National Education Policy 2020: Higher Education and Research

NEP 2020 seeks to reshape India’s higher education system through multidisciplinary institutions, stronger research support, and more flexible governance. It also opens the door for foreign universities and new regulatory arrangements to improve access, quality, and global linkage.

Institutional Growth and Regulatory Reorganisation

India’s higher education network has expanded rapidly, creating a need for simpler regulation and better coordination. As per AISHE 2023–24, the system includes 1,289 universities and 48,246 colleges, with enrolment of 4.50 crore students and a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 29.5%.

• Single regulator proposal: The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025 proposes to replace the UGC Act, 1956, the AICTE Act, 1987, and the NCTE Act, 1993 with one umbrella regulator.
• Parliamentary scrutiny: The VBSA Bill, 2025 is pending review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chaired by Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari.
• Regulatory scope: The proposed body will not have the function of allocating grants to higher education institutions, unlike the traditional UGC model.
• Professional courses excluded: Medical, legal and some other professional courses are outside its direct regulatory ambit.
• PM-USHA support: Under PM-USHA (Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan), 35 selected institutions have been allotted Rs 100 crore each to transition into Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs).

Multidisciplinary Universities and Research-Oriented Reform

NEP 2020 places strong emphasis on multidisciplinary learning and research-led institutions. The goal is to move away from narrow disciplinary silos and create campuses that combine teaching, innovation and research under one framework.

• MERU model: Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities are meant to serve as institutions with strong teaching and research capacities.
• Funding-linked transformation: PM-USHA assistance is being used to support the institutional shift towards multidisciplinary structures.
• Governance focus: The new approach aims to simplify regulation while encouraging institutional autonomy and academic flexibility.

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

The ANRF is the apex body for promoting research in universities and research institutions. It was established under the ANRF Act, 2023 and is designed to seed, grow and facilitate research through a structured funding mechanism.

• Leadership: Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ANRF.
• Budget support: The Union government allocated Rs 2,000 crore to ANRF for FY 2026–27.
• Utilisation: Rs 76.58 crore had been utilised up to late July 2026.
• PM ECRG: The Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant provides up to Rs 60 lakh over three years.
• Other schemes: The Advanced Research Grant (ARG) and National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) are also active under ANRF.

Internationalisation of Higher Education

NEP 2020 supports the entry of foreign higher educational institutions in India to raise standards, broaden choices and deepen academic collaboration. Two regulatory routes are being used: the UGC framework for campuses on the mainland and the IFSCA framework for campuses in GIFT City.

• UGC route: Under UGC Regulations, 2023, the University of Southampton is the first foreign university approved to establish an independent campus in Gurugram.
• IFSCA route: In GIFT City, Gujarat, Deakin University and the University of Wollongong have set up active campuses.
• Upcoming campuses: Coventry University and Queen’s University Belfast are scheduled to begin academic operations in January 2026.
• Regulatory update: The IFSCA introduced the IFSCA (Setting up and Operation of International Branch Campuses) Regulations, 2026, shifting to a broader Foreign Higher Educational Institution (FHEI) framework.
• Service model recognition: The Academic Infrastructure Service Provider (AISP) model has also been formally recognised.

Equity Regulations and Campus Safety

Alongside expansion and internationalisation, NEP-related reforms also cover equity and discrimination safeguards in higher education institutions. However, some of these measures have faced judicial intervention.

• Supreme Court stay: In August 2026, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026.
• Task force review: The stay remains in place pending a report from the National Task Force on preventing campus discrimination.
• Chairmanship: The National Task Force is chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice S. Ravindra Bhat.

Key Prelims Takeaways

• AISHE 2023–24: India has 1,289 universities, 48,246 colleges, 4.50 crore students and a GER of 29.5%.
• VBSA Bill, 2025: Proposes one umbrella regulator in place of UGC, AICTE and NCTE.
• JPC oversight: The VBSA Bill is under review by a JPC chaired by Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari.
• PM-USHA: 35 institutions have been allotted Rs 100 crore each for transition into MERUs.
• ANRF: Established under the ANRF Act, 2023; headed by CEO Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman.
• ANRF grants: PM ECRG provides up to Rs 60 lakh over three years, along with ARG and N-PDF.
• Foreign campuses: University of Southampton is the first approved foreign university campus in Gurugram; Deakin and Wollongong operate in GIFT City.