Dun & Bradstreet India (D&B India) is pleased to present the inaugural edition of ‘Universities of India 2008’ in association with Mindlogicx Infotech Limited. This is an initiative on D&B India’s part to create a platform for bringing together various players actively involved in the education sector. The publication is a repository of information on Indian universities and university level institutions that fall under the purview of University Grants Commission (UGC) and/or governed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), GoI; with brief profiles and key highlights covering Central Universities, State Universities, Deemed Universities, Private Universities, Institutes of National Importance and Open Universities.

India, with its billion plus population and one third of it belonging to the age group of 6-24 years, has been showing gradual progress over the decades in various areas of the education sector. Growth of literacy rate from 18.3% in 1951 to above 65% in current times and total number of non literates decreasing from 329 million to 304 million for the first time in this decade is a testimonial to the academic progress of the country. As per MHRD and UGC statistics, the educational system has grown from just 20 universities and 500 colleges at the time of independence to over 400 universities and 20,677 colleges in present times. At the start of the academic year 2007-08, the total number of students enrolled for higher education stood at 11.6 million with 12.94% in university departments and 87.06% in affiliated colleges. Women enrolment has shown a phenomenal growth from less than 10% during independence to around 40%.

The country’s higher education system is slowly changing from its unidirectional methods of theoretical knowledge to practical techniques for producing professionals with better quality education. Universities and institutes of higher education are adopting innovative measures in traditional programmes and promoting research-based practices to meet the requirements of skilled workers in the industry. Factors such as e-learning, distance education, public private partnerships, entry of private equity players, international collaborations and exchange programmes are changing the dynamics of higher education in India.

With India now regarded as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, higher education is acknowledged as the gateway for transforming it into a developed country. The government envisages bringing reforms in the higher education sector through its Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007 – 2012), popularly known as the knowledge investment plan. As part of this plan, the government plans to ramp up capacity in higher education with the establishment of 8 new IITs, 7 new IIMs, 16 Central Universities, 20 Indian Institutes of Information Technology, and new IISERs and polytechnic institutes. The Eleventh Five Year Plan plans to achieve a gross enrolment ratio of at least 15% by the end of the plan period.

‘Universities of India 2008’ reflects D&B India’s support and confidence in the country’s higher education for creation of high skilled human capital in the near future. I hope you will enjoy reading ‘Universities of India 2008’ and look forward to receiving your suggestions.

Dr Manoj Vaish
President & CEO - India
Dun & Bradstreet