Advocating for Rights, Consulting for Growth & Networking for Empowerment
Instituted under the aegis of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) was conceptualized with noble objectives. Designed to identify and catalog all institutions of higher learning across the nation, AISHE was intended to be an exhaustive data collection initiative aimed at providing valuable insights into various aspects of higher education.
With a Task Force comprising representatives from key stakeholders, including governmental bodies and educational institutions, AISHE was poised to become a cornerstone in understanding the landscape of higher education in India. However, despite its lofty goals, the implementation of AISHE has been marred by significant shortcomings.
One of the fundamental issues plaguing AISHE is the rampant misrepresentation of data by participating colleges and universities. Many institutions, driven by the pressure to appear favorable on paper, resort to inflating statistics or providing misleading information on the AISHE portal's Data Capture Format (DCF). This manipulation not only undermines the integrity of the survey but also skews the resulting reports and analyses generated by the government.
Despite awareness of these malpractices, the Ministry of Education has persisted with AISHE as an annual exercise. This persistence, however, raises questions about the efficacy and utility of the survey. With a substantial portion of the data rendered inaccurate or unreliable due to deliberate misinformation, the value of AISHE as a tool for policymaking and decision-making comes into question.
Furthermore, the resources expended on administering AISHE, both in terms of finances and manpower, could be better allocated towards initiatives that yield tangible and accurate insights into the state of higher education in India. Rather than perpetuating a flawed system, there is a pressing need for introspection and reform within the framework of AISHE.
In conclusion, while AISHE was conceived with noble intentions, its execution has fallen short of expectations. The prevalence of erroneous data and the lack of corrective measures undermine the survey's credibility and effectiveness. It is imperative for policymakers to address these issues and overhaul AISHE to ensure its alignment with the goals of transparency, accountability, and accuracy in higher education data collection.
Vikram Singh Kaviya
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