India stands at a pivotal moment in its economic and social journey. It is often described as a country on the brink of a demographic dividend, with one of the world’s youngest populations and a growing appetite for education and skills. But this promise comes with a deadline. Demographic advantage is not permanent, and whether India can convert this youthful population into a productive, skilled workforce depends largely on what happens in its higher education system over the next decade.
At the heart of this challenge lies a simple but consequential question: can India expand access to higher education while simultaneously improving its quality, relevance and outcomes?
Universities today are grappling with multiple pressures. Enrolment numbers in several central and state universities have stagnated or declined. Curricula in many disciplines remain outdated, infrastructure struggles to keep pace with modern learning needs and faculty shortages persist. At the same time, students entering higher education bring new expectations. They seek flexibility, employability, global exposure and relevance to a rapidly changing world of work. Navigating these competing demands will determine whether India’s higher education reforms succeed or falter.
The NEP’s Ambition and Why Higher Education Enrolments Matter
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 sets an ambitious target: achieving a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 50 per cent in higher education by 2035. This represents a significant leap from current levels and signals a shift in how education is positioned within India’s development strategy.
Higher enrolment is not an end in itself. It is a means to ensure that a larger share of India’s youth acquires the knowledge, adaptability and skills required for a knowledge-driven economy. As automation, artificial intelligence and technological disruption reshape industries, economies increasingly rely on workers who can learn continuously, think critically and operate in complex environments.
Without expanding higher education access, India risks leaving a large segment of its young population underprepared for emerging opportunities. This would weaken productivity, limit innovation and deepen existing inequalities.
Understanding the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill
The proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, expected to become law in 2025, is a key structural reform aimed at enabling the NEP’s vision. When the NEP was announced, it called for a fundamental rethinking of governance in higher education. The HECI Bill seeks to operationalise that shift.
At its core, the Bill aims to replace fragmented regulation with a unified framework. It proposes reducing bureaucratic complexity, granting institutions greater autonomy and ensuring accountability through mandatory accreditation. By standardising quality benchmarks and tracking institutional performance, the system is designed to direct funding and support toward institutions that need it most, particularly those serving disadvantaged regions and populations.
Beyond governance, the Bill emphasises people and systems. Faculty development, digital infrastructure and outcome-based learning are positioned as central priorities. The focus is not only on expanding enrolments but on strengthening the ecosystem that supports teaching, research and student success.
Another significant aspect is the push toward multidisciplinary education and industry relevance. The Bill encourages institutions to move away from rigid degree silos, enabling students to combine disciplines and acquire practical skills alongside academic knowledge. It also opens pathways for greater international collaboration, aligning Indian higher education with global academic and labour markets.
Why the Push for Higher Education Enrolments Is Urgent
The urgency to expand higher education enrolments stems from structural realities that extend far beyond universities.
First, secondary school completion rates remain uneven across regions and social groups. Many students drop out before becoming eligible for higher education, narrowing the pipeline of potential learners.
Second, limited growth in labour-intensive manufacturing has reduced employment options for school graduates. For many young people, higher education becomes the primary pathway to economic mobility.
Third, female labour force participation remains low, even in states with relatively high education levels. While more women are enrolling in higher education, many do not transition into the workforce. For families, education is still often viewed as a marker of social status or marital prospects rather than a route to sustained employment. Addressing enrolments without tackling these gendered barriers risks limiting the impact of educational expansion.
Fourth, the quality of school education directly shapes higher education outcomes. Underqualified teachers, learning gaps and exam-oriented teaching leave many students ill-prepared for university-level work. This contributes to high dropout rates and weak learning outcomes in higher education.
Despite these challenges, expanding enrolments carries transformative potential. Higher education has historically played a critical role in enabling social mobility for communities that were excluded from opportunity. For many first-generation learners, university access represents not just economic advancement but dignity, aspiration and a sense of belonging in a rapidly modernising society.
Evolving Expectations from Higher Education
Today’s students are not simply seeking degrees. They expect education to equip them for uncertain futures. This shift is visible globally and increasingly evident in India.
Artificial intelligence and automation are altering the nature of work. Lifelong employment within a single profession is becoming rare. As a result, learners value flexibility, modularity and continuous upskilling. Shorter courses, stackable credentials and opportunities to re-enter education after periods of work are becoming more attractive than traditional, linear degree pathways.
Universities worldwide are responding by offering blended and hybrid models that combine online and in-person learning. India must participate actively in this transition. A higher education system that allows students to pause, pivot and re-engage will be better suited to contemporary realities.
Digital Pathways and the Expansion of Access
Digital infrastructure offers one of the most promising avenues for expanding higher education access. For example, digital universities and online programmes can reach learners in regions where physical campuses are scarce. They also reduce costs and allow institutions to scale without proportionate increases in infrastructure.
India has begun to explore this potential. Online degrees, hybrid courses and industry-aligned programmes are gaining ground. When designed well, these models can ease pressure on traditional universities while offering learners skills aligned with evolving job markets.
However, digital expansion must be accompanied by quality assurance, robust assessments and learner support. Without these, digital education risks becoming a second-tier alternative rather than a genuine pathway to opportunity.
What Stakeholders Expect and What Must Improve
For reforms to succeed, the expectations of key stakeholders must be addressed.
State governments seek clarity on their roles within a unified regulatory framework. Higher education is a shared responsibility, and coordination between central and state authorities will be essential.
Educational institutions want reduced administrative burdens, faster decision-making and autonomy that is linked to performance rather than compliance. Many institutions struggle under layers of approval processes that slow innovation and responsiveness.
Industry partners are looking for deeper collaboration in designing curricula, assessments and training pathways. Employers increasingly value skills and adaptability over credentials alone.
At the same time, systemic challenges persist. Accreditation coverage remains uneven. Data systems across institutions lack consistency. Financial support mechanisms are not uniformly aligned with performance or need. If reforms do not address these gaps, institutions risk falling behind as demand for higher education continues to grow.
Higher Education Enrolments as a Measure of Equity and Opportunity
The narrative of India’s growth is inseparable from the question of who gains access to higher education. Enrolment figures are not just indicators of capacity. They reflect the inclusiveness of the system.
When higher education expands equitably, it enables participation from communities historically excluded by geography, caste, gender or income. It strengthens social mobility and builds a workforce capable of sustaining long-term growth.
However, expansion without attention to quality, relevance and outcomes risks creating credentials without capability. The challenge lies in balancing access with excellence.
Smile Foundation’s Work
Smile Foundation’s education interventions focus on strengthening the pipeline that feeds into higher education. Through its Mission Education programme, we work with children from underserved urban and rural communities to reduce learning gaps, improve retention and prevent early dropouts. By supporting students through foundational learning, remedial education and secondary schooling, the programme helps ensure that more young people reach the stage where higher education becomes a real possibility rather than a distant idea.
For many first-generation learners, financial barriers remain one of the strongest deterrents to pursuing higher studies. Smile Foundation’s Swabhiman scholarship initiatives address this constraint directly by providing merit-cum-need based support to students, particularly girls and young women, enabling them to complete schooling and transition into higher and technical education. By easing financial pressure on families, these scholarships help shift perceptions of higher education from a risky expense to a viable investment.
The Foundation also recognises that enrolment alone does not guarantee meaningful outcomes. Its focus on life skills, digital literacy and career-oriented exposure helps students develop the adaptability and confidence increasingly demanded by higher education institutions and the labour market. In doing so, Smile Foundation complements the NEP’s emphasis on holistic, multidisciplinary learning and employability.
As India works towards its goal of a 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio by 2035, partnerships between government systems, educational institutions and civil society will be crucial. Organisations like Smile Foundation help bridge the gap between policy intent and lived reality, ensuring that higher education reforms translate into genuine access, sustained participation and upward mobility for students who have historically been left at the margins.
Looking Ahead
The NEP’s higher education enrolment targets and the HECI Bill together signal a recognition that incremental reform is no longer sufficient. India’s higher education system must evolve rapidly to meet the aspirations of its youth and the demands of a changing economy.
The coming decade will test whether governance reforms, digital expansion and curriculum innovation can translate into meaningful outcomes for students. Success will depend on sustained political commitment, institutional capacity and collaboration across sectors.
Higher education enrolments are a reflection of India’s ability to invest in its people, reduce inequality and harness its demographic potential. How the country responds now will shape not only its economic trajectory, but the futures of millions of young Indians seeking opportunity, dignity and purpose through education.
