India has shaped the very perception of global education since ancient times. Institutions like Takshashila University, established in 800 B.C. in the Rawalpindi district of undivided India, are recognized as the world’s first global universities. In 1580, India contributed nearly 30% of the global GDP, demonstrating the nation’s intellectual and economic prowess. Today, with a population of 1.3 billion, India has the potential to significantly contribute to the global education system by establishing institutions of internationally acceptable standards. A realistic yet ambitious goal would be to have at least 25% of our institutions ranked among the top 100 in the world.
A key step toward achieving this is strengthening our research ecosystem—our current global research output stands at only 3.5%. Platforms such as SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) can empower both faculty and students. Collaboration between all stakeholders—innovators, entrepreneurs, designers, thinkers, and academicians—is essential for the nation’s holistic progress.
Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has rightly pointed out that East Asian economies focused heavily on expanding education. Countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea transformed into developed nations within a century by investing substantially in education. In contrast, India still hosts the world’s largest number of adult illiterates, partly because we spend only 3% of our GDP on education—compared to Switzerland’s 5%, which supports one of the best public education systems in the world.
According to the 2030 Skills Scorecard by the Global Business Coalition for Education, India will have the highest number of secondary school graduates in South Asia, yet nearly half will lack the skills needed for the job market. This gap calls for urgent reforms to enhance the skills and knowledge of both faculty and students.
Our vision must align with the principles laid down by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Chairman of the University Education Commission (1948), which emphasized leadership training, social efficiency, intellectual development, cultural progress, and the cultivation of higher values. In today’s context, this means integrating multidisciplinary subjects such as Artificial Intelligence into various curricula, as 75% of jobs are expected to require AI-related skills.
Currently, only 38% of engineers in India are considered employable according to NASSCOM reports. By embedding emerging technologies into education, we can create new career opportunities and significantly improve employability. Higher education institutions have already contributed to national initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Digital India, Make in India, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, Smart Cities Mission, Start-up India, and ATAL Academy online FDPs.
Teachers remain the cornerstone of this transformation. As Dr. Radhakrishnan once said, “The best minds should enter the teaching profession.” With rapid technological advances, traditional classroom-based education has evolved into a globally connected, interactive process. Teachers must continuously upgrade their subject knowledge, creativity, pedagogical skills, and classroom management abilities to inspire and guide their students effectively.
Accreditation, assessment, and regulation are crucial for ensuring the quality of higher education. Strengthening these processes requires joint efforts from government agencies, non-governmental organizations, higher education councils, student bodies, and academic staff associations. A forward-looking plan for higher and technical education must focus on both access and quality assurance.
Our goal should be to accredit more than 800 universities, over 33,000 colleges, 3,500 engineering colleges, and 3,500 MBA institutions through NAAC and NBA, ensuring they meet global standards.
Let us conclude with a timeless Sanskrit prayer:
From ignorance, lead me to truth
From darkness, lead me to light
From death, lead me to immortality
