Nation Needs Universities that Align with Vision 2047

Jhunjhunu has long been known for giving India many of its leading industrial houses and hundreds of entrepreneurs. Yet, even after seventy-eight years of Independence, the district itself remains bereft of industrial development—waiting, as it were, for a political or industrial catalyst to trigger real change.

Coincidentally, after my retirement from the Government of India on 31 October 2025, I had the opportunity to visit three major universities during the first fortnight of November. On November 5, I visited the Maharishi University of Information Technology, Noida (Uttar Pradesh); on November 6, Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, Rewa (Madhya Pradesh); and on November 11, Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan).

Noida, Rewa, and Jhunjhunu—three distinct cities—mirror three different stages of India’s urban and educational evolution. Noida represents rapid modernization; Rewa, steady development; and Jhunjhunu, the struggle of an underdeveloped region striving to find its footing. For India to achieve its Vision 2047 goal of becoming a developed nation, all three must rest on three crucial pillars: industry, metro connectivity, and vibrant universities.

Noida already has all three—industries, an expanding metro network, and a thriving university ecosystem—and continues to surge ahead. Uttar Pradesh is clearly in the midst of a transformation. Rewa, meanwhile, boasts good universities but lacks industrial and metro linkages. Aligning these academic institutions with the development roadmap of the Vindhya region is vital if Madhya Pradesh is to achieve accelerated progress.

Jhunjhunu, however, needs all three—industrial expansion, metro connectivity, and a strengthened higher education base. The Shekhawati region remains industrially backward and awaits both infrastructure and intent. Unfortunately, both are missing. While the district does have a university presence, the University Grants Commission’s restrictive approach has pushed many private universities into crisis. Instead of reforming, the UGC seems to be reprimanding—an attitude that could prove detrimental in the long term: anti-employment, anti-education, and ultimately, anti–Vision 2047.

For universities to truly power national growth, the government, private institutions, and the UGC must undertake serious introspection. Institutions in Noida, Rewa, and Jhunjhunu should be evaluated by common standards but supported with locally nuanced strategies. Beyond serving as centres of learning, universities must evolve into engines of knowledge-driven growth—hubs for innovation, entrepreneurship, and the effective implementation of government schemes at the district level.

Every university, big or small, should figure in periodic reviews of national policies and developmental initiatives. The Centre and states must empower not only the big public universities but also smaller and private ones, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to India’s growth story.

In regions lacking industry, the MSME sector must be energised to fill the void. Even in backward areas, the idea of metro connectivity should not be dismissed as fanciful. Imagine metro trains linking Jhunjhunu to Churu in Rajasthan or Rewa to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh—with MSME corridors flourishing along these routes. Such networks would transform local economies, generate employment, and stem the tide of migration. What sounds visionary today must soon become actionable policy.

If India is to become a developed nation by 2047, every state—developed, developing, or underdeveloped—must advance together. The regulatory framework in backward regions should be reformist rather than restrictive, enabling rather than obstructing. In this, universities must be seen not merely as educational institutions but as vital partners in regional transformation.

Just before retirement, I had the privilege of engaging with vice-chancellors, professors, and students at Bundelkhand University, Allahabad University, Delhi University, North Eastern Hill University, and the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University. Each of these institutions is ready to contribute to the nation’s development journey—they only await a positive nudge and an enabling environment.

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