The Gamification of Indian Higher Education: Trends, Pitfalls and Ideas for Future

Abstract: The Indian Higher Education (IHE) system has been critiqued consistently over quality concerns, resulting in several corrective measures being initiated by the policy makers, regulators, and the institutions. Consequently, progress has been observed in terms of improved outcomes on some parameters. One emergent trend in the IHE is increased focus on quantitative data by the accreditation and ranking agencies. This has spurred the sector into a competitive overdrive with institutions vying for rankings and awards. This has also resulted in malpractices, systemic erosion, and gamification of the system with long term repercussions. This paper argues against adopting purely quantitative measures for institutional assessment, suggesting measures which are holistic, broad-based, and better serve the needs of a country as diverse as India. Keywords: Indian Higher Education; Research and Development; Gamification