SSRN-id2600695

Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2600695
Higher Education is it Boon for Employability?
Abstract
Adarsha Shetty U *
RatheshJ**
In the emerging global world order, institutions are trying to position itself as a knowledge
driven centres. The challenges are many and momentous. As a stakeholder of higher learning
will agree that it is not just about the higher level of educational structure in the country.
The development of student’s intellectual and imaginative power their understanding and
judgement, problem-solving skills, ability to communicate, and to perceive their field of study
in a broader perspective. In order to survive in the competitive world of globalization, all
higher education institutions should play special attention to quality in higher education.
Quality from three different perspectives- Product (output of the education institutions),
software (process in the education institution), and service (the activities that have direct
impact on student satisfaction).
The paper mainly concentrates to identify the applicability of the course to employability, to
recognize the need for innovative pedagogy in higher education and its benefits for
employability and also to identify the limitations of the existing education system.. Mainly the
study finds that students are not able to employable by present higher education system and
also there should need for change in the system of higher education.
Keywords: Higher education, Higher learning, ideology, Employability
INTRODUCTION
In a society full of diversity, ideologies and opinions, higher education means different thing
to different people. The pluralism of views is quite in evitable and some would opine it
should be like that only. We should ask ourselves what is higher education? We will agree
that it is not just about the higher level of educational structure in world. There is more to
it. In terms of level, higher education includes college and university teaching learning
towards which student progress to attain higher educational qualification.
* Research scholar at Alva’s PG Department of Commerce shetty.adarshu91@gmail.com
** Research scholar at Alva’s PG Department of Commerce
Fourth International Conference on Higher Education: Special Emphasis on Management Education
on December 29-30 2014
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It imparts in-depth knowledge and understanding so as to advance the students to new
frontiers of knowledge in different walks of life. It is about the knowing more and more,
about less and less. It develops student’s ability to question and seek truth and makes
them competent to critique on contemporary issues. It broadens the intellectual powers of
the individual within a narrow specialisation, but also gives them a wider perspective of the
worldaround.
Higher education includes teaching, research, exacting applied work (e.g. in medical
schools and dental schools), and social services activities of universities. Within the realm
of teaching, it includes both the under graduate level, and beyond that, graduate-
level (or postgraduate level).
Higher education is at the cross roads. At one end there is high demand for access to higher
education and at the other quality is questioned. In order to survive in the competitive
world of globalization, all higher education institutions should pay special attention to
quality in higher education. Quality from three different perspectives- Product (output of the
education institutions), software (process in the education institution), and service (the
activities that have direct impact on student satisfaction)
Indian Higher Education System
India has seen a consistently high rate of economic growth in the recent years. It has now
become a major player in the global knowledge economy. Skill-based activities have made
significant contribution to this growth. Such activities depend on the large pool of qualified
manpower, that is fed by its large higher education system. It is now widely accepted that
higher education has been critical to India’s emergence in the global knowledge economy.
Yet, it is believed that a crisis is plaguing the Indian higher education system.
There appear to be endless problems with the Indian higher education system. The higher
education system produces graduates that are unemployable, though there are mounting
skill shortages in a number of sectors. The standards of academic research are low and
declining.
An unwieldy affiliating system, inflexible academic structure, uneven capacity across
subjects, eroding autonomy of academic institutions, low level of public funding, archaic
and dysfunctional regulatory environment are some of its many problems. Finally, it is
widely held that it suffers from several systemic deficiencies and is driven by populism, and
in the absence of reliable data, there is little informed public debate.
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Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, while analysing the crisis in Indian education, rather than
attributing the crisis in Indian education to administrative neglect or to thoughtless action,
pointed out that the ‘grave failures in policy-making in the field of education require the
analysis of the characteristics of the economic and social forces operating in India, and
response of public policy to these forces’. He emphasised that ‘due to the government’s
tendency to formulate educational policies based on public pressure, often wrong policies
are pursued.’
Higher education has received a lot of attention in India over the past few years. There are
four reasons for this recent focus. First, country’s weak higher education system is being
blamed for skill shortages in several sectors of economy. Second, reservation quotas in
higher education institutions, particularly the more reputed ones that provide access to
high status and best-paid jobs became a highly divisive issue, central to the policy of
inclusive growth and distributive justice, and hence politically very important. Third, in the
backdrop of the first two developments, it began to be argued that the country would not be
able to sustain its growth momentum and maintain competitiveness unless problems with
higher education are fixed.
Employability
Employers generally see a graduate’s achievements related to the subject discipline as
necessary but not sufficient for them to be recruited. In some employment contexts the
actual subject discipline may be relatively unimportant. Achievements outside the
boundaries of the discipline (such as the possession of so-called ‘soft skills’) are generally
considered to be important in the recruitment of graduates.
The position taken in this guide is that employability goes well beyond the simplistic notion
of key skills, and is evidenced in the application of a mix of personal qualities and beliefs,
understandings, skilful practices and the ability to reflect productively on experience. Notice
that the commonly used terms ‘knowledge’ and ‘skills’ are not used. They have been
replaced by ‘understandings’ and ‘skilful practices’ respectively, in order to signal the
importance of a rich appreciation of the relevant field(s) and of the ability to operate in
situations of complexity and ambiguity. There is a parallel here with Stephenson’s (1998)
suggestion that the capable person can work effectively on unfamiliar problems in
unfamiliar contexts as well as on familiar problems in familiar contexts which is really a
matter of routine. Over the last decade those concerned with education and employment
have been increasingly seeking evidence of how levels of educational attainment
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characterise individual’s performances in the labour market. Enhancing the short and long-
term employability potential of young people has become a central developmental priority.
Challenges open up several general questions regarding the future development of higher
education: how to balance general and professionally specific subjects and their
complementarities, what should be the practical scope of teaching and learning modes or
how should higher education institutions collaborate with employers and get involved with
apprenticeships, and how should they validate non-formal learning experiences.
Progress in Institution capacity
We first begin with the review of the progress of higher education in the country. The level
of higher education is determined by the size of institutional capacity of higher education
system in the country. The size of higher education system in turn, is determined mainly by
three indicators, namely number of educational institutions universities and colleges,
number of teachers and number of students.
Higher Education Institutions (Universities and Colleges) in India (Aug 2013)
Type of Institution Number E.g.
Central Universities (Public) 44 University of Delhi
State Universities (Public) 306 University of Mumbai
State Universities (Private) 154 Amity University
Deemed Universities (Private or Public) 129
Tata Institute of Social
Sciences
Institution of National Importance
(Public)
67 Indian Institute of Technology
Total Degree-granting Institutions 700
Affiliated Colleges (Public or Private) 35,539

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The UGC has also proposed schemes to increase the involvement of researchers, scientists
and academicians from outside university system in teaching and research in
universities/colleges in various ways. This also include schemes to attract and facilitate the
Indian academic working in universities outside India as well the foreign academic working
on India to participate in teaching and research on flexible terms and conditions.
The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is a frequently and widely used indicator of educational
advancement of a country/region. It is defined as the ratio of number of pupils enrolled in
the higher education institutions, regardless of age, divided by number of persons in the
relevant age group. India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio at present 17.87%.
OBJECTIVES
1. To identify the applicability of the course to employability.
2. To recognise the need for innovative pedagogy in higher education and its benefits
for employability.
3. To identify the limitations of the existing education system.
4. To identify the role of education in contributing value between inputs to the
corporate employment.
LITERATURE REVIEW
 Due to the government’s tendency to formulate educational policies based on
public pressure, often wrong policies are pursued. – Amartya Sen
 The highest education is which does not merely gives us information but makes our
life in harmony with all existence. – Rabindranath Tagore
 Higher education should not be limited for degrees and post graduations. Student
should be very interested in their subjects and they should show interest to do
research. But some of students leave their education in between. It is not a fault of
their. It is the fault of support and guidance of the entire system. - Dr. Vinay Hegde
Chancellor of Nitte University.
 A genuine higher learning is subversive in the sense of subverting the student’staken-
for-granted world, including the world of Endeavour, scholarship, calculation or
creativity, into which he or she has been initiated. A genuine higher education is
unsettling; it is not meant to be a cosy experience. It is disturbing because,
ultimately, the student comes to see that things could always be other than they
are. A higher education experience is not complete unless the student realizes that,
no matter how much effort is put in, or how much library research, there are no
final answers.
- Professor Ronald Barnett

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Research methodology
Primary data:
 Questionnaires to three different types of respondents from three areas. Firstly there
are students who are from different institutions and also from different streams.
Secondly we have collected data from academicians who have sufficient experience
and vast knowledge about present education system and finally collected
information from entrepreneurs who are practicing in different area.
 Personal interview from academicians and entrepreneurs.
Secondary data:
We have collected data from secondary source mainly from journals, magazines, statistics of
Department Human Resource Development and University Grant Commission, from other
survey on higher education and from other publications.
Limitation of the study:
1. The behaviour of the respondents to fill the questionnaire is unpredictable.
2. The study was restricted to 10 respondents in each area of experience.
3. The time allotted was too short.
Data analysis Interpretation
Table No 1: Response from student:
Area of interest after the course.
Respondents Number of respondents Percentage
Corporate 5 50
Profession 4 40
Entrepreneurs 1 10
By this we found out that out of 10 respondents 50% of students prefer to join
corporate and 40% of them likes profession and only 10% of students are want
to be a entrepreneurs. Half of the respondents prefer corporate.

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Table No 2: Students’ opinion about system of teaching methodology.
Table 2.a: Reason on dissatisfaction with education system.
As per the analysis half of the respondents satisfied with the present teaching
methodology because they are stick to the old methodology and don’t want to
update themselves and remaining half are not satisfied mainly because of lack
of creative learning and outdated syllabus.
Table No 3: Students’ expectations from higher education.
Majority of students expect creative learning (50%) and 40% of them are want
the research studies and only 10% of them expect use of more technology from
higher education. Because they want to compete themselves in the current
globalised job market, some of them want to create something new which will
make them distinct from others to get more information and update themselves
to modern technology.
Satisfaction Number of respondents Percentage
Yes 5 50
No 5 50
Respondents Number of respondents Percentage
Lack in using technology 0 0
Outdated syllabus 2 40
Inefficiency of teaching 0 0
Lack of creative learning 3 60
Students’ Expectations Number of
respondents
Percentage
Research studies 4 40
Use of technology 1 10
Counselling 0 0
Creative learning 5 50

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Table No 4: Students' reasons for pursuing higher education.
Going through the above analysis we find 60% of the students pursuing higher
education mainly for getting job and only 40% of them want to gain knowledge
from higher education.
Table No 5: Question about requirements of Add-on courses to students.
Going through this analysis, we can make a conclusion that 50% of the students
want to undergo add-on course to update themselves with present
requirements. The job scenario requires more talented employees.
Table No 6: Response from academicians:
Academicians training program after joining the job.
Table 6.a: The level of benefits from training:
By going through the above analysis we can make a conclusion that 70% of
respondents under gone a training after joining the job it indicates because
there is no much applicability of the syllabus which they studied to profession
and 25-50% of it relevant to 42.85% of lecturers among 70%. 0-25% of training
relates to their education to 14.29% of respondents. 50-75% relevant to the
28.57% of respondents. Only 14.29% of respondents got full benefits from the
training program.
Reasons Number of respondents Percentage
For job 6 60
To gain knowledge 4 40
Just for degree 0 0
Requirement of Add-on Courses Number of respondents Percentage
Yes 5 50
No 5 50
Relevance of Job to
Academicians
Number of respondents Percentage
Yes 7 70
No 3 30
Level of benefits from training Number of
respondents
Percentage
0-25% 1 14.29
25-50% 3 42.85
50-75% 2 28.57
75-100% 1 14.29

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Table No 7: Teaching methodology which academicians want to adopt.
The response of the academicians about methodology of teaching revels that
60% of them prefer activity centred teaching and 30% of them follow case study
and 10% are traditional teaching methodology. Majority of academicians likes
to adopt activity centred methodology where they can involve all students and
give opportunities to each student.
Table No 8: From academicians point of view to what extent students are employable
From the above table and chart according to the opinion by academicians that
students are employable from present higher education system is both for 25-
50% and 50-75%.only 20% of faculty opinion towards 0-25% and there is no
opinion to full extent. Because, the present higher education system, syllabus
are not providing practical knowledge to the students. So, that they are not
employable to the 100% level.
Table No 9: Question regarding changes in the present education system
Here, we can understand that 60% of the respondents feels that, changes has to
be made in the existing education system, and 30% of them wants to change
the syllabus and only 10% of them suggest that changes has to be made in the
teaching methodology.
Teaching methodology Number of respondents Percentage
Traditional 1 10
Case study and interaction 3 30
Student faculties 0 0
Activity centred 6 60
Level of employability Number of respondents Percentage
0-25% 2 20
25-50% 4 30
50-75% 4 40
75-100% 0 0
Changes in, Number of respondents Percentage
Syllabus 3 30
Teaching methodology 1 10
System of education 6 60

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Table No 10: Academicians opinion about relevance of distance education to their profession
Table 10.a: Percentage of relevance of distance education to their profession
Majority (90%) of academicians thinks that further studies in distance
education helps to their profession. 55.55% of respondents feels that distance
education helps them at 25-50% and 22.22% of respondents feels that distance
education helps them at both 50-75% and 75-100% level.
Table No 11: Response from entrepreneurs:
Training for newly appointed employees by entrepreneurs.
Table 11.a: Reasons for training by entrepreneurs.
From the above analysis we can make a conclusion that 60% of them providing
training for newly appointed employees. It indicates that present education is
not meeting requirements of the diverged job market. They are providing
training mainly because there is a lack of practical touch (50%), for the lack of
communication (33.33%) and for lack of technical ability.
Relevance of distance education to
profession
Number of respondents Percentage
Yes 5 50
No 5 50
Level of Relevance Number of respondents Percentage
0-25% 0 0
25-50% 5 55.55
50-75% 2 22.22
75-100% 2 22.22
Satisfaction Number of respondents Percentage
Yes 6 60
No 4 40
Reasons for training Number of respondents Percentage
Lack of technical ability 1 16.67
Lack of practical touch 3 50
Lack of communication 2 33.33
Lack of creativity 0 0

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Table No 12: Suggestions from entrepreneurs about change in the education system.
Above table shows that 90% of the respondents wants to change the higher
education system because output from institutions are quantitatively more in
numbers but it is not meeting the qualitative needs of the industries. 33.33% of
respondents feel that practical oriented and communication development has to
be includes in the higher education. 22.23% of them want to add creative
learning and 11.11% of entrepreneurs want to include technical oriented in
higher education system.
Table No 13: Entrepreneurs view about existing colleges for the different courses
According to this analysis, we can state that70% of the entrepreneurs feels
that existing colleges are balanced for PG courses and 30% are feels that
colleges are excess. There are number of institution which providing variety of
courses in limited regions. Some where it is excess and most of where balanced.
Table No 14: Entrepreneurs opinion about employability of fresher’
From the above we can understand that majority of the entrepreneurs that is
90% of them, feel that present education system can’t be employable all
fresher’s and only 10% of them tells that it can employable all fresher’s. Here
9/10th of entrepreneurs express the reality that students are employable
because they are not competitive enough to get the job opportunity.
Technical oriented 1 11.11
Practical oriented 3 33.33
Communication development 3 33.33
Creative learning 2 22.23
Excess 3 30
Shortage 0 0
Balanced 7 70
Employability Number of respondents Percentage
Yes 1 10
No 9 90

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Findings and Suggestions
The following findings and suggestions have been made by us in the process of research
study on Higher Education is it boon for employability?
1. Students want to go for Add-on courses to improve themselves for the corporate
requirements.The institutions should provide different Add-on courses which are
helpful to the students to get into job market. Time factor is also important wherein
the students need not sacrifice years together to pursue another course helpful for
their employment. Having subject knowledge alone is not enough to survive in this
competitive situation.
2. 50% of the students expect creative learning from higher education. In order to
survive in the competitive world of globalization, all higher education students
should play special attention to quality in higher education. Education system
should provide creative learning related thinks which will make students more
efficient.
3. 60% of the students pursuing higher education for the job purpose. Majority of the
students go for job because present expectations of the society and their personal
requirements and also current education system are job oriented and it is not
providing real subject knowledge.
4. There is no changes has been taken place in the present syllabus which
academicians also learned the same syllabus which is teaching at present. So the
present higher education syllabus helped academicians at 80% of their profession.
We suggest that the higher education syllabus has to be framed according to the
present requirements of the corporate.
5. Majority of academicians like to adopt activity centred methodology Universities
should adopt activity centred methodology in education system. Where they can
involve all students and give opportunities to each student. We find 60% of
academicians like to adopt activity centred methodology.
6. Entrepreneurs express the reality that students are not employable because they are
not competitive enough to get the job opportunity. Entrepreneurs are say that 90%
of students are not able to employable and academicians say that only 25-50% level
students can be employable. Present system is not compatible with industrial
requirements. Some of them are wants to change the syllabus which is not helping
the student to work in corporate.

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7. Here majority of students and entrepreneurs want to change the system of
education because they know present system is not compatible with industrial
requirements. Some of them are wants to change the syllabus which is not helping
the student to work in corporate. Research finds that 60% and 90% of both
academicians and entrepreneurs wants to change the system of education
respectively.
8. Distance education helps for their promotion and other benefits. Sometimes it will
create special importance to their carrier and provide more knowledge. Some of
them pursue distance education just for the degree. So, distance education has got
preference by the academicians at majority percentage. The academicians prefer
more to distance education so, in order to make distance education more attractive,
universities have to adopt variety of coaching system for their students to makethem
feel comfortable to face exams and the quality of distance education has toimprove.
9. The present education is not meeting requirements of the divergent job market. They
are providing training mainly because there is a lack of practical touch. The study
reveals that there is a necessity of training of newly appointed employees in job
market. Instead of giving training by corporate, institution should provide all type of
practical oriented trainings to students.1
Conclusion:
According to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam “Learning gives creativity, Creativity leads to thinking,
Thinking provides knowledge, Knowledge makes you great.” The higher education serves to
enlarge the vision and broaden the outlook of the people. The study analysed impact of the
higher education towards employability and empowerment. The government and
universities should take steps to achieve the same.
As it is stated higher education which does not merely gives us information but makes our
life in harmony with all existence. The higher education should help the students to
cultivate self-knowledge and self-confidence, so that each one can learn self-sacrifice and
self-realisation.

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References:
1. Websites:
 www.mhrd.gvo.in
 www.ugc.ac.in
 www.naac.gov.in
 en.wikipedia/wiki/Higher-education accessed on 18th May 2006
2. Project report on “Quality Assurance in Higher Education” National
Assessment and Accreditation Council. Bangalore, India
3. Survey on “Higher education and higher learning” University of Oxford,
Institute for the Advancement of University Learning
4. All India Survey on Higher Education by Government of IndiaMinistry of
Human Resource Development, (2001).
5. Ben Graham, Charles Paul. “Does higher education really lead to higher
employability and wages in the RMI?” This essay is produced under the
auspices of the Insular Areas Statistical Enhancement Program and is not
an official RMI or US Census Bureau report.
6. Mateja Melink, Samo Pavlin. “Employability of Graduates and Higher Education
Management Systems” (Final report of DEHEMS project)
7. Nel Heather, Dr Annemarie Barnard. “Graduate Employability: A Case Study
of Neslon Mandela Metropolitan University”.
8. Yorke Mantz, “Employability in higher education: what it is – what it is not”,
Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom. April-2006.
9. “Educational Statistics at a Glance”, by Government of India, Ministry of
Human Resource Development, Bureau of Planning, Monitoring & Statistics,
New Delhi.

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