India not only lost its top place as the most represented higher-education system to China, several of its marquee institutions saw a significant drop.
India has 54 institutions in the QS World University Rankings, making it the 4th most represented country after the US (192), the UK (90) and China (72).
The Indian education ministry has undergone a significant reshuffle of top officials, including the removal of higher education secretary Vineet Joshi, amidst widespread controversies surrounding NEET-UG paper leaks and CBSE digital evaluation glitches, with the opposition demanding the resignation of Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Noted scientist Prof V Ramgopal Rao highlights India's significant progress in higher education and research but points out a critical gap in converting scientific discoveries into market-ready technologies. He advocates for a robust institutional framework, multidisciplinary collaboration, and stronger academia-industry ties to foster innovation and translate research into practical products.
90 per cent of institutions recorded no improvement in international student metrics, despite government initiatives such as the Study in India programme, UGC regulations on internationalisation, and efforts to attract foreign students.
The overhaul comes after a series of controversies surrounding the conduct of examinations administered by NTA, which has faced questions over examination security and its handling of irregularities.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.
If India wants to satisfy the aspirations of its youth, it will have to revamp the higher education system without ifs and buts
Education sector experts agree that using the "best technology" was essential to ensure students did not have to sit for an examination all over again because of a question paper leak.
Employers are increasingly prioritising professionals with four to 10 years of experience.
Rising study-abroad costs are prompting families to use education loans strategically while preserving savings, liquidity and long-term financial stability, says Yogesh Rawat
'We can integrate AI and tech into education, but that is just a means and not an end.' 'Ultimately, we need to control what happens in a classroom and we need to let teachers innovate their teaching style to suit the needs of Gen Z and beyond.'
'We have to pull 80 million workers out of agriculture and go back to where we were in 2014. That itself is going to be a huge task.' 'We have already lost time, and that is a catastrophe impending.''
Faculty recruitment is conducted directly by universities using global hiring standards while complying with Indian regulations.
High fees do not automatically translate into better teaching or stronger clinical exposure, points out Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is undergoing significant reforms, including the removal of over 50 staff members and the onboarding of new leadership and domain specialists. This comes after recent issues like errors in UGC-NET papers, leading to re-tests, and the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026. The Education Ministry has directed a complete overhaul of exam protocols and a thorough audit of all processes to ensure integrity.
A major 'deliverable' for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit last fall to the United States was the launching of the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative.
21st century may have witnessed expansion of higher educational institutions, but who can afford it? Sushree Panigrahi & Jeet Singh look at the numbers.
Delhi Police detained several anti-reservation protesters at Jantar Mantar who were demanding that economic criteria be prioritised over caste for government support and reservation. The protest, mobilised via social media by 'Reservation Hatao Andolan', proceeded despite police denying permission for Jantar Mantar and offering Ramlila Ground as an alternative venue. Demonstrators called for a review of the existing reservation system and the introduction of a creamy-layer criterion.
'Everything will be decided by the Centre.' 'Universities will have no autonomy to start a new course or introduce a new syllabus.'
Candidates who prefer the paper-based format will be able to register for the final three test dates scheduled in July and August, after which the option will no longer be available in the country.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing it of responding to student demands for accountability and educational reforms with 'cowardice and wanton cruelty,' treating them as 'enemies of the nation.' She further alleged that the government has degraded India's education landscape and routinely chooses violence over dialogue.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated 47 officials and plans legal action following the NEET paper leak controversy. This comes amidst widespread protests and demands for the Education Minister's resignation, as the NTA initiates a major overhaul and recruitment drive to strengthen its operations.
Alert: The US Higher Education Fair, organised by the United States Educational Foundation in India.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged girl students to "smash patriarchy" and criticised the "Manusmriti mindset" during an interaction in Pune, highlighting issues of sexual harassment, safety, and economic independence for women.
How well is your country's healthcare system staffed? We compare the density of essential healthcare professionals across countries, based on figures from World Population Review.
Panagariya is of the view that school education and higher education need to grow together to help India face various challenges.
Will Covid-19 permanently change higher education, asks Ajit Balakrishnan.
The Students and Alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru have opposed Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra attending the upcoming convocation of the varsity.
Students and families must stress test repayment capacity based on Indian salary standards.
International table tennis player Swastika Ghosh, a Commonwealth gold medallist, was felicitated by the University of Mumbai for her role in India's gold-winning campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. She has also been selected for the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Award and the 2026 World Table Tennis Championships.
'Providing funds and autonomy to a few institutions that may not have the intent to excel must not become a case of trying to feed those who are not hungry and starving those who are famished,' says Jitendra Kumar Das, Director, FORE School of Management, New Delhi.
Following the Supreme Court's clean chit in the coal block allocation case, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has lauded former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's integrity and accountability, drawing a sharp contrast with the Narendra Modi government's operational style and alleged misuse of investigative agencies.
'It interferes in administrative matters of institutions, robbing them of their independence in day-to-day affairs and appointments.'
'After more than 12 years in power, he has been forced to retreat under public pressure. The education minister's resignation is the biggest political climbdown of his government so far.'
'After that the burdens of an ageing population will be upon us, and the share of working age population will shrink.'
A Goldman Sachs report indicates that up to 12% of India's non-agricultural workforce is at risk of substitution by generative AI, while 42-48% could be complemented. The report highlights uneven impacts across sectors and job types, with IT-enabled services facing higher risk and physical tasks remaining less affected. Gen-AI is projected to boost India's labour productivity growth over the next decade.
'The prohibition regime has been accompanied by concerns regarding the expansion of the illicit liquor trade, increased enforcement challenges and corruption, and the growing use of alternative intoxicants, including illicit drugs.'
Holding Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for alleged police brutalities on protesting students, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that "Jan Shakti" (people's power) will "drag him out" one day to make him accountable.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear pleas filed by a former IPS officer and two persons, who claimed to have been injured by pellet guns fired during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led students' protest on NEET paper leaks.
