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By Pawan Agarwal
New Delhi, India: Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd, 2009, 520pp., £45/$49
ISBN: 978-81-7829-941-9 (hardcover)
This book is a timely and clear exposition of what constitutes the Indian higher education system today, and how it is likely to develop by 2025. Its assessment of possible future policy decisions provides parallels for many aspects of higher education in Western countries. As such, the book makes fascinating reading, both in terms of the author's understanding of the complexities of the Indian system, and in its overall grasp of the global higher education policy context and India's present and likely future place within it.
The need for all countries to take note of India's present achievements is proven. Over the past 10 years, India's GDP growth has averaged 8% per year: its investment in infrastructure from 2007-2012 has been 7.5% per year of GDP, and from 2012 to 2017 it is expected to be over 9%. As a result, it anticipates a manufacturing revolution to rival China's. Already it is the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power and is characterized by a rising consumer middle class, by government efforts to reduce poverty levels, and by a competitive business environment. It is a young nation, with a...