Reimagining higher education
What role should universities like LPU play in building the human capital and innovation ecosystem needed for India to become a developed nation by 2047?
Universities should act as agents of nation-building by creating human capital that is competent, innovative, adaptable and ethical. LPU believes in building careers, not just awarding degrees, while fostering the holistic development of every learner. For the past 25 years, this philosophy has driven the University to stay ahead of technological, industrial and societal change. Guided by this vision, LPU introduced Edu-Revolution, a learning model that extends education beyond the classroom through industry immersion, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and multidisciplinary problem-solving. Such an environment encourages independent thinking, innovation and calculated risk-taking. A developed India will require universities to produce not only employable graduates, but also innovators, entrepreneurs and responsible leaders.
The National Education Policy (NEP) has introduced major reforms. In your view, what have been its biggest successes so far, and what more is needed to achieve its goals?
The NEP has transformed the debate from that of accessibility to that of quality, flexibility, and employability. The stress on multidisciplinary education, flexible academics via the Academic Bank of Credits, increased institutional autonomy, digital learning, and closer ties between industries will go a long way in making our higher education system more future-ready.
The next phase, however, must focus on effective implementation. This requires sustained investment in research, faculty development, digital infrastructure, international collaborations, and deeper academia-industry partnerships. Equally important is that the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within the universities is strengthened, so that institutions grow beyond centres of learning to sources of nation-building, economic growth and societal progress.
How should higher education institutions redesign curricula and learning models to prepare students for an AI-driven economy?
Universities will have to rethink the very design of learning in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Curricula can no longer be fixed or discipline-specific, but must be continuously co-created with industry and evolve with technological advancement. LPU has incorporated AI across varied programmes, from engineering and management to law, agriculture and design, while niche programmes nurture talent for the upcoming domains. Practical skills and conceptual clarity are developed through live projects, hackathons, industry assignments and project-based evaluation instead of traditional examinations, thereby reinforcing learning. This model prepares graduates not just to navigate an AI-powered economy but to drive innovation within it.
How is LPU bridging the gap between academic learning and workplace readiness, and what changes are needed across higher education?
The lack of knowledge is not an issue, but the speed at which knowledge becomes obsolete. At LPU, we have tackled this by making industry a part of the education. Working on the philosophy of precision rather than perfection, we empower our students to develop their own curricula with industry experts as per current industry needs, so our students are learning the skills, technologies, and practices that employers really need. Going forward, higher education must move beyond periodic curriculum revisions to building a culture of continuous co-creation between academia and industry. Universities should become agile learning ecosystems where innovation, adaptability, multidisciplinary thinking, and lifelong learning are embedded into every student’s educational journey.
How can Indian universities attract more international students and research collaborations?
Indian universities must move beyond paper-based international partnerships and build global academic ecosystems where internationalisation is embedded in teaching, entrepreneurship, industry engagement and campus life. They should attract international students, faculty and researchers to collaborate and co-create. LPU reflects this vision through partnerships with 550+ universities worldwide and a campus that welcomes exchange students from countries including Spain, Brazil, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Russia. International students work alongside Indian peers on interdisciplinary projects, while Indian students and faculty benefit from international mobility, collaborative research, faculty exchanges and joint innovation. This two-way model of global engagement will help position India as a preferred destination for higher education and research.
Entrepreneurship has become a key driver of economic growth. How can universities cultivate a culture where students aspire to become job creators rather than job seekers?
Universities can’t create entrepreneurs simply by offering them a single course on how to be one. What we do is create an ecosystem around student life where innovation, experimenting, and problem-solving become part of everyday learning. LPU has done this by providing opportunities for students to get involved with industry projects, startups, research, hackathons, and innovation challenges during their time on campus along with their academic programmes. To date, we’ve been able to engage over 15,000 students in experiential learning initiatives which have resulted in over 400+ startups launched, with our students generating over Rs 20 crores in total from their entrepreneurial endeavours, including through freelancing, internships and industry collaborations. When students experience that their ideas can create both value and livelihoods while they are still studying, they naturally begin to see themselves as job creators rather than job seekers.
As both an educationist and a Member of Parliament, how do you envision stronger collaboration between government, academia, and industry to accelerate India’s knowledge economy?
Here we are mentioning three major pillars that need to work in unison. The government must create an enabling policy environment, invest in research, and encourage innovation. Universities need to promote critical thinking, multidisciplinary learning, and research excellence, while industry needs to play an active role in curriculum design, skills development, technology transfer, and collaborative research. This kind of model will ensure that education is relevant, research addresses real-world problems, and innovation creates economic and social value. This collaboration will not only improve India’s global competitiveness but also accelerate our journey to become a developed nation by 2047.
Indian students today face rapid technological change, intense competition, and evolving career paths. What advice would you give to young people preparing to lead the next phase of India’s growth story?
My advice to youngsters is that the future will be for those who tackle problems with the ability to learn and adapt. You should be flexible enough to meet this requirement in the future. Develop the foresight and skills to make the jobs of the future available to the public. When young minds are equipped with the right skills, values, and opportunities, they are capable of competing on the global stage. The fact that LPU graduates have secured international placement packages of up to Rs 2.5 crore reflects the limitless potential of Indian youth when provided with the right ecosystem. Keep up with technological advances; however, keep your integrity and morals in check. Stay in tune with the real problems of the country and develop the ability to address the challenges of society to design solutions that will be relevant and will make a change to address the existing problems. The future of India will depend on the youth who have the innovative ability to use their personal success to make an impact in their country.
If you had the opportunity to recommend one transformative reform for India’s higher education system, what would it be, and why?
I would advocate for an outcome-based learning shift instead of an input-based shift. We tend to determine students’ success based on what they studied. It should be based on their contributions and what they are able to create and solve. What is learned in higher education shouldn’t be limited to marks obtained, what is learned after taking exams and obtaining degrees. Innovation and research, as well as entrepreneurial activities and engagements with different industries and positive impacts on society, should be regarded as learning. If this is done, instead of producing graduates, universities will produce responsible leaders, problem solvers, and innovators. Our higher education systems must be aimed at making India a developed and leading global nation for knowledge.
“The lack of knowledge is not an issue, but the speed at which knowledge becomes obsolete.” In conversation with The Pioneer, Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder Chancellor of LPU, breaks down the urgent reforms needed to prepare Indian universities for a rapidly changing world.
