yashpal committee for 26 December 2025

The Yashpal Committee was constituted in 2008 under the chairmanship of Professor Yash Pal to review and suggest reforms in higher education in India. Its main focus was to improve the quality of teaching, learning, and research in universities and colleges. The committee emphasised multidisciplinary, student-centric, and inclusive education. It submitted its recommendations in 2009 to guide the modernization of the Indian higher education system.

Yashpal Committee Objectives

The Yashpal Committee was guided by several objectives aimed at transforming higher education in India. These include:

• Improve the quality of higher education by enhancing teaching, learning, and research standards across universities and colleges.
• Promote multidisciplinary learning, allowing students to take courses across different streams for a broader knowledge base.
• Ensure equity and inclusivity by providing access to underrepresented and marginalized groups in higher education.
• Shift from an exam-centric system to focus on understanding, projects, practical work, and continuous assessment.
• Strengthen research and innovation by fostering a research culture and encouraging collaboration with industries.
• Reform governance by granting autonomy to universities and streamlining regulatory mechanisms for efficiency.
• Empower teachers through better recruitment, professional development, training, and motivation.
• Integrate vocational and academic education to blend practical skills with theoretical knowledge for employability.

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Yashpal Committee Report on Higher Education in India 2009

The Yashpal Committee Report of 2009 provided a comprehensive analysis of the existing higher education scenario in India. It identified key challenges such as outdated curricula, fragmented governance, insufficient autonomy for universities, and inadequate emphasis on research and innovation. 

The report highlighted the need for flexible, multidisciplinary, and student-centric higher education systems. It also pointed out the excessive reliance on examinations and rigid boundaries between streams like arts, science, and technology, which limited holistic learning and critical thinking.

Recommendations of the Yashpal Committee Report

The Yashpal Committee Report offered wide-ranging recommendations to reform higher education. Suggestions include:

1. Holistic and Multidisciplinary Education – Encourage universities to offer flexible programs allowing students to choose courses across disciplines.
2. Autonomy for Universities – Grant more decision-making powers to institutions regarding curricula, faculty recruitment, and research priorities.
3. Assessment Reforms – Shift from high-stakes examinations to continuous assessment and evaluation for better learning outcomes.
4. Teacher Empowerment – Improve faculty recruitment, training, and working conditions to attract quality educators.
5. Integration of Vocational and Academic Education – Blend vocational training with traditional academic courses to enhance employability.
6. Regulatory Overhaul – Merge various regulatory bodies into a single, autonomous, and transparent higher education regulator.
7. Research and Innovation Focus – Promote research culture, innovation hubs, and collaborations with industries.
8. Equity and Inclusivity – Ensure marginalized and underrepresented groups have better access to higher education opportunities.

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Impact on the Indian Education System

• Total higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore in 2014–15 to 4.33 crore in 2021–22, a rise of about 26.5%, showing improved access.
• Enrolment of Scheduled Caste (SC) students rose by 44%, Scheduled Tribe (ST) by 65.2%, and OBC by 45%, reflecting progress in equity and inclusion.
• Female student enrolment grew from 1.57 crore to 2.07 crore during 2014–15 to 2021–22, indicating higher participation and gender parity.
• Ph.D. enrolment increased by over 81%, reaching 2.12 lakh students, highlighting a focus on research and innovation.
• Around 341 new universities and university-level institutions were established since 2014–15, expanding infrastructure.
• Undergraduate courses make up 78.9% of total enrolment, but participation across science, commerce, arts, and technical streams shows diversification.
• Total faculty strength increased, with female faculty growing by approximately 22%, improving teaching capacity and diversity.

Criticisms and Challenges

• Many recommendations, such as university autonomy and multidisciplinary programs, have not been fully implemented due to resistance from traditional institutions.
• Resource constraints, including funding and infrastructure limitations, have hindered the adoption of holistic reforms.
• Existing regulatory bodies resisted changes, slowing the creation of a unified and streamlined higher education governance system.
• Examination and assessment reforms suggested by the committee faced practical difficulties in implementation across thousands of institutions.
• Awareness and training gaps among faculty and administrators limited the adoption of new teaching methods and student-centric approaches.
• The committee’s recommendations were broad and ambitious, making full-scale implementation challenging in the short term.

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Way Forward

• Strengthen autonomy of universities to enable innovation in curricula, research, and administration.
• Modernize curricula to make education multidisciplinary, flexible, and aligned with global and industry standards.
• Invest in teacher development through training, professional growth programs, and research-led teaching initiatives.
• Expand access and equity by providing scholarships, mentorship, and support for marginalized and underrepresented students.
• Promote research, innovation, and collaboration between academia and industry to build a knowledge-driven ecosystem.
• Integrate technology in teaching, learning, and assessment to improve quality and efficiency.