2026, Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part A

Significant changes have occurred in India's higher education system as a result of the country's socioeconomic, political, and professional shifts. Indian higher education has seen significant shifts in organization, access, and quality from its provincial foundations to post-independence advancements and more recently, in the twenty-first century. This essay examines the development of higher education in India over time, emphasizing significant turning points and the changing function of educational establishments in promoting national progress. Reforms such as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and the expanding role of technology have created opportunities, even though problems such as poor infrastructure, unequal access, and the disconnect between academic curricula and industry requirements still exist.

Potential avenues for improving the caliber and inclusivity of higher education are provided by the growing globalization of education, the emergence of private institutions, and the drive for research and innovation. This study attempts to offer insights into how India's higher education system may change to meet the demands of a more connected, competitive, and knowledge-driven world in the twenty-first century by critically analyzing both the potential and difficulties facing the sector with reference to NEP 2020.