New Delhi [India], September 30 (ANI): SBI Research has proposed amending Article 21 of the Constitution to support a right to free and fair educational opportunity, while calling for statutory status for the National Testing Agency (NTA) as part of wider reforms needed to strengthen India's higher education system, according to its latest report.
The report said the proposed right should protect students from fraud, discrimination and unreasonable barriers to education. It also suggested that reforms to state public service commission examinations should form part of the broader changes.
“We propose whether Article 21 of Indian constitution can be amended to support a right to free and fair educational opportunity. “Free” should mean freedom from fraud, discrimination and unreasonable barriers,” the report said.
The report comes as India's higher education system has expanded significantly over the past decade. The number of universities, colleges and standalone institutions reached 64,756 in FY24, up from FY14 levels, while student enrolment crossed 4.5 crore, with girls accounting for nearly half of the total. The number of teachers also rose to 17.32 lakh, SBI Research said.
The report also proposed replacing the NTA's current structure as a society under the Societies Registration Act with a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament. It said the agency had conducted more than 240 examinations for over 5.4 crore candidates by July 2024, and proposed clearer legal responsibilities, permanent expertise and independent review.
SBI Research said lessons from China's Gaokao, one of the world's largest examinations, could be adapted in areas including logistics, implementation and scale. It also proposed stronger controls over question-paper custody, independent review, candidate appeals and public accountability.
The report flagged several gaps that could require policy attention. The share of higher education in total government expenditure has remained around 1 per cent, down from 1.6 per cent in FY18, while 34 per cent of sanctioned teaching positions across centrally funded institutions are vacant.
SBI Research suggested increasing the expenditure share to 1.5 per cent and filling vacant positions.
It also called for faster expansion of vocational training, noting that only 30.7 per cent of Indians aged 15-29 received or were receiving vocational training in 2025, despite a rise from 7.1 per cent in 2018. (ANI)
India's higher education needs constitutional "right to free, fair" education, stronger NTA framework: SBI Research
