The 10% question

Mandating quota for private institutions makes little sense

India’s higher education system is plagued by a host of problems, ranging from inadequate facilities to sub-par faculty, as a result of which very few make it to the top of credible global rankings. Indeed, surveys have shown that the bulk of Indian graduates are barely employable. Mandating a 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections (EWS), defined generously as a family with an annual income of less than Rs 8 lakh, is likely to exacerbate this crisis. It can be argued that the government is entitled to implement this quota in centrally-funded institutions, though the wisdom of doing