Page 57 - EW August 2025

Special Cover Story Essay

Can India's universities catalyse

a 21st century Renaissance?

DR. S.P. MISHRA

ELIVERING THE B.G. DESHMUKH LECTURE The European Renaissance wasn't led by
2025 in India International Centre, New Delhi on
July 9, Prof. Deepak Nayyar, the highly respected governments — it was led by individuals
Dformer Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, re- and institutions that dared to ask new
marked: “There is a quiet crisis in higher education in India
that runs deep. It is visible.” questions. It was a constellation of dis-
Proof of this quiet crisis in India’s higher education insti- ruptions, innovations, and reimaginings
tutions is that in 2023, over 900,000 Indian students opted
for expensive education abroad, where they spend nearly
$27 billion (Rs.1.25 lakh crore) per year. connected spaces of inquiry. They must reclaim their intel-
Across continents, a quiet but consequential transforma- lectual autonomy, resisting the temptation to become echo
tion is underway. Right-wing populism, once confined to chambers of political ideologies. Governance systems must
the fringes, has now gained a foothold in the political main- be reformed to ensure transparent appointments, protect
stream of countries as diverse as India, Japan, Hungary, academic freedom, and insulate curricula from partisan
Brazil, and the United States. This is not merely a story of control. But this won’t happen seamlessly, as right-wing
electoral victories, it’s a story of ideological conquest. And governments have already seized control over the indepen-
one of its most strategic battlegrounds is the university. dence of higher education systems.
In India, recent reforms such as the National Education The spirit of the Renaissance thrived on synthesis —
Policy (NEP) 2020 and centralisation of university admis- bridging art, science, and philosophy. Similarly, contempo-
sions through the National Testing Agency have raised rary higher education institutions must embrace interdisci-
apprehensions about autonomy and ideological control. plinary research that addresses complex global challenges.
Appointments to academic bodies are being increasingly The integration of ancient philosophical frameworks, such
politicised, and curricula are being reshaped to reflect a as Advaita Vedanta, with modern cosmology is one example
singular national narrative. The outcome is a narrowing of of how timeless wisdom can inform contemporary inquiry.
intellectual space with chilling effect on academic freedom. niversities must also dismantle their ivory towers. They
The late 20th century witnessed emergence of this trend, Uneed to engage with communities, make research ac-
and the decade past has witnessed its acceleration. Now cessible, and promote civic education. Intellectuals must
the question is urgent: Can academia mount meaningful speak not just to each other, but to society. Democratisation
resistance? Can universities lead a renaissance of the 21st of knowledge is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.
century? To answer this question, it’s instructive to look Latter day academic enrichment depends on transna-
back — nearly six centuries — to another area of profound tional alliances. HEIs must collaborate across borders to
transformation. uphold shared values of inquiry, diversity, and truth. Plat-
The European Renaissance, spanning the 14th-17th cen- forms such as Education International and Scholars at Risk
turies, was born from crisis. The Black Death had decimated are already laying the groundwork for such solidarity. They
Europe’s population, feudal structures were collapsing, and need to be supported and encouraged.
the Church’s authority was being questioned. Amid this up- Finally, universities must embrace plurality. The Euro-
heaval, a new worldview emerged — one that celebrated pean Renaissance was not a unified movement -- it was
human potential, secular inquiry, and artistic innovation. fragmented, contested, and resistant to synthesis. This
This renaissance wasn’t led by governments — it was led ethos aligns with postmodern and post-colonial approaches
by individuals and institutions that dared to ask new ques- to knowledge. Universities must welcome diverse episte-
tions. Universities began to shift from theological dogma to mologies, including indigenous and non-Western tradi-
liberal arts and empirical inquiry. Thinker-scholars such as tions, and develop spaces where multiple truths can coexist.
Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus, and Copernicus bridged dis- In his recent address, Prof. Deepak Nayyar warned of the
ciplines and challenged orthodoxy. The Renaissance wasn’t erosion of higher education in India, and made a plea for a
a singular movement, but a constellation of disruptions, renewed commitment to autonomy, equity, and excellence.
innovations, and reimaginings. His words resonate far beyond national borders. The crisis
Today, we find ourselves in a similar time of disruption. is global, but so is potential for renewal.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed systemic fragilities; The 21st century renaissance won’t be led by kings or
trust in institutions is eroding; digital technologies are corporations. It must be led by academics who dare to ask
reshaping how we learn, communicate, and govern. And new questions, challenge old answers, and imagine better
again, the university stands at a crossroads. futures. It must be led by universities.
To lead this renaissance, universities must evolve from But only if they choose to rise to the challenge.
remaining ideological fortresses, into pluralistic, globally (Dr. S.P. Mishra is Founder, India Career Centre, Hyderabad)

AUGUST 2025 EDUCATIONWORLD 57