India’s future depends on how effectively it equips its students and youth to meet the emerging challenges. Achieving this requires robust reforms across higher education, where state public universities have long played a pivotal role. While acknowledging the contributions of SPUs, there is a need to review key policy initiatives, and examine the measures needed to elevate India’s higher education to global standards.
For more than seven decades, India has witnessed vibrant growth in its state public universities. These institutions have significantly expanded access to affordable higher education while addressing regional imbalances. The visionary establishment of premier institutions—such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and Central Universities—has laid a strong foundation for national development.
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India’s state public universities
Today, India is home to 21 IIMs, 23 IITs, and 56 Central Universities, along with numerous engineering and medical colleges. With approximately 500 state public universities catering to an estimated 81% of total student enrolment, these institutions form the backbone of an interconnected educational ecosystem that serves millions of students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
Regional disparities in higher education remain a challenge. University density data reveal considerable differences across states; for example, while some regions boast high densities of universities per 100,000 individuals aged 18–23, others such as Bihar report significantly lower figures.
Similarly, improvements in the gross enrolment ratio have been notable in states like Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Puducherry, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, which have surpassed the national average. These variations highlight the importance of targeted investments and policy reforms to ensure balanced development across regions.
Reforms and initiatives in higher education
Since the release of the National Policy on Education in 1986—with its subsequent update in 1992 through the Programme of Action—India has made considerable strides in quality assurance. The establishment of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 1994 marked a significant step toward maintaining and enhancing the quality of higher education.
Following the introduction of liberalisation policies, the government also established the National Knowledge Commission to drive transformation by fostering innovation, promoting a multidisciplinary approach, and emphasising equity and intellectual property rights. These efforts have collectively aimed to align India’s higher education with global standards.
The National Education Policy 2020
The National Education Policy 2020 further set forth transformative initiatives. It recommends the establishment of an Academic Bank of Credits to enable seamless credit transfer and the creation of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to boost research and innovation. In addition, the policy proposes the formation of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) along with the National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) and the National Accreditational Council (NAC) to strengthen the regulatory framework.
The NEP also introduces support measures such as a Gender Inclusion Fund and Special Education Zones to assist socially and educationally disadvantaged groups. Furthermore, it emphasises the integration of technology in education through initiatives like the National Education Technology Forum (NETF) and the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR).
Quality of higher education
A recent policy report titled ‘Expanding Quality Higher Education Through States and State Public Universities’—launched by NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman Suman Bery, CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, and other senior officials—provides a comprehensive analysis of key indicators such as quality, funding, governance, and employability trends in SPUs over the past decade.
This first-of-its-kind document draws on extensive stakeholder consultations with higher education officials from over 20 states, vice chancellors from 50 SPUs, and leaders from state higher education councils. The report emphasises that SPUs are critical to human capital development, accounting for nearly 80% of India’s higher education. It also outlines nearly 80 policy recommendations spanning short-, medium-, and long-term strategies designed to improve research quality, pedagogy, curriculum, governance frameworks, industry–academia collaboration, and financial sustainability.
The NEP 2020’s ambitious target of doubling higher education enrolment by 2035—to nearly nine crore students, with around seven crore studying in SPUs—further underscores the urgency of elevating academic standards. Recent budget initiatives, such as the selection of 10,000 PM Research Fellows, the expansion of second-generation IITs, the Bharatiya Bhasha textbook scheme, and an allocation of Rs 13,000 crore under PM-USHA (with Rs 100 crore per SPU for transformation into Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities), reflect a strong commitment to this endeavour.
Achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 will require an integrated approach that focuses on strengthening higher education. State public universities have played a vital role in expanding access and enhancing quality over the past seven decades. However, continued investment, policy innovation, and rigorous reforms are necessary to address governance challenges, infrastructure gaps, and quality assurance issues across the sector. By fostering a culture of excellence within higher education, India can harness its demographic dividend and secure a brighter, more prosperous future for all its citizens.
Dr Ravindran AM is an economist based in Kochi. He has more than three decades of academic and research experience with institutions such as CUSAT, Central University of Kerala, Cabinet Secretariat - New Delhi, and Directorate of Higher Education Pondicherry.