Fix skill gaps and build industry connect to make NEP reforms effective: Academics

Time of India

25-07-2025

Hyderabad: While India's National Education Policy (NEP) emphasises internationalisation of higher education, a study of 165 institutions highlights a different trend: large outflow of Indian students seeking education abroad and limited inflow of international students to Indian institutes.
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Speaking about it at a panel during a NEP conference in Hyderabad on Thursday, academics attributed this to weak industry linkages and poor employment opportunities. Even though Indian institutions offer affordable and quality education, these gaps drive Indian students overseas and deter foreign enrolment, they added.
"This imbalance stems from the fact that our education system often fails to translate into employment," reiterated B J Rao, vice-chancellor of the University of Hyderabad.
He added: "To achieve true internationalisation and global recognition, we must build stronger, more organic linkages between institutions and industry."
Divya Nalla, director of Nalla Malla Reddy engineering college stressed the need to address "foundational issues" to "implement the NEP effectively". "Many students today struggle with basic communication skills; some can't even draft a simple leave letter.
To bridge this gap, we conduct regular language classes. For true internationalisation, our students need to meet global standards, which will in turn justify investments in improving infrastructure to attract students from all over the world," he said.
The study — From Vision to Reality: Tracking NEP 2020 Implementation in Indian Higher Education — has been conducted by QS I-GAUGE, an independent educational rating system, and sheds light on key institutional shortcomings hindering the pace and effectiveness of internationalisation under the NEP.
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Despite the policy's strong emphasis on positioning India as a global education hub, the report states that nearly half of the surveyed institutions — about 45% — still lack dedicated faculty responsible for international engagement.
Additionally, 41% of institutions reported having no active international collaborations, limiting exposure to global academic networks. "Also, 39% of institutions lack the physical infrastructure or administrative offices required to support international students, making it difficult to provide the academic, cultural, and logistical support needed for a truly international campus experience," the study stated.
According to it, 33% of institutions do not have a policy of reserved seats for international students.
Underlining how it's the right time for Indian universities to pursue foreign collaborations, Madan Pillutla, dean, Indian School of Business, said: "Many foreign institutions are coming to India. We should use this opportunity to collaborate with them. This will enhance our academics and put us on the global landscape."