The Boon-Bane Paradox of Indian Higher Education

Abstract

This study takes a closer look at the paradox within India’s higher education system, a system that empowers millions of young people while, at the same time, deepening inequality. Drawing on national reports and data from 2014 to 2024, including AISHE, PLFS, NEP 2020, and World Bank sources, it uses a qualitative, policy-based approach to understand how education can be both an opportunity and a barrier. Guided by the Human Capital Theory, Capability Approach, and Credentialism Theory, the study finds that although recent reforms have widened access, improved gender balance, and strengthened global engagement, they have also created new challenges such as skill gaps, commercialization, and rising mental health concerns. The evidence suggests that rapid expansion has not been matched by equal attention to quality and student well-being. To move forward, India’s highereducation system must become more learner-centered, inclusive, and capability-focused, balancing employability with ethics and ambition with emotional well-being. Such change is vital to transform education from a race for credentials into a true foundation for human development.