The Misaligned Incentives in Higher Education: When Solutions Become the Problem
The current state of higher education in India reminds me of the 'Rat Farming Effect'—where the unintended consequences of well-meaning policies create a system ripe for exploitation. The phenomenon originates from a classic economic failure: governments, in an effort to solve a problem, introduce incentives that encourage people to game the system rather than solve the actual issue.
A striking parallel exists in our education system, where every reform designed to improve quality has been systematically hijacked to serve bureaucratic checklists rather than actual learning outcomes.
I have spent a decade in the trenches of higher education, working with institutions that genuinely strive for excellence, and others that, well... let’s just say they have mastered the art of playing the system.
The entire structure of accreditation, rankings, and quality assessment has created a marketplace where compliance trumps competence, and optics overshadow genuine academic progress.
The irony of our higher education system is that every well-intended metric has been turned into a loophole waiting to be exploited. Let me explain this based on my experience interacting with thousands of stakeholders—from Chairmen, Vice Chancellors, IQAC coordinators, and accreditation consultants to faculty members who have been forced to play along or be left behind.
A New Age of 'Academic Entrepreneurship'—Not What You Think (NAAC Scam in Action)
Take, for example, the obsession with PhDs. Someone sitting in a regulatory office thought requiring PhDs would improve academic quality. Instead, it birthed a thriving PhD industry, where people ‘earned’ doctorates without ever stepping into research.
PhD degrees are now available at a price, complete with ‘research guides’ who charge per thesis. Many administrators in Indian universities today climbed the ladder not by academic excellence, but by knowing how to game this system.
The ‘International Conference’ Circus
Since institutions get higher NAAC points for conducting ‘international’ conferences, a brilliant business model emerged. I know a professor who was suspended from an Indian institute due to fraudulent practices but ended up joining a Dubai-based university.
Now, he frequently visits India as a "guest speaker" or an "international researcher," lending credibility to institutions seeking brownie points for accreditation and rankings. His mere presence at these events is a cash cow for him.
As per my last update, he had just purchased his third property in Dubai—thanks to the ever-expanding market of fabricated academic prestige.
The Thriving ‘Paper Publishing’ Industry
When UGC made publications a criterion for promotions and accreditation, the number of ‘research journals’ mushroomed overnight. Now, anyone can pay Rs. 500 to Rs. 1500 and get their ‘research’ published in 24 hours.
Don’t worry about peer review—it’s a mere formality.
Some professors boast of having dozens of publications in international journals, all secured with a few online transactions. The ‘blind review process’ is, ironically, only blind to actual academic scrutiny.
I know dozens of faculty members who have launched side businesses in this booming industry, offering readymade research papers, book authorship positions, and even patents for sale.
The Honorary Degree and Award Racket
In my email inbox, I regularly receive invitations from ‘charitable organizations’ offering to bestow me with prestigious Best Teacher Awards—for a ‘small donation’ of Rs. 15,000.
Many faculty members have adorned their resumes with such honours, proudly flaunting their ‘Best Researcher of the Year’ titles. It’s a thriving industry, one where you can literally purchase academic prestige.
Fake Books, Fake Editorial Boards, and Fake BOS Memberships
When publishing books started earning faculty points, many ambitious professors became overnight authors. One of faculty member I noticed were publishing book every month. I was startled how this is possible, he candidly admitted that it was a ‘ghost-written’ project that cost him Rs. 15,000 per book.
Similarly, serving and retired professors either launch their own ‘international journals’ or join editorial boards on a ‘you-scratch-my-back’ basis.
I have seen CVs where professors claim to be members of 15+ editorial boards—all honorary, none functional.
Artificially Inflated Pass Percentages for NAAC and NIRF
When I was doing my graduation in early 2000s, a lower pass percentage was a mark of academic rigor, ensuring that only truly deserving students graduated. However, over the years, I have seen a drastic shift where institutions are now focused more on inflating pass rates to meet NAAC and NIRF requirements rather than maintaining genuine academic standards.
Faculty members are often pressured to pass students irrespective of their actual performance, turning what was once a measure of excellence into a numbers game driven by rankings and accreditation scores. Today, pass percentages have skyrocketed because failing students means lowering institutional NAAC scores.
I know of institutions where faculty receive clear instructions not to fail students, no matter how abysmal their performance is.
If the answer script is blank, just scribble something and pass them.
The ‘Data Forging’ in NIRF and NAAC Rankings
Every year, I witness institutions climbing NIRF rankings based on completely fabricated data. Placement records are inflated, faculty qualifications are embellished, and research citations are purchased in bulk. Colleges that shouldn’t even rank in the top 100 magically appear in the top 10.
One Principal of a reputed college admitted to me that he had no choice but to ‘play the numbers game’ because everyone else was doing it. “We were being penalized for honesty,” he lamented.
The 'Gold Rush' in Higher Education: How Incentives Backfire
Much like the infamous 'Rat Farming' problem in colonial Vietnam, where bounties on rats led to the breeding of more rats, higher education in India has become a game of who can manipulate the system the best.
Here are some real experiences from my interactions with stakeholders across the education sector.
NAAC, NIRF, and accreditation agencies were supposed to improve academic quality, but instead, they created a perverse incentive system where institutions are rewarded for manipulating numbers rather than focusing on genuine learning outcomes. It’s like painting a decaying house to make it look grand, while termites eat away at its foundation.
The general public believes in these rankings, unaware that many institutions they admire are propped up by an elaborate scam.
The result? Students pay exorbitant fees to enrol in colleges that have great NAAC scores but zero real educational value.
The Only Solution: Dismantle NAAC & Build a New System
We don’t need another reform; we need a complete dismantling of the current accreditation and ranking model.
A New, Corruption-Free Model
AI & Blockchain-Based Accreditation – Eliminate human interference by leveraging AI-driven assessments and blockchain-recorded academic progress.
Randomized, Anonymous Peer Reviewers – Institutions should never know in advance who is evaluating them.
Strict Ban on Third-Party ‘Consultants’ – Any middleman offering accreditation ‘services’ must be blacklisted.
Publicly Verifiable Data – Institutions should be required to publish all accreditation-related data for public scrutiny.
Strict Punishments for Data Fraud – If an institution is caught forging data, its accreditation should be immediately revoked.
Final Thoughts: The ‘Rat Farming’ Effect at Play
Our education system is a textbook example of the Rat Farming Effect—where well-intended policies breed perverse incentives, leading to an ecosystem where manipulation triumphs over merit. Instead of fostering genuine academic excellence, we have created an industry that thrives on deception, loopholes, and superficial compliance.
We sought to increase PhDs; we got degree mills churning out fake doctorates and a booming business of certificate-selling.
We aimed for impactful research; we got cut-paste journals and mass-produced citations, fuelling the rise of predatory publishing empires.
We encouraged faculty development; we got ghost-written books and honorary editorial board memberships, turning credibility into a tradeable asset.
We emphasized high pass percentages; we got rubber-stamp degrees that mean little in the real world, feeding an industry of private coaching and exam inflation.
We pushed for international conferences; we got fraudulent academic conferences that sell ‘global exposure’ as a commodity, turning vanity recognition into a profit machine.
We pushed for more placements; we got fake offer letters and inflated job statistics, creating a business model out of placement fraud.
We promoted institutional rankings; we got a market where rankings are bought, not earned, boosting the consultancy industry that helps institutions game the system.
We encouraged patents and innovation; we got mass filings of low-quality patents, making ‘intellectual property’ just another revenue stream.
We sought to standardize entrance exams; we got a billion-dollar coaching industry that thrives on fear, turning access to education into a privilege for the wealthy.
We aimed to build a knowledge economy; we got an education marketplace where money drives success more than merit.
The recent NAAC bribery arrests are not a one-off incident—they are a symptom of a fundamentally broken system. This is not about a few corrupt officials or institutions; it is about an entire structure that incentivizes and rewards gaming the system rather than genuine educational progress.
What Now? We Need a Complete Overhaul.
We cannot fix this system with patches, half-hearted reforms, or another set of bureaucratic checklists. We need a revolution in higher education accreditation—one that is transparent, technology-driven, and immune to manipulation.
Scrap NAAC and Build a Real, Tamper-Proof Accreditation Model
Replace Manual Assessments with AI-Driven, Blockchain-Backed Verification
Make Institutional Data Public for Scrutiny & Eliminate Middlemen
Strict Criminal Prosecution for Institutions Engaged in Accreditation Fraud
End the 'Prestige for Sale' Business Model in Higher Education
Ban Third Party Consultants from Industry
This is no longer just about academic quality—this is about the future of an entire generation of students. The choices we make today will determine whether we continue down this road of deception or truly build a higher education system that earns its credibility.
The arrests we see today should be the beginning of a systemic purge, not just another temporary crackdown. If we do not act decisively now, we risk allowing corruption to dig its roots even deeper, making real reform nearly impossible.
The time for passive observation is over. It is time to dismantle and rebuild.
The future of education is at stake, and we cannot afford to fail.
Our education system is a perfect example of the Rat Farming Effect—where an attempt to create incentives for quality improvement ends up encouraging a system of gaming the rules instead of genuine progress.
The latest NAAC scam case is just a symptom of a deeply broken system. If we truly want higher education reform, we must stop painting over the cracks and start rebuilding from scratch.
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