Journal of Exclusion Studies Vol. 11, No. 2, August 2021, 215-222 DOI: 10.5958/2231-4555.2021.00015.2 Research Article IndianJournals.com A product of Diva Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Indianjournals.com 215 COVID-19 and Challenges of Higher Education in India Saurabh Dalal Assistant Teacher of Bhotepatty H.B.L. High School (HS), Jalpaiguri, West Bengal Former Teacher, Sree Ramakrishna Sisu Thirtha High School, Dankuni, West Bengal Email id: saurabhdalal740@gmail.com Date of Submission: 23/09/2020; Date of Acceptance: 10/01/2021 ABSTRACT Corona disease has been identified as the most widespread contagious disease in the World, which appeared in the second half of the year 2019. It started from Wuhan, which is the capital city of Hubei province in China and reached almost every corner of the world. It has various impacts not only on physical and mental health but on the economy, education and social life of the individual throughout the world. After the outbreak of the pandemic, higher education has been significantly disrupted as millions of students around the world are now studying remotely as campuses shut down in an attempt to help contain the virus in their respective areas or zones. It has posed various challenges and also provided several opportunities for higher education in India and abroad. This paper tries to speculate the problems of higher education in India after COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Speculate, Online education, Higher education, Institution, GDP INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge to the whole world. No country has been freed from its devastation. All developed to developing countries are more or less affected. Its bad effects are being seen all walks of life. Our education system has not been left out. At present, this virus has changed the structure of the education system. Indian higher education system is third largest system in terms of number of institutions in the world. It is one of the oldest education systems with glorious history. It has played an important role in the growth and formation of human civilization in India and abroad.