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EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

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 e-ISSN: 2582-5208
International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
( Peer-Reviewed, Open Access, Fully Refereed International Journal )
Volume:04/Issue:12/December-2022 Impact Factor- 6.752 www.irjmets.com

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Naib Singh*1
*1Associate Professor Of Commerce Govt. P.G. College, Ambala Cantt., Haryana, India.
ABSTRACT
In the modern era of competitive environment, the importance of communication has increased with the
increase in the scope of business, trade and industry. Communication is necessary for attaining the
coordination among the various levels of education. People working in different educational departments
should have mutual understanding with the students so that organisational objectives can be attained
smoothly. This objective is obtained by the communication. Communication is the continuous process in which
includes various steps for delivering the message in the understandable terms. A communication system is said
to be effective when it makes the message clear, understandable, simple and precise. The message conveyed to
the audience should not be vague. Effective communication includes the stimulation. The teachers at higher
educational institutions should consider the role of effective communication tools for obtaining more expertise.
Keywords: Effective Communication, Process Of Communication, Barriers In The Way Of Communication,
National Education Policy (NEP), Higher Education.
I. INTRODUCTION
Communication creates the understanding of the delivered message in the mind of receiver. This process
involves the response of the receiver in the form of feedback. In the modern era of competitive environment,
the importance of communication has increased with the increase in the scope of business, trade and industry.
Communication is necessary for attaining the coordination among the various levels of education. People
working in different educational departments should have mutual understanding with the students so that
organisational objectives can be attained smoothly. This objective is obtained by the communication.
“Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another whether or not it elicits confidence”.
----- Koontz and O’Donnell
“Communication is a bridge of meaning. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and
understanding”.
----- Louis Allen
“Communication is an exchange of ideas, facts, opinions or emotions of two or more persons”.
----- William Newman and Charles Summer
On the basis of above definitions, it can be said that merely delivering the message from one person to another
is not the communication. The delivered message should have been understood by the receiver in the terms in
which the communicator wants to create understanding. Hence, the communication includes a process in which
the ideas, facts, opinions, emotions and other information is transmitted from the sender to the receiver and it
is ensured that the receiver has completely understood the delivered message in the real meaning.
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This main objective of this paper is to highlight the process of effective communication. After that, the role of
effective communication has been discussed in the context of higher education. This study is based on various
published and online sources and covers the implications of communication system in higher education
perspective in the country. Secondary data have been used as the main sources from which necessary
information have been collected for the purpose.
1. PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is the continuous process in which includes various steps for delivering the message in the
understandable terms.
The communication process is depicted by the following figure:

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 e-ISSN: 2582-5208
International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
( Peer-Reviewed, Open Access, Fully Refereed International Journal )
Volume:04/Issue:12/December-2022 Impact Factor- 6.752 www.irjmets.com

 Sender/Source: It is the first element of the communication process. It is that person who want to covey
some fact, idea, opinion or emotion to someone. Sender is the source of message. In an educational institute if a
teacher wants to send the information of his lecture to its students he shall be called as the sender. Hence, the
communication originates in the mind of the sender.
 Message: Message is the idea, fact, opinion, or any feeling that the sender wants to communicate. When the
sender wants to convey the message to receiver there are so many information in his mind but the message
includes definite information that is meant for the receiver. Hence, the message is generated for the information
through the mental filtration process by the sender.
 Encoding: Encoding refers to the something that is used to formulate the message such as the words,
pictures, symbols, gestures etc. The message should be in the understandable form. The sender should know
the receiver in advance so that he can formulate his message as per his requirements.
 Channel: Communication channel is the medium of transmitting the message. The message is expressed
through any channel i.e. print, sound or view. There are so tools and devices for sending the message through
these three mediums such as the radio, telephone, television, cinema, book, newspaper and internet etc.
 Decoding: Decoding refers to the understanding of message by the receiver. The interpretation of message
should be done carefully as per the level of understanding of the receiver.
 Receiver: The delivered message is received by the receiver. Receiver of the message should be able to
understand the message in its actual meaning otherwise the entire communication process will be useless. The
actual transmission of message occurs when the receiver acquaints it.
 Feedback: It is the response of the receiver, which is communicated back to the sender. It means that the
message has been received and understood by the receiver in its actual meaning. The communication task is
finished when the sender receives the feedback.
The communication process emphasizes on the effective delivery and understanding of the message. One of the
important factors, which need significant attention during the communication process, is the recognition of
noise. The occurrence of noise during the communication process can distort the message, which can be very
dangerous for both the sender and receiver. It is main hurdle in the communication process. Some of the
examples of noise during the communication process are given as follows:
(i). Sound of vehicles in the nearby road or street where the communication is taking place.
(ii). Power failure during the communication of message on electronic devices.
(iii). Misunderstanding of the symbols and pictures used in the message.
(iv). Poor audio and video aids which are being used in the communication.
(v). Loss of letter in the way.
Hence, the noise during the communication process should be recognized on time so that it can be removed
immediately in order to avoid any miscommunication.

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 e-ISSN: 2582-5208
International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
( Peer-Reviewed, Open Access, Fully Refereed International Journal )
Volume:04/Issue:12/December-2022 Impact Factor- 6.752 www.irjmets.com
2. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
A communication system is said to be effective when it makes the message clear, understandable, simple and
precise. The message conveyed to the audience should not be vague. Effective communication includes the
stimulation. Effective communication eliminates the misunderstanding about the message in the systematic
way. If the receiver have any doubt about the message, it cannot be said an effective communication. This
communication emphasizes on the long term relations between the sender and receiver. Hence, educationists
should establish an effective communication system for making each and every concept understandable for
their students.
3. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
For the smooth functioning of an educational institution, there should be a well-established communication
system in its every department. A teaching message should be communicated on time to the concerned
students so that they can compliance same on time effectively. There are some obstacles in the communication
process, which can affect the flow of messages to the concerned students. These obstacles can be classified as
follows:

Barriers to
Communication

Emotional or
Organisational
Semantic Barriers Psychological Personal Barriers
Barriers
Barriers

1. Semantic Barriers: These barriers are related to the misunderstanding of the message due to wrong
meaning of the words. These barriers are related to the use of language. The main semantic or language
barriers are as follows:
(i). Wrongly Expressed Message: Wrongly expressed message includes the inappropriate language, uncertain
words and poor terminology. When the message is expressed in wrong or poor words, the right meaning of the
message cannot be delivered to the receiver. Wrong sentence structure can also be a big hurdle in the way of
communication.
(ii). Fault in Translation: Translation play significant role in understanding the message. If the translation has
not been done properly, it will mislead the receiver. The careless deletion of the important terms during the
translation is another big challenge in the way of clear understanding.
(iii). Use of Words and Symbols having Many Meanings: This practice is another main obstacle in the way of
communication. Some words or symbols have more than one meaning, which can misguide the receiver.
Following are some examples of such type of words, which can change the meaning of the sentence if not
understood properly by the receiver:
(a). Aaradhak enjoyed watching a clip from that movie.
(b). Aashini is going to clip her hair.
(c). the train is moving at a fairly fast clip.
(iv). Assumptions, which are not clear: The use of assumptions can distort the original form of the message.
Sometimes the sender designs a message by assuming that the receiver understands the common things about
the message, which are not necessary to mention in the message. But if the receiver does not know these basic
things, he will face problem in understanding the message.
(v). Use of Technical Language: This type of obstacle emerges in the case of the messages in which the
technical terminology is used. For example, the message created for the computer engineers cannot be
delivered to a common person because he does not know the technical words related to the computer like
programming, software, window and mouse etc.

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 e-ISSN: 2582-5208
International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
( Peer-Reviewed, Open Access, Fully Refereed International Journal )
Volume:04/Issue:12/December-2022 Impact Factor- 6.752 www.irjmets.com
(vi). Misunderstanding of Body Language: Some messages contain the use of body language and the gestures.
Different people can understand the meaning of body language differently according to their language, culture,
traditions, values and society etc. This is the very serious obstacle in the way of effective communication.
2. Organisational Barriers: These obstacles are related to various practices prevailed at organisational or
institutional level. These are as follows:
(i). Regulatory Norms: Every organisation has its pre-defined rules and regulations that are necessary to be
followed by the staff. These rules regarding the preparation of message can affect the structure and objective of
the message. For example, if it is the policy of the institution that the entire message will be written in English,
it will be very difficult to prepare the message for such a teacher who is not familiar with the English language.
(ii). Communication Policies: Communication policies affect the communication system of the organisation to
the great extent. The communication policy, which is not as per the nature of the receiver and the sender, will
not be favourable policy for the communication process. For example, if an institution has finalised that the
examination instructions will be given to students during the vacations only, in that situation the messages will
be sent later. The delayed messages will delay the students’ preparation for the examination.
(iii). Structure of Managerial Levels: In an educational organisation, a single person cannot handle all the
activities at his own level. Hence, an organisation comprises various managerial levels. If there are so many
levels in the organisation, it becomes very difficult to establish a smooth communication system between these
levels.
(iv). Fear of Position: Due to hierarchical levels in the organisation, there is a formal difference between the
staff members. Generally, the employees working at bottom level fear from the strict action from their
superiors in case of wrongly expressed messages. Due to this type phobia, they cannot express the message in
the actual sense that is the main obstacle in the way of communication at managerial levels.
(v). Lack of Basic Facilities: Communication system requires some basic facilities in the organisation. In the
modern era of electronic communication these facilities includes the arrangement of translator, computer,
internet facility, telephone facility and proper maintenance of record of received and dispatched documents.
3. Emotional or Psychological Barriers: Psychological barriers are the most difficult barriers in the free flow
of communication. These hindrances are given as follows:
(i). Poor Retention: In the communication process, the message passes through the various levels. When a
person forwards the message to the next person in this transmission, the message is distorted at every stage.
This distortion occurs due to poor retention of the message by the receiver. Sometimes the incomplete message
is also forwarded due to clerical or electronic error.
(ii). Opinions and Attitude: This obstacle is related to the personal opinion and attitude of the receiver. If the
message is not according to the attitude of the receiver, he can affect it with his opinion. This type of messages
is not likely to be obtained in the favourable manner.
(iii). Emotions: Human being cannot avoid from the emotions like anger, fear, worry and nervousness etc.
These emotions affect the thinking process of people in the drastic manner as the result of which the message is
not designed in the proper way. This type of message will not fulfill the purpose of the communication.
(iv). Inattention: Lack of attention during the reception of the message is the big psychological hurdle in the
way of effective communication. Sometimes, the receiver is engaged in some other work during the reception of
the message, which causes distortion in the message.
(v). Distrust: When the sender and receiver lack the mutual trust then the receiver becomes aggressive
towards the sender. In this case, he can distort the message by ignoring, misinterpreting or delaying the
response.
4. Personal Barriers: These barriers are related to the personal characteristics of the sender and the receiver.
In an educational organisation, the communication flows from the teachers to the students or vice versa. Hence,
the personal barriers can be classified into two categories as follows:
(a). Barriers at Top Level: These barriers can be discussed as follows:
(i). Fear of Position: Top-level executives want to exercise their authority on their subordinates.
Communication reflects the knowledge and experience of the sender. If the superiors lack the proper
knowledge of creating the message, they will avoid from communication with their subordinates due to the fear
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 e-ISSN: 2582-5208
International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
( Peer-Reviewed, Open Access, Fully Refereed International Journal )
Volume:04/Issue:12/December-2022 Impact Factor- 6.752 www.irjmets.com
of exposure of their level of efficiency. This type of barrier should be removed among the teacher community
for attaining better communication results.
(ii). Lack of Confidence in Students: If the teachers do not have confidence in their students, they will never
share the important and confidential messages with them. In this situation, the tudents cannot contribute
effectively in the communication process.
(b). Barriers at Bottom Level: These barriers include the following types:
(i). Lack of Interest: If the students are not interested in communicating with their teachers it becomes a big
hurdle in the communication. In this case, they share only urgent information with their teachers, which is also
affected by this barrier.
(ii). Lack of Cooperation from Teachers: This is another type of barrier from the side of the students. If for
sending the information the teachers criticize their students unnecessarily, the students hesitate to send the
messages to them. The absence of cooperation from the teachers cannot allow the communication system to be
progressive in the institution.
III. MEASURES TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS IN COMMUNICATION
The communication system should be free from the obstructions for the successful functioning of the
educational organisation. Barriers in the communication process affect the staff by reducing their morale and
motivation. Following are some measures, which can be used to overcome the barriers in the communication:
1. Clarification of Idea: The sender should be very clear about the idea. The idea will generate the message
for the available information. The relevant information should be obtained regarding every aspect of the idea
behind the message. The clear idea will improve the effectiveness of the message. The message should be
framed through a mental filtration process. The information, which is not relevant to the message, should be
left.
2. Knowing the Receiver: The sender should avail the complete information about the receiver. He should
frame the message as per his level of understanding. He should analyse the feelings, perceptions and
aspirations of the receiver so that he can understand the message in its real sense.
3. The Message should be Complete: The message should be complete in all respects. Care should be taken
while preparing the message so that no part of the message is left. It should have all the necessary information
that is required for the message.
4. Feedback: Communication is a two-way process. Feedback includes the return flow of the message by the
receiver to the sender. It is very important to know the response of the receiver. The feedback will help the
sender to know the flaws in the message so that he can remove the same. It will also help to make the future
communication effective and relevant.
5. Reliability: Reliability is the lifeblood of the communication system. The message should be based on
factual information so that it can establish the credibility between the sender and the receiver. Any type of
manipulation should be strictly avoided while preparing the message. It should also be included in the
communication policy of the organisation that the entire message will be based only on original information.
6. Selection of Suitable Channel: The messages are delivered to the sender through any communication
channel. This communication channel should be appropriate as per the message and the receiver. The use of
suitable channel will make the communication more effective. It will also be user friendly, which is the vital
requirement of the communication system.
7. Effective Listening: Listening play important role in the communication. The sender and the receiver both
the parties should hear each other carefully. This will enable the sender to create the effective understanding of
the message in the mind of the receiver. Similarly, the effective listening by the receiver will help him to send
the feedback that is necessary.
8. Simple Structure of the Organisation: Generally, the educational organisations include various managerial
levels that are necessary for the smooth functioning of the teaching activities. The coordination and mutual
cooperation should be established among these levels by the management, which will help in effective
communication.

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 e-ISSN: 2582-5208
International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science
( Peer-Reviewed, Open Access, Fully Refereed International Journal )
Volume:04/Issue:12/December-2022 Impact Factor- 6.752 www.irjmets.com
9. Mutual Trust: Communication is the upward and the downward process. Teachers and students exchange
their information to each other in the various departments. If these people lack mutual trust, then it will a
serious obstacle in the way of communication.
IV. CONCLUSION
Communicating the contents to students is a day-to-day job for the teacher community at higher education
institutions. In the modern environment this job has become a difficult task because creating the interest of
students in the educational curriculum is not so easy. Government of India has announced the National
Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on 29.07.2020. The new National Education Policy 2020 proposes numerous
reforms in the education system at school as well as higher education level including technical education. The
Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) is a premiere national institute of educational technology
which is functioning as per the new guidelines. Its main objective is to promote utilization of educational
technologies viz. radio, TV, films, Satellite communications and cyber media either separately or in
combinations. CIET undertakes activities to widen educational opportunities. These types of steps promote an
effective communication system among students and improve quality of educational operations. Teachers
should imbibe the guidelines of this institution to make their content delivery more understandable.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has proposed setting up of National Educational Technology Forum
(NETF) which will be an autonomous body. This body will provide a platform for free exchange of ideas on the
use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration and so on, both for School and
Higher Education. The curriculum of this programme will be the latest knowledge and research as well as the
opportunity to consult and share best practices. The teachers at higher educational institutions should consider
this platform with the use of effective communication tools for obtaining more expertise.
V. SUGGESTIVE MEASURES
Following are some suggestive measures which a teacher should practice in his class in a higher education
institution:
1. Use of modern information and communication tools during the interaction with the students.
2. Maintain consistency during the delivery of contents in the class room.
3. Try to be more personal with the students so that they can build trust in you. This will strengthen the
catching power of students in the drastic way.
4. Establish cordial relations with the students by emphasizing their attitude and behavior.
5. Reward the students as per the score of your students so that they can be persuaded to give their best
during the study.
VI. SCOPE FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
In this paper, I have attempted to point out the role of effective communication keeping in mind the scenario of
higher education. After the adoption of new tools and techniques of effective communication, the teachers can
establish a more effective rapport with their students which will enable them to be more effective mentors.
The future of research in this area is very bright. A lot of research can be done in the area of effective
communication methods, tools and techniques so that a fruitful strategy can be built in the area of education at
college and university level.
VII. REFERENCES
[1] Jassal Naib Singh (2021): “Business Organisation and Management”, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.
[2] Gupta C.B. (1998): “Principles and Practice of Management”, Mayur Paperbacks, Noida.
[3] Kumar Virender, Raj Bodh, Grover C.L. (2009): “Business Communication Skills-Workshop”, Kalyani
Publishers, New Delhi.
[4] Kushal Sri Jin (2015): “Business Communication”, VK Global Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
[5] Dar Mohamad Altaf, Dar Hanif Mohmad (2019): “Contributon of Effective Communication in
Educational Settings: A Critical Review”, International Journal of research in all Subjects in Multi
languages, August, Volume-07, Issue-08.
[6] https://ciet.nic.in/
[7] https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf

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