Education Summit
Time for state govts to undertake reforms in higher education sector - CEA
This story was originally published at 12:38 IST on 17 December 2025
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NEW DELHI – Now that the Centre has laid the groundwork with the National Education Policy, it is time for state governments to implement the existing reforms and undertake further reforms in the higher education sector, according to the Chief Economic Adviser to the Government V. Anantha Nageswaran. State governments have more control over higher education in India, which makes their role critical in reforms, Nageswaran said Wednesday.
"Higher education in India is largely delivered by state governments, or regulated by them," the CEA said at the Confederation of Indian Industry's Global Higher Education Summit in New Delhi. "Most universities, colleges, faculty appointments and administrative decisions sit at the state level. Therefore, the success of national reforms depends critically on state government."
Nageswaran suggested that the state governments should allow autonomy to universities and facilitate setting up of independent university boards. The state government must also address the shortage of teachers as well as ensure quality in teaching, the CEA added.
Besides the state governments, industry should also come forward for meaningful regulation of the higher education sector, the CEA said. There is a need for an entrepreneurial shift, he added. He suggested that industry should co-decide curriculum to make courses more relevant.
"The groundwork for policy has already been laid. The NEP (National Education Policy) has opened doors, regulatory thinking is evolving," Nageswaran said. "What is now required is execution, institutional courage and cooperative federalism." End
Reported by Krity Ambey
Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury
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