EMPTY CLASSROOMS, ENROLLED STUDENTS: A CRISIS IN INDIAN COLLEGES

Indian higher education stands at a paradox. On one hand, enrolment figures are steadily rising, marking a significant expansion of access. On the other, classrooms in many colleges remain disturbingly empty, with students increasingly disengaged from the very learning processes they have enrolled in. While official statistics celebrate improved Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER), the grim reality is that physical presence and meaningful participation in classrooms are declining. This disconnect reflects not merely absenteeism, but also a deeper educational crisis with lasting implications for individual employability, the quality of higher education, and India’s knowledge economy at large.