OPINION | Reimagining the education landscape in India: Bridging policy, practice and potential

There was a time when the world came to India to learn. Even before the arrival of international university rankings and cross-border education, India’s Gurukul system and world-famous centres of learning like Nalanda and Takshashila had been globally recognised. They attracted scholars from all over the world, creating an atmosphere in which philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine and the arts were not studied separately but as related disciplines.

Education was based on curiosity, critical thinking and mentorship, with teachers given the freedom to shape learning and students given the freedom to question, debate and discover.

But the landscape has changed dramatically. India, today, has one of the world’s largest higher education ecosystems with more than 1,100 universities, over 45,000 colleges and more than 43 million students. Despite this, by 2025, India had emerged as one of the biggest sources of international students in the world, with nearly 1.8 million Indian students studying abroad.

How did a country that once drew students from around the world become a country whose students seek opportunities elsewhere?

The answer lies in how education evolved in the country.

Over the years, India’s education system has become more and more examination-oriented. That led to a gradual replacement of inquiry by memorisation. Standardised curricula. Emphasis on credentials. This widened access to education, but also narrowed its purpose. The focus of success shifted from creativity, critical thinking and the ability to solve real-life problems to marks and degrees.

With universities across the world embracing interdisciplinary learning, research, flexible academic pathways and increased industry engagement, many Indian students looked abroad – not just for a qualification, but for an educational experience that fosters innovation, independence and practical application.

Migration has never been simply a matter of geography. It was all about growth.

Today’s learners are more savvy than ever before. Institutions are judged not simply by reputation, but by results. They benchmark faculty quality, research opportunities, international collaborations, industry exposure, entrepreneurial ecosystems and employability, seeking globally benchmarked but locally relevant education.

Parents, too, are increasingly viewing education as one of the most important investments they will make. A degree is no longer enough. The question is whether it prepares young people to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

This evolving mindset is one of India’s biggest opportunities.

It’s not about copying foreign models or reinventing India’s education landscape. It is about re-finding the strengths that once made India a global leader in light of the needs of the future. Technology and artificial intelligence will undoubtedly play a key role, but they will not replace the hallmarks of great education institutes: inspiring teachers, academic freedom, strong mentorship and a culture that supports lifelong learning. 

This means creating learning environments that encourage interdisciplinary thinking, experiential learning, research, innovation and significant engagement with industry. That means nurturing students with the knowledge and the confidence and purpose to apply it.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provides an important framework for this transformation with its focus on multidisciplinary learning, flexibility and skill development. But you can’t change education by policy alone. Real change happens when institutions translate vision into classroom practice, enhance faculty capabilities, redesign curricula and assess success through meaningful student outcomes, not just exam results.

Here is where incumbent institutions have a defining role to play.

What such institutions have taught generations of students is more than history. It is trust, credibility and an in-depth knowledge of the role of education in nation building. Their job is not just to preserve tradition but to show how tradition and innovation can live together in harmony.

Goa's institutions have been crucial to India's educational voyage for decades, marked by academic excellence and an openness to new ideas and global perspectives. Their experience has demonstrated that enduring values and contemporary pedagogy are not antithetical but rather complementary strengths. Legacy institutions are uniquely positioned to lead with interdisciplinary education, research, industry partnerships and experiential learning while remaining grounded in their founding philosophy as learner expectations continue to change.

Leadership today isn’t measured by longevity. It is measured by the capacity of an institution to grow with intent.

India is not short of talent, ambition or policy intent. The real challenge is how to bridge policy, practice and possibility. This requires institutional leadership that supports curriculum innovation, invests in faculty development, builds partnerships with industry and puts learner outcomes at the centre of every decision. India has all the ingredients to reclaim its place as a global education powerhouse: a rich intellectual heritage, one of the world’s youngest populations, a thriving innovation ecosystem and a renewed commitment to education reform. 

We have here the opportunity to create an ecosystem where students choose to stay back because they get globally relevant education at home, while learners from across the world choose to come to India again because of the quality, relevance and diversity of its institutions. If we can successfully bridge policy, practice and potential, India will not only educate the next generation, but once again become a nation that shapes the future of global learning.

This is our greatest opportunity, and our shared responsibility. 

The author is president, Chowgule Education Society.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK