ICT: A BOON FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN 21ST CENTURY

Today’s world is empowered by information and communication technology (ICT). There is nothing which is untouched with the use of technology. It plays a vital role in all spheres of human activities. Education sector is also not an exception either. All experts and practitioners in the education sector increasingly recognizing the importance of ICT in supporting educational system at all levels i.e. primary, secondary and higher. The use of ICT in education lends itself to more student-centered learning settings and often this creates some tensions/confusions among teachers as well as students community. But in fast changing world and knowledge-driven society, the role of ICT in education is becoming more and more important and this importance will continue to grow and develop in 21^st century. In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the role of ICT in higher education. The paper highlights the concept and recent steps taken by Indian Government for ICT access. The paper argues the role of ICT in transforming teaching learning process and also discusses the opportunities of ICT in contemporary higher education and challenges with deploying ICT in education. The authors also provide some practical suggestions for addressing the challenges and finally the concluding section summaries the idea and its usefulness.