Abstract

The vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 places higher education at the heart of India’s developmental journey, positioning universities and colleges as critical drivers of innovation, skilled human capital, and inclusive growth. However, the sector faces multiple issues and challenges that must be addressed to realize this vision. Key concerns include disparities in access and equity, gaps in quality and global competitiveness, inadequate research output, outdated curricula, and limited industry–academia collaboration. Rapid technological disruption, digital divides, and the need for lifelong learning further intensify the pressure on existing systems. At the same time, India’s demographic dividend, expanding digital infrastructure, and policy frameworks such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 present significant opportunities to reshape higher education. Potential solutions lie in fostering multidisciplinary and research-oriented learning, strengthening public–private partnerships, leveraging emerging technologies like AI and online platforms, promoting internationalization, and ensuring affordability alongside excellence. This paper explores these issues, challenges, and pathways to reform, emphasizing that achieving Viksit Bharat 2047 will require a higher education ecosystem that is innovative, inclusive, globally competitive, and aligned with national priorities of sustainable and equitable development.