311Concluding Observations
The study programmes and research in education proliferated over a period of time
in India. While universities offered study programmes in education, research in edu-
cation was undertaken by education departments, social science departments and
social science research institutions. At present more than 150 universities offer
nearly 1100 study programmes. In 2013, the universities in India awarded 813 doc-
toral degrees in education. This looks very impressive.
The focus of research in education departments of universities varied from those
in the social science departments and research institutions. The research in educa-
tion departments of the universities focusses mostly on pedagogical issues, and their
major concern has been to improve teaching-learning processes and classroom
practices. Most of these research focuses on classroom and school level issues with
limited volume of research on issues related to higher education.
The social science departments of universities became interested in educational
research. They along with research institutions carry out a good share of research on
higher education in India. The psychology, sociology and economics departments
are engaged more in educational research than other social science departments.
Their research concerns are more related to the social context of education and are
broader in perspective than classroom-focussed research carried out by education
departments and are more engaged in research on higher education.
With the expansion of research institutions, the research concerns moved from
universities to research institutions and the research concerns not only moved to the
social realm but also to the policy issues. At times a distinction is made between
academic research and policy-relevant research in education. While universities are
engaged in academic research, research institutions are engaged in research to pro-
vide policy support. At times policy support is interpreted by governments as sup-
porting the policies of the present day government.
The review of research shows that study programmes and research on higher
education are limited in India. This is partly because of the approach to develop-
ment of education research and teaching in India and partly due to the response of
the departments of education of the existing universities. Several committees and
commissions emphasized on teachers and teaching profession with limited attention
to pedagogical training to teach in higher education. The education departments in
the universities rarely addressed issues related to higher education in their teaching
and research. The almost singular focus of teaching and research in education
departments is issues related to post-primary levels of school education. They rarely
addressed issues related to teacher development, teaching-learning process and
development of study programmes in higher education.
Education is a recognized field of study and research in India, while higher edu-
cation has not yet reached a level of prominence primarily due to the low priority
accorded to study programmes and research on higher education in education
departments of universities in India. Research on higher education is increasing,
thanks to the contributions by social science departments in the universities and
17 Education Research and Emergence of Higher Education as a Field of Study in India