace of private universities which are running courses without any affiliation or recognition. Students from rural and semi urban background often fall prey to these institutes and colleges.[18][dead link]
Three Indian universities were listed in the Times Higher Education list of the world’s top 200 universities — Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, and Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2005 and 2006.[19] Six Indian Institutes of Technology and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science - Pilani were listed among the top 20 science and technology schools in Asia by Asiaweek.[20] The Indian School of Business situated in Hyderabad was ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010[21] while the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has been recognized as a global leader in medical research and treatment.[22]
