ABSTRACT
Higher education plays an extremely critical role in driving economic growth and India has seen significant advancement in the sector since independence. An uninterrupted and effective monitoring system requires a unitary and systematic data collection and analysis system which can be relied upon by researchers, academics and policymakers. The chapter examines the point that a data management system set up for the higher education sector in India should be in line with international standards to allow for consistent comparison. A robust data collection and management system fulfills manifold objectives. Policy action and implementation plans require sound database systems at the national as well as the regional level. There are certain key characteristics that should be built in within the statistical system to ensure its impeccability. A good database system enables the use of forecasting techniques that can provide crucial inputs for planning policy interventions, rendering appropriate forward-looking behaviour.
