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Policy, Law, and Governance Insights

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About : Policy, Law, and Governance Insights is a bi-annual, peer-reviewed, national e-journal dedicated to publishing scholarly research and insights into policy analysis, legal frameworks, governance models, and public administration. The journal seeks to promote interdisciplinary dialogue on public polic Read more

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Comparative analysis of the distribution of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in India and Policy Recommendations

  • Kokila Meena Kokila Meena Assistant Professor University of Delhi India
Received: April 25, 2025
Accepted: May 30, 2025
Published: June 09, 2025
Volume: 1 (1) | Page: 46-52

Abstract

Education is a foundational pillar for individual empowerment, societal progress, and national development. As a constitutionally guaranteed right, education must be inclusive, transcending boundaries of gender, caste, religion, region, language, and physical appearance. A nation’s advancement is inextricably linked to the strength of its educational ecosystem. Echoing the vision of the Dr S. Radhakrishnan Commission (1948), quality education fosters economic growth, political engagement, and sociocultural cohesion. This article investigates the evolving landscape of higher education in India through three interrelated lenses: (i) the spatial and structural disparities shaping regional access and equity in higher education; (ii) a comparative evaluation of the distribution and density of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) across states; and (iii) an assessment of governance challenges with policy recommendations aimed at promoting equitable development. The analysis engages with complex phenomena such as the backwash effect, brain drain, regional polarisation, and concentration effect, highlighting the urgent need for strategic decentralisation and inclusive reforms in educational planning.

Keywords: Backwash Effect, Brain Drain, Regional Polarisation, Concentration Effect, Cooperative Federalism, Inclusive Education, Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), Regional Disparities, Education Policy Reform

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