Journal of African Development

Although educational effectiveness is a multifaceted concept that is essential to national development, its determinants are still not well understood in the particular regional contexts of developing countries. This study investigates the key factors influencing educational effectiveness in higher education institutions in West Bengal, India, from the students’ perspective. 282 students from different institutions were chosen through stratified random sampling and given a cross-sectional survey. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to analyze the data. A strong three-factor structure was discovered by the EFA: (1) Institutional Quality and Resources (e.g., curriculum, industry integration, funding); (2) Student Background and Institutional Characteristics (e.g., academic position, geographical location); and (3) Infrastructure and Technology (e.g., smartboards, institutional infrastructure). Together, these account for 64.9% of the variance. The results indicate that students, regardless of gender, institution type, or course of study, view educational effectiveness as a multi-dimensional construct. This study offers a validated framework and empirical evidence to assist policymakers and institutional leaders in improving the quality and equity of higher education in regional India