NEW DELHI: The Two-day Vice-Chancellors’ Conference of Central Universities commenced at Kevadia, in Gujarat on June 10, with the participation of more than 50 Vice-Chancellors of leading higher education institutions to review and strategise the implementation of NEP 2020.
Organised by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Central University of Gujarat, the event aims to consolidate and map the institutional progress of Central universities in mapping up the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Participating in the programme, Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan said in the last decade, India’s higher education ecosystem has undergone a fundamental transformation making it flexible, interdisciplinary, inclusive and innovation driven.
Highlighting the concept of Panch Sanklapa of NEP 2020, Pradhan said this would be the guideline for the VCs in their universities. The prominent themes are Next-Gen emerging education, Multidisciplinary education, Innovative education, Holistic education and Bharatiya Education.
The Minister urged the VCs to devise changes to implement the objectives of the academic Triveni Sangamam through the following objectives- Celebrating the past (India’s richness), calibrating the present (India’s narrative correction), and creating the future (India’s role in the global order). This would ensure understanding the past, uncovering the present and unfolding the future in the contemporary framework.
50% GER in higher education by 2035
Emphasising that it is important to raise the GER in higher education to 50% by 2035 by taking definitive actions in critical areas such as redesigning curricula, building digital systems, training faculty and promoting multidisciplinary approaches, Pradhan said it was imperative for the VCs to act as catalysts in shaping the mind-set and aspirations of students.
The universities must follow “Students-First” approach, he said.
The minister called upon the participants of the meeting to prepare a strategy paper for a full implementation of NEP 2020. It should include multidisciplinary integration of subjects, mainstreaming Indian Knowledge System (IKS), devising strategies for tech driven education to promote skilling, campus initiatives on innovation and integration of technology with traditional values.
With Vice Chancellors’ and academic leaders at the Chintan Shivir of Vice Chancellors’ at Statue of Unity, Kevadiya, reaffirming our commitment to collectively transform higher education, set the future course of NEP implementation and shape the future of education.
Our… pic.twitter.com/cCfEYUwgUN
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 10, 2025
Dr. Hashmukh Adhia, Chancellor, Central University of Gujarat, outlined ‘Six Principles’ of karmayoga and emphasised the role and importance of Indian Knowledge Systems in the lives of individuals, society and the nation.
Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Higher Education, said the NEP 2020 laid out an ambitious, yet achievable, vision for India’s higher education system—rooted in accessibility, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability. It reimagines our institutions not as degree-granting bodies, but as ecosystems of innovation, critical thinking, research, and holistic development.
Foundational pillars
Dr. Sunil Barnwal, Additional Secretary, Higher Education highlighted the role of the five foundational pillars of NEP 2020 namely Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability.
Prof. Rama Shanker Dubey, Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Gujarat, mentioned that all Central Universities would take proactive steps to implement the vision of Viksit Bharat through their individual campuses.
The discussions over the two days are expected to cover three key areas:
Strategic Alignment: To ensure that Central Universities are aligned with the policy’s next-phase goals.
Peer Learning and Knowledge Exchange: To foster dialogue among academic leaders on institutional innovations, enabling environments, and shared challenges.
Forward Planning and Readiness: To prepare institutions for upcoming policy milestones, regulatory transitions, and the global academic landscape of 2047.
The conference will cover key aspects of higher education – teaching/ learning, research and governance through ten thematic sessions spread over the 2 days aligned with the key pillars of NEP 2020 —Equity, Accountability, Quality, Access and Affordability.
Some participating institutions include the University of Delhi, Central University of Haryana, Assam University, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Kashmir, Visva-Bharati, National Sanskrit University, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), Sikkim University, Tripura University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), University of Allahabad, and many others.
The inaugural featured discussions on six thematic sessions centered on strengthening the pillars of India’s higher education ecosystem, Academic mobility, aligning teaching & learning with Future of Work, skill alignment, digital education, university governance systems, Equity in higher education and integration of Indian Knowledge Systems.