Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday highlighted the pivotal role of the education sectorin realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) by the year 2047. Speaking at the Vice-Chancellors’ Conference of Central Universities in Gujarat's Kevadia, Pradhan stressed the need to build an Indian model of development rooted in the nation's heritage, values, and culture.

“When we are envisioning an Indian model of a developed nation, the greatest responsibility lies with the education sector,” he said.

Reimagining Development: An Indian Perspective

The Union Minister questioned whether India should blindly adopt the global definition of a developed nation or create its own narrative through dialogue and consultation. He called on citizens to define prosperity through an inclusive and culturally relevant lens, rather than adhering solely to Western economic benchmarks.

Transformations in Higher Education

Pradhan underlined that India’s higher education ecosystem has been transformed significantly in recent years—becoming more flexible, inclusive, innovation-driven, and interdisciplinary in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Key Highlights:

• Total student enrolment has reached 4.46 crore, marking a 30% increase since 2014–15.

• Female enrolment has grown by 38%, with the female Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) now exceeding that of males.

• PhD enrolments have nearly doubled, with female PhD scholars witnessing a 136% rise.

Inclusivity Among Marginalised Communities

Significant strides have been made in improving access for historically underrepresented communities:

• GER among Scheduled Tribes has risen by 10 percentage points.

• GER for Scheduled Castes has increased by 8 percentage points.

These achievements reflect progress toward the equity goals laid out in NEP 2020.

🎯 Target: 50% GER by 2035

Pradhan reaffirmed the national objective of achieving 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education by 2035. To reach this milestone, he emphasized reforms in:

• Curriculum redesign

• Digital infrastructure

• Faculty capacity-building

• Multidisciplinary learning models

About the Conference

The two-day Vice-Chancellors' Conference includes 10 thematic sessions focusing on:

• Teaching and Learning

• Research and Innovation

• Higher Education Governance

The sessions are aligned with NEP 2020’s five pillars: Equity, Quality, Access, Affordability, and Accountability.

Participating Institutions

Prominent central universities participating in the conference include:

• University of Delhi

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

• University of Allahabad

• Central University of Haryana

• Assam University

• Visva-Bharati

• Sikkim University

• Tripura University

• National Sanskrit University

• Central University of Rajasthan

• Central University of Kashmir

• Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University

• Indira Gandhi National Tribal University

With a clear focus on equity, excellence, and innovation, the education sector has emerged as the cornerstone of India’s development journey. As India aspires to become a developed nation by 2047, systemic reforms and inclusive growth in the education sector will play a decisive role in shaping a self-reliant and culturally rooted Viksit Bharat.