Beyond the Degree: Higher Education as an Engine of Social Change in India – A Review with Reference to Karnataka

Author(s)	Dr. Ravindra Kumar A. Bhandari
Country	India
Abstract	Higher education is widely regarded as one of the main instruments through which societies change: it produces skills and knowledge, opens routes of social mobility, and shapes values, citizenship and public life (Srinivas, 1966; Sen, 1999). This review examines how higher education contributes to social change in India, with particular reference to Karnataka. It traces the growth of the Indian higher education system, discusses its effects on social mobility, economic participation, gender relations and cultural values, and identifies the persisting problems of unequal access, uneven quality, commercialisation and graduate unemployment (Tilak, 2013; Varghese, 2015; Himanshu, 2011). The paper argues that higher education transforms society only when access is equitable, quality is assured and institutions are connected to local needs (Béteille, 2010; Thorat & Newman, 2010).
Keywords	Higher education, social change, social mobility, equity
Field	Sociology
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-10-21
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.89593

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