Indian community college system: Democratic response to globalization

Abstract

The Community College movement is a national phenomenon that has spread its wings throughout India. Currently, there are 213 Community Colleges in 19 states, which provide education to empower the disadvantaged and the underprivileged, including the urban, rural and tribal poor and women. Community colleges are recog nized as important because, in collaboration with local industries and the community, they assist students in attaining the appropriate skills that lead to gainful employ ment. The Indian Centre for Research and Development of Community Education (ICRDCE) is currently advocating for a system to unify these individual colleges. The focus of this chapter is to discuss the development of an Indian community college system that responds to globalization, as well as political and economic challenges. © 2009 Springer Netherlands.