Challenges in Indian Higher Education: Leadership, Faculty Vacancies, Fake Universities, and Commercialization

Indian higher education faces multiple challenges, including leadership concerns at Jawaharlal Nehru University, where students and faculty express dissatisfaction with the first woman vice-chancellor's tenure amid recruitment and caste-related controversies. In Madhya Pradesh, tribal universities operate without permanent faculty, affecting thousands of students. The University Grants Commission has identified a rise in fake universities, with 32 unrecognized institutions flagged in 2026. Additionally, debates continue over the commercialization of universities, with criticism of branding practices overshadowing academic values.