Journal of Engineering Education Transformations

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

The Gamification of Indian Higher Education: Trends, Pitfalls and Ideas for Future


Affiliations
1 Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu-181122, India
2 School of Management, Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu-181122, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The Indian Higher Education (IHE) system has been critiqued consistently over quality concerns, resulting in several corrective measures being initiated by the policy makers, regulators, and the institutions. Consequently, progress has been observed in terms of improved outcomes on some parameters. One emergent trend in the IHE is increased focus on quantitative data by the accreditation and ranking agencies. This has spurred the sector into a competitive overdrive with institutions vying for rankings and awards. This has also resulted in malpractices, systemic erosion, and gamification of the system with long term repercussions. This paper argues against adopting purely quantitative measures for institutional assessment, suggesting measures which are holistic, broad-based, and better serve the needs of a country as diverse as India.

Keywords

Indian Higher Education, Research and Development, Gamification.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Gupta, V., Malik, N., Kelkar, M., & Rai, A. (2022, April 15). Optimizing learning outcomes in the Indian higher education sector. Deloitte Insights.https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/reimagining-higher-education/indian-higher-education.html

  • NASSCOM Talent Demand and Supply Report – AI and Big Data, 2019. NASSCOM. https://nasscom.in/knowledge-center/publications/talent-demand-supply-report-ai-big-data-analytics

  • India Skills Report (2019). All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). https://www.aicte-india.org/sites/default/files/India%20Skill%20Report-2019.pdf

  • Committee to Advise on Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education (2009). Yashpal Committee Report. https://www.aicte-india.org/downloads/Yashpal-committee-report.pdf

  • Chhapia, H. (2020, February 12). 50% seats vacant, no new engineering colleges for 2 yrs: AICTE. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/educ ation/50-seats-vacant-no-new-engineering-colleges-for-2-yrs-aicte/articleshow/74108434.cms

  • Pant, S. (2019, September 20). Why India should look beyond Engineering and diversify liberal arts education? India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/why-india-should-look-beyond-engineering-and-diversify-liberal-arts-education-1601127-2019-09-20

  • Matta, A., & Kaushik, M. (2021, April 22). The state of liberal arts education in India. Forbes India. https://www.forbesindia.com/article/edtech-special/the-state-of-liberal-arts-education-in-india/67547/1

  • Nayar, A. (2018, July 31). AISHE Report 2017-18 Confirms the Rapid Privatisation of Higher Education Since 2013-14. NewsClick. https://www.newsclick.in/aishe-report-2017-18-confirms-rapid-privatisation-higher-education-2013-14

  • Oravec, J.A. (2019). The “Dark Side” of Academics? Emerging Issues in Gaming and Manipulation of Metrics in Higher Education. The Review of Higher Education 42(3), 859-877. doi:10.1353/rhe.2019.0022

  • Improving the Quality of Research by Faculty and Creation of New Knowledge and Strategies for Improving Research Culture in Colleges/Universities. (2019). UGC. https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/5816125_Promoting-and-Improving.pdf https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/5816125_Promoting-and-Improving.pdf

  • New Education Policy 2020. (n.d.). Ministry of Human Resource Development. Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf

  • Iftikhar, F. (2021, September 23). Central government warns colleges against fake ads to mislead students. Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/central-goverment-warns-colleges-against-fake-ads-to-mislead-students-101632425107038.html

  • The Indian Higher Education: Vision 2040 (2021, February), FICCI Report.https://www.ficci-hes.com/pdf/2021/eyreport.pdf

  • The Hindu Business Line. (2021, March 17). How digitization and technology are shaping education in India. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/how-digitisation-and-technology-are-shaping-education-in-india/article34090642.ece

  • Indian edtech startups see investment of $2.22 bn in 2020, shows data (2018, July). Business Standard. https://www.business-standard.com/article/education/indian-edtech-startups-see-investment-of-2-22-bn-in-2020-shows-data-120121700501_1.html

  • Thiebes, S., Lins, S., Basten, D. (2014). Gamifying information systems A synthesis of gamification mechanics and dynamics. Twenty Second Eur. Conf. Inf. Syst. 1–17.

  • NIRF – Report on India Rankings 2021 (2021, September)https://www.nirfindia.org/nirfpdfcd n/2021/pdf/Report/IR2021_Report.pdf

  • World Bank Data – Research spending as a percentage of GDP. (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS

  • Chapman, D. W., & Lindner, S. (2016). Degrees of integrity: The threat of corruption in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 41(2), 247–268

  • Oravec, J. A. (2017). The manipulation of scholarly rating and measurement systems: Constructing excellence in an era of academic stardom. Teaching in Higher Education, 22(4), 423–436.

  • Selvamani, L., & Arul, P. G. (2019). Indian universities and their involvement in patenting activity. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 12.

  • Patents granted in India tripled in last 5 years; still a fraction of China , US (2022, January)https://www.livemint.com/companies/start-ups/patents-granted-in-india-tripled-in-las-5-years-still-a-fraction-of-china-us-11643630387938.html

  • The Award Sellers, (2019), The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/education/the-award-sellers/article26036108.ece

  • NAAC to junk disputed grades, will just award accreditation. (2022). Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/naac-to-junk-disputed-grades-will-just-award-accreditation/articleshow/95461172.cms

  • Why faculty salaries need to be a priority? (2022). Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/why-faculty-salaries-need-to-be-a-priority/articleshow/92601422.cms

  • Gupta, A. (2013). Performance insight 360: a cloud-based quality management framework for educational institutions in india. 15th IEEE Conference on Business Informatics. IEEE, United States of America

  • Publishing research papers in journals no longer mandatory to get PhD: UGC. (2022). News 18. https://www.news18.com/news/education-career/publishing-research-papers-in-journals-no-longer-mandatory-to-ge t-phd-ugc-6347185.html

  • NAAC to junk disputed grades, will just award accreditation. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/naac-to-junk-disputed-grades-will-just-award-accreditation/articleshow/95462803.cms


Abstract Views: 171

PDF Views: 0




  • The Gamification of Indian Higher Education: Trends, Pitfalls and Ideas for Future

Abstract Views: 171  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

A. Gupta
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu-181122, India
S. Sawhney
School of Management, Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu-181122, India

Abstract


The Indian Higher Education (IHE) system has been critiqued consistently over quality concerns, resulting in several corrective measures being initiated by the policy makers, regulators, and the institutions. Consequently, progress has been observed in terms of improved outcomes on some parameters. One emergent trend in the IHE is increased focus on quantitative data by the accreditation and ranking agencies. This has spurred the sector into a competitive overdrive with institutions vying for rankings and awards. This has also resulted in malpractices, systemic erosion, and gamification of the system with long term repercussions. This paper argues against adopting purely quantitative measures for institutional assessment, suggesting measures which are holistic, broad-based, and better serve the needs of a country as diverse as India.

Keywords


Indian Higher Education, Research and Development, Gamification.

References