#24 The Big Fix: Why Higher Education in India is Getting a Makeover
Welcome to the 24th edition of Policy Mandala by India House. In this edition, we decode the recent policy changes in Higher Education in India and what we need to buckle up for. Enjoy Reading!
If you walk down a bustling street in Delhi and ask young people, “What’s the biggest problem in India today?”, you’d expect a predictable range of responses: corruption, unemployment, traffic jams that seem to last a lifetime. But when we actually did this, one answer stood out across the board: education.
We repeated this experiment in rural Jharkhand, a college campus in a Tier-2 town, and even in an IT hub like Bengaluru. The responses varied, but education consistently topped the list. It’s as if young people across India, despite their diverse backgrounds, feel let down by the very system meant to empower them, especially higher education. Call it the recency effect or a personal grudge against the system, but higher education seems to be failing at its core job: making Indian youth more confident and capable contributors to nation-building.
So why does higher education feel like such a broken promise?
For decades, India’s higher education system has been rigid, outdated, and painfully disconnected from reality. Degrees have felt like mere checklists, with little relevance to actual careers. From engineers who never touch engineering again to humanities postgraduates running businesses—degrees have never been more irrelevant. A system meant to create knowledge leaders has instead produced graduates who often feel unprepared for the real world.
But here’s the good news: the University Grants Commission (UGC) has been on a reform spree, rolling out six landmark policy changes that could fundamentally reshape higher education in India. In this week’s Policy Mandala, we break down these six big changes—and why they matter.
Let’s dive in!
1. Say Hello to the ‘Professor of Practice’
Traditionally, academia has been an exclusive club where only those with PhDs and years of research experience could teach. But does having a PhD always make someone the best teacher? Consider two candidates:
Karan: 35 years old, has a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD in economics, spent the past seven years as a researcher with a research group in New Delhi, and now wants to become a professor.
Arjun: 35 years old, has a Master’s in economics but has spent the last 12 years at the World Bank, working on development economics worldwide, and now wants to teach.
Until now, only Karan could fulfill his dream of teaching at an Indian university. Arjun, despite his practical experience, would have been shown the door.
This changed with the ‘Professor of Practice’ regulation. Now, industry experts with 10+ years of experience can be appointed as faculty, bringing real-world insights directly into classrooms.
Imagine learning business strategy from a CEO, public policy from a former diplomat, or artificial intelligence from a tech entrepreneur—not as one-off guest lectures but as full-fledged courses. This move bridges the long-standing gap between theory and practice, making education more dynamic and relevant.
2. No More ‘One Shot’ Admissions
Missing the July-August admission cycle used to mean waiting a whole year to try again. But not anymore. Under the new reforms, universities will now have two admission cycles—one in July/August and another in January/February.
This aligns Indian higher education with global norms and gives students more flexibility. Missed the first cycle because you were undecided? No problem. Taking a few months more to figure things out? There’s another window waiting for you.
3. Education à la Carte: Part Education is a Reality
One of the biggest frustrations with higher education has been the ‘all or nothing’ nature of degrees. If you dropped out after two years, you left with nothing but the label of being a ‘drop-out’. That’s changing. Now:
Complete 1 year → Get a certificate
Complete 2 years → Get a diploma
Complete 3-4 years → Get a full degree
And if life forces you to hit pause? Your earned credits are safely stored in the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). You can return later and pick up where you left off. Think of it like Netflix for education: pause, resume, or exit as you need.
4. Breaking the Silos
An economics professor knows and teaches only economics. A historian knows and teaches only history. But knowledge doesn’t work that way in the real world—everything is interconnected.
The new UGC guidelines allow for interdisciplinary teaching. You could do your bachelor’s in engineering, master’s in economics, and still become a professor of public policy if your PhD is in that domain.
This shift toward holistic education allows for richer, more connected and interdisciplinary learning. Imagine a political science class that includes economic theory or a tech ethics course that draws from philosophy. Finally, academia reflects the complexity of the real world.
5. From Research Papers to Real-World Impact
Until now, publishing papers in top-tier journals was the only way professors could climb the career ladder. But now, successful startups, patents, and real-world impact will count too, with the decision on what to value made with their university boards themselves. Colleges can decide if they wish their professors to be more entrepreneurial or ‘researchy’, based on what they value more.
If a professor develops an innovative AI tool or launches a successful public health initiative, it’ll be valued just as much as publishing a research paper on the same topic. That’s a game-changer. Finally, doing is as important as writing about it.
6. Colleges Get More Autonomy
Previously, key parameters on research, curriculum, and faculty promotions were centralized. Now, these powers and decisions are being delegated to individual institutions. This means:
Colleges can decide their own research priorities
Institutions can choose which journals to recognize for faculty promotions
Universities with higher NIRF and NAAC rankings get more funding incentives
This encourages universities to compete for quality rather than just compliance, making higher education institutions more dynamic and responsive.
So, What’s Next?
India has over 1,100 universities and 45,000+ colleges—implementing these changes across such a vast and diverse landscape won’t be a cakewalk.
To make this transition smoother, students and faculty need to fully understand these reforms to take advantage of them. Universities will need to revamp infrastructure, upgrade faculty training, and overhaul systems to bring these policies to life.
And let’s not forget the ‘Professor of Practice’ model—its success hinges on how seamlessly academia and industry can work together.
But here’s the good news: the wheels are finally turning. Higher education in India is shedding its outdated skin and stepping into an era of flexibility, relevance, and innovation.
Will these reforms truly deliver on their promise? That’s a question only time—and good implementation—will answer.
Book Mandala
In this section, we suggest a book to be read/listened to each week, for the inner policy enthusiast in you :)
Book: The Educational Heritage of Ancient India: How an Ecosystem of Learning Was Laid to Waste
Author: Sahana Singh
About the Book:
The Educational Heritage of Ancient India: How an Ecosystem of Learning Was Laid to Waste by Sahana Singh explores the rich and advanced education system that once flourished in ancient India. The book delves into the intricate network of universities, gurukuls, and knowledge centers that attracted scholars from around the world.
Sahana ji meticulously traces how this thriving knowledge ecosystem was systematically dismantled due to invasions, colonial policies, and a shift in socio-political priorities. While documenting India’s lost legacy she also invites readers to reflect on how the nation can reclaim its educational strengths.
Our Take:
Sahana Ji’s The Educational Heritage of Ancient India is a thought-provoking and well-researched account of India's once-flourishing education system. The book is both a tribute to the intellectual prowess of ancient Indian scholars and a lament for the destruction of a world-class learning tradition.
She paints a vivid picture of how ancient universities were centers of holistic learning, attracting global scholars long before the rise of European universities. The Educational Heritage of Ancient India is undoubtedly an interesting read for history enthusiasts, educators, and policymakers who seek to understand India’s past to shape its future.
Hope you liked today’s Policy Mandala!
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