Fostering social responsibility in higher education in India

Abstract

This paper explores the importance of integrating social responsibility into higher education in India, emphasising community engagement as a vital function alongside teaching and research. This paper draws on national and international practices, along with recommendations from the Planning Commission's Sub-committee on Strengthening Community Engagement in Higher Education. It looks at where Indian institutions currently stand on this front, what other countries are doing differently, and why engagement tends to stay on the margins instead of becoming central to how institutions function. The paper calls for engagement to be backed institutionally rather than left to individual faculty, for curricula to make room for community-based learning instead of treating it as an afterthought, and for students doing this work to receive academic credit, not just appreciation. The paper's larger point is for universities and colleges to move beyond producing knowledge in isolation and toward actively driving social change and sustainable development in India.