The report aligns with the National Education Policy — 2020, which aims to double student enrolment in higher education to nearly 9 crore by 2035. Of these, about 7 crore students will be enrolled in State Public Universities.
NITI Aayog on Tuesday, released a policy report titled Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities, marking a significant step in the evolution of India’s higher education landscape. This report is the first of its kind, focusing specifically on the role of State Public Universities (SPUs) in enhancing the quality of higher education.
At the launch event on Monday, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Beri, Member (Education) Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, CEO BVR Subramaniam, Department of Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, and Association of Indian Universities (AIU) Secretary General Dr. Pankaj Mittal were present. NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subramaniam underscored the importance of world-class education in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
The report provides a detailed quantitative analysis of higher education quality, financing, governance, and employment trends over the last decade. It is based on extensive discussions with state government officials from over 20 states and union territories, vice-chancellors and senior academics from 50 SPUs, and chairpersons of several state higher education councils.
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Beri emphasized that globally, public universities set standards of excellence, as seen in countries like the US and Brazil. He stressed that while India boasts institutions of national importance such as IITs, SPUs should also aim for higher standards to align with global benchmarks.
NITI Aayog’s role, as directed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to generate evidence-based policy recommendations while implementation remains the responsibility of ministries. The report outlines crucial reforms to be undertaken by the central and state governments to improve the quality of higher education in India.
Leveraging India’s Demographic Advantage
NITI Aayog Member Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul highlighted the need for urgent reforms in SPUs, given that they account for 80 per cent of India’s higher education system. He stressed that upgrading SPUs is essential for creating a knowledge-based economy and preparing India’s youth to contribute effectively to the nation’s development goals.
The report aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to double student enrolment in higher education to nearly 9 crore by 2035. Of these, about 7 crore students will be enrolled in SPUs, making it crucial for these institutions to transition from mere access providers to hubs of world-class education.
India holds the distinction of having the world’s largest working-age population and the second-largest higher education system. This demographic advantage, expected to last for two more decades, positions the country to become a global talent and innovation hub.
NEP 2020 provides a transformative roadmap for India’s education sector. While Central Universities and Institutes of National Importance excel in cutting-edge research, the 495 SPUs and their 46,000 affiliated institutions, which cater to over 81 per cent of total student enrollment, play a crucial role in democratizing higher education access. Given their vast reach, ensuring that SPUs deliver high-quality education is a shared national responsibility.
Challenges and Policy Recommendations
The report is divided into seven chapters, tracing the history, achievements, and current status of India’s higher education sector. It provides insights from stakeholder consultations and identifies four major thematic challenges:
- Quality: Enhancing research standards, pedagogy, curriculum development, digitalization, and internationalization of education.
- Funding & Financing: Ensuring sustainable government funding, diversifying revenue sources, reforming taxation and utility payments, and enhancing faculty recruitment and retention budgets.
- Governance: Strengthening institutional governance, streamlining administrative structures, and building faculty and administrator capacities.
- Employability: Enhancing skill development, improving academia-industry collaboration, and increasing employment opportunities for graduates.
The report outlines nearly 80 policy recommendations under 12 sub-themes, supported by 125 performance indicators. These recommendations include short, medium, and long-term implementation strategies to improve the effectiveness of higher education institutions.
SPUs have played a crucial role in expanding access to affordable higher education, especially in remote and underserved regions. However, to meet future demands and global competition, they must undergo a paradigm shift towards excellence.
The report underscores that India’s youth, accounting for 50 per cent of the population, will be the driving force behind the country’s transition into a developed nation. By investing in higher education reforms, the government can ensure that young Indians are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and innovation-driven mindset required to thrive in the global economy.
The findings of this report reaffirm that India’s path to becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 is intrinsically linked to the quality of its education system. With strategic interventions and collective efforts from the government, academia, and industry stakeholders, SPUs can be transformed into world-class institutions that will shape the future of India and its global standing in education, research, and innovation.
