‘Through the Ministry of Education, the UGC, and various regulatory and accreditation bodies, the Union government possesses substantial leverage over universities and colleges across the country.’
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Higher education in India has emerged as an important site through which the changing dynamics of Indian federalism are being expressed. Issues relating to regulatory authority, curriculum, language policy, public funding, and digital governance have transformed the sector into a critical site where competing visions of the Union and State governments intersect. These developments not only shape the direction of higher education but also illuminate broader questions concerning the distribution of power within the Indian Union. As a result, governance of higher education can no longer be viewed merely as a sectoral policy concern; rather, it has become an integral component of India’s evolving federal architecture.Some recent examples include the contestations surrounding the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 across different States. Recent regulatory reforms facilitating the establishment of foreign university campuses in India have also generated varied responses from State governments, reflecting differing perspectives. This fragmented political landscape has important implications for higher education governance in the country. However, they have received only relatively limited attention.Growing influence of CentreSeveral developments have illustrated these tensions. In Tamil Nadu, the State government repeatedly opposed various aspects of the NEP 2020, particularly the three-language formula as well as the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) circular on the third language this year. Centre-State tensions in higher education were also evident in the disputes over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors and the powers of Governors in States such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and West Bengal.Although education remains constitutionally within the Concurrent List, which gives both the Union and the States legislative authority, the prevailing governance dynamic increasingly favours the Union. Through the Ministry of Education, the UGC, and various regulatory and accreditation bodies, the Union government possesses substantial leverage over universities and colleges across the country.The introduction of the NEP, 2020 is an important restructuring attempt to redesign the architecture of higher education in India. The policy has proposed sweeping reforms, including four-year undergraduate programmes, an Academic Bank of Credits, institutional restructuring, multidisciplinary universities, and internationalisation initiatives. These reforms also represent an expansion of the influence of the Centre into domains that have historically been the preserve of State governments.Moreover, access to central funding now is increasingly dependent on compliance with nationally designed reform agendas. Programmes such as the Institutions of Eminence initiative and competitive research mechanisms under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation have contributed to the influence of the Union government over States’ authority.The role of national regulatory agencies has also become another important site of conflict. The structures proposed by the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which are intended to replace existing higher education regulatory bodies including the UGC, have generated apprehensions regarding the gradual erosion of the authority of State governments. Another important dimension to centralisation is digital governance. Mechanisms such as the Academic Bank of Credits have expanded the capacity of the Union government to standardise and monitor higher education governance across States.In States with strong regional political identities, these reforms are viewed not just as administrative issues but as constitutional questions concerning the balance of power within the Indian Union.Strategic adaptationInterestingly, the implementation of the NEP, 2020 has also revealed that Centre-State relations in higher education are not purely adversarial. Rather than adopting positions of complete acceptance or outright rejection, many States, including Opposition-ruled States, have selectively adapted aspects of reforms in accordance with local political contexts. This reflects the emergence of a more negotiated form of federalism characterised by strategic adaptation.For instance, with respect to internationalisation, several States are seeking to position themselves as regional education hubs by facilitating partnerships with overseas institutions. These developments underscore the growing recognition of higher education as a strategic instrument for global visibility and knowledge-driven development. The debate surrounding the establishment of international branch campuses further illustrates this change. While the regulatory framework and policy direction are largely determined by the Union government, the actual implementation of such initiatives depends substantially on State governments through local administrative clearances, infrastructure support, and investment facilitation.As India’s regional political landscape continues to evolve, the trajectory of higher education governance will depend not only on constitutional provisions or national-level policy frameworks, but also on the capacity of the Centre and the States to negotiate competing political and developmental priorities within the federal structure.Eldho Mathews is with the Kerala State Higher Education Council. Views expressed are personal Published - June 11, 2026 01:12 am IST
