Dharmendra Pradhan opens VCs' meet to review NEP 2020 implementation

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday inaugurated a two-day Vice Chancellors’ Conference in Kevadia, Gujarat, bringing together over 50 heads of central universities to evaluate the progress and strategise the next phase of implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The conference, jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and the Central University of Gujarat, marks five years since the rollout of NEP 2020 and serves as a platform to align institutions with the national vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Addressing the inaugural session, Shri Pradhan underscored the transformation in India’s higher education landscape over the last decade. He highlighted the rise in total enrolments to 4.46 crore—a 30% growth since 2014–15—along with significant progress in inclusivity, particularly the 38% rise in female enrolment and the increase in GER among SC and ST communities. Notably, the GER for women has now surpassed that of men, and the number of PhD scholars, especially women, has seen a steep climb.

The Minister laid out the



Panch Sankalp—five guiding principles of NEP 2020—as the roadmap for university leadership: Next-gen emerging education, Multidisciplinary education, Innovative education, Holistic learning, and Bharatiya Knowledge Systems. These, he said, must be integrated into campus practices to foster a culturally rooted yet globally relevant education ecosystem.

Emphasising a “students-first” approach, Shri Pradhan called on Vice Chancellors to shape institutions that prioritise student growth, skilling, and innovation. "Students are the core strength of our nation. We must prepare them to be not only job seekers but job creators, social entrepreneurs, and ethical innovators," he stated.

The minister reiterated the government’s goal of increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50% by 2035. He stressed the need for universities to reform curricula, enhance digital infrastructure, invest in faculty training, and encourage multidisciplinary integration to meet this target. To this end, he urged every university to prepare a strategic roadmap for implementing NEP 2020 in full spirit.