Why India Needs to Reclaim the Social Purpose of Higher Education

Higher education in India is often seen as a tool for getting jobs or cracking competitive exams. But somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost sight of its deeper role—building an informed, equal and socially aware society. Colleges and universities are meant to be places that don’t just prepare you for the job market, but also shape your values, help you understand society, and give you the tools to bring positive change. The social dimension of higher education is about access, inclusion, equity, and giving voice to every section of society, especially the marginalised.

I decided to write about this topic because I’ve seen a growing gap between what our colleges aim for and what our society actually needs. More students are getting degrees, but are we really building a more inclusive or equal society through our education system? I believe higher education should be a space where students from all backgrounds feel welcome, get the same opportunities, and are taught to think critically about social issues. In today’s India—where inequality, casteism, and economic divides are still big problems—reclaiming the social purpose of education is more urgent than ever. It’s time to rethink what education is really for.

What Do We Mean by ‘Social Dimensions’ of Higher Education?

The social dimensions of higher education refer to making college and university systems fair and accessible for all sections of society, especially those who have been historically left out. This includes Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), religious minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and economically weaker sections.

It’s not just about giving admission. It’s about making sure that once students enter these institutions, they feel included, supported and respected. It also means creating curriculum, culture, and campus systems that promote equality, encourage critical thinking, and help students understand the social realities around them.

Where Are We Falling Short?

In the past few years, India has focused heavily on increasing the number of institutions, seats, and student enrolments. While that’s a good start, just building more colleges won’t solve the deeper issues.

Here are a few real challenges:

Inequality in access: Students from rural areas, poor families, and marginalised communities often lack the resources or exposure to even reach good colleges.
Caste and class discrimination: Even when they get in, many students face social bias, isolation, and subtle forms of exclusion.
Curriculum with no social context: Most college syllabuses don’t talk about caste, inequality, gender, or real social challenges in depth.
Lack of support systems: There’s a huge gap in mentorship, mental health support, financial aid, and academic help, especially for first-generation learners.
English-language barrier: Many students from Hindi or regional medium backgrounds struggle in English-dominated college spaces.

Why Reclaiming the Social Purpose Matters Now

With the rising cost of education and pressure to perform, higher education has become more of a rat race than a space for learning or reflection. But in a country as diverse and unequal as India, we can’t afford to ignore the social responsibility of education.

If colleges only focus on placements and rankings, who will take responsibility for building an equal and thinking society?

Reclaiming the social purpose means:

Recognising education as a public good, not just a private investment
Building institutions that value diversity in every form—social, linguistic, regional, gender-based
Encouraging students to think beyond marks and look at the world critically
Promoting fields like social sciences, literature, philosophy, and law—not just engineering or management
Empowering students to work for change in their own communities

A Few Steps That Can Help

If we truly want to bring the social dimension back to higher education, the following changes are needed:

More scholarships and financial support for students from underprivileged groups
Special mentoring programmes for first-generation learners
Language support centres to help bridge the English-regional gap
More inclusive curriculum that reflects the realities of Indian society
Diversity audits to measure how inclusive a college really is
Training for teachers and staff to sensitise them to student diversity

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.