From policy vision to institutional trust: Rethinking higher education reform in India
India’s higher education system is at a decisive juncture where long-articulated policy vision is now confronting the realities of governance and institutional capacity. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 laid out an ambitious roadmap to transform learning, research, and academic culture. The introduction of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, currently under examination by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, represents a decisive step towards aligning that vision with a coherent regulatory framework.
For decades, higher education governance in India has been shaped by regulatory multiplicity. Overlapping authorities, fragmented mandates, and compliance-driven oversight have constrained universities’ ability to innovate. Within the university system, a persistent challenge has been the gap between academic intent and regulatory execution - where well-conceived programmes, interdisciplinary initiatives, and research collaborations are routinely delayed by procedural hurdles. The cost of this disconnect has been not merely administrative inefficiency, but a steady erosion of intellectual momentum.
The NEP 2020 addressed this structural problem by placing institutional autonomy at the centre of reform, supported by accountability. Its emphasis on multidisciplinary universities, flexible degree pathways, and research-led learning assumes a governance environment that enables academic decision-making rather than restrains it. Yet many universities - particularly public and regional institutions - have struggled to operationalise these reforms within regulatory frameworks designed for an earlier academic era.
The significance of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill lies in its shift from micromanagement to outcome-based oversight. The proposed framework prioritises student learning outcomes, research impact, and societal engagement over procedural compliance. This marks a clear departure from input-driven regulation, where adherence to prescribed norms often outweighed academic results.
The implications for interdisciplinary education are immediate. Universities attempting to integrate technology, social sciences, ethics, and public policy have long encountered approval systems anchored in rigid disciplinary silos. A unified and streamlined regulatory structure enables institutions to design curricula aligned with contemporary societal and economic challenges rather than outdated classifications.
Research and innovation benefit in similar measure. NEP 2020 positions universities as centres of knowledge creation, yet excessive compliance obligations have diverted faculty time and institutional resources away from research activity. In public universities, this has led to missed funding cycles and delayed collaborations. A governance framework that evaluates outcomes rather than procedures restores academic focus on inquiry, innovation, and engagement with industry and society.
At the same time, autonomy demands responsibility. India’s higher education ecosystem remains uneven. While some institutions possess strong faculty strength and research infrastructure, many universities continue to face shortages of academic staff, uneven facilities, and administrative overload. Regulatory reform must therefore proceed alongside sustained investment in faculty development, leadership continuity, and institutional capacity-building to prevent the widening of existing disparities.
The experience of institution-building reinforces this point. Academic excellence does not emerge from infrastructure alone. Universities that command intellectual credibility have evolved through decades of mentorship, academic freedom, stable governance, and shared institutional values. Rapid expansion without nurturing these foundations produces institutions that function administratively but lack academic depth.
Equity and access remain integral to the NEP’s framework. Its emphasis on regional balance, inclusion, and support for first-generation learners affirms education as a public good. Regulatory reform must strengthen this commitment by enabling quality expansion in underserved regions and supporting diverse learning modes, including digital and blended education, without diluting academic standards.
Transparency and accountability are central to institutional trust. Public disclosure of academic, financial, and operational practices, along with effective grievance redressal mechanisms, strengthens confidence among students, parents, and society. Autonomy anchored in openness ensures credibility rather than insulation.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee’s deliberations therefore assume critical importance. Incorporating the perspectives of universities, faculty members, students, and state governments will determine whether regulatory reform reinforces academic vitality or merely restructures oversight.
Together, NEP 2020 and the proposed regulatory framework reflect a national resolve to position education at the core of India’s developmental journey. In an era shaped by rapid technological change and complex social challenges, universities must prepare citizens not only for employment, but for ethical reasoning, democratic participation, and lifelong learning.
It is the perfect moment for India to embrace educational reform, empowering its institutions to lead the way in driving transformative changes. The real test is not whether India can reform its education laws, but whether its institutions are trusted and empowered to lead this transformation. When policy vision is matched with governance rooted in confidence, responsibility, and sustained investment, Indian higher education moves from ambition to institutional reality.
The writer is Former Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Gujarat; views are personal
