India Poised to Become Global Education Hub with State Reforms: CEA
CEA Nageswaran says India can become global hub for research and learning with state-led NEP 2020 reforms.
India has a unique opportunity to emerge as a global destination for higher education, research and innovation, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran said on Thursday. Speaking at the 15th CII Global Higher Education Summit in New Delhi, he emphasised that sustained state-led reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will be critical to realising this potential.
Nageswaran noted that global higher education is at a turning point, with traditional academic hubs facing demographic decline, fiscal stress and tighter regulations on international students. At the same time, Asia is becoming a new centre of gravity for learning and innovation. Against this backdrop, India can shift from being primarily a supplier of students to a destination for global scholars and researchers.
Highlighting recent policy initiatives, the CEA cited the Union government’s 2023 decision allowing foreign universities to set up campuses in India. He described the move as a strong signal of India’s willingness to engage with global academia, while maintaining quality safeguards and operating on its own terms.
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However, he cautioned that true internationalisation would require regulatory clarity and predictability. Issues such as accreditation, degree recognition, exit norms, student visas, housing, campus safety and research infrastructure must be addressed to build confidence among foreign institutions and students.
Nageswaran also stressed the importance of higher education at a time when India is entering a critical demographic phase. With millions of young people expected to join the workforce in the coming decades, he said the quality and relevance of higher education will determine whether India’s demographic dividend becomes an economic strength or a social challenge.
Underscoring the role of states, the CEA pointed out that higher education is largely regulated and delivered at the state level. He urged state governments to move from control to stewardship by enabling professionally governed university boards, addressing faculty shortages and funding institutions based on outcomes and specialised roles rather than uniform models.
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