A Case Study - Exploring the Cost Structures of Selected Programmes in an Indian University

In the Indian higher education sector, the impetus has been always on the inputs to the system based on the prevalent market demands. The programmes are all designed based on the existing rules and regulations. There is little emphasis given to the evaluation of various programmes based on its overall cost, which is an essential requirement to make the system cost-efficient. The present study is conducted to address this gap in the Indian higher education system. The research is exploratory in nature, trying to understand the cost associated with selected programmes in a University. An attempt is made to make a relative cost- benefit analysis of different programmes offered in the University in order to arrive at conclusions regarding the operational efficiency of the ongoing programmes. At a later stage, this analysis can assist in establishing benchmarks for various programmes offered in Indian higher education sector. Findings of the study could be useful to educational administrators and policy makers during the designing and budgeting of various programmes in the Indian context. Results can also help in evolving product norms at the time of fee fixing of different programmes in the country