Crucial aspects of university finances in India are reviewed, including the pattern of flow of resources into the university system and the pattern of allocation of resources by the university between its different functions and faculties. (Author/MLW)

The Indian University Grants Commission, charged with regulating academic standards and disbursing government funds, has not exercised its authority, with serious consequences. Rectifying the situation will be difficult. (MSE)

Problems in the financing of higher education in India, particularly in the large proportion of costs borne by the government, are examined. Several policy proposals to remedy the problems, including privatization, are critically reviewed. It is concluded that there is a need for experimentation with a number of alternatives. (MSE)

A discussion of higher education in India looks at the system in comparison to others around the world, its politics, bureaucratic inertia, the institutionalized policy of expansion, the academic profession, funding, the examination system, and the university's role in society. Implications for meaningful reform are examined. (MSE)