NEP 2020 vital for India’s global education push: Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to turn India into a global education hub by offering high-quality education at affordable costs. He stated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India is encouraging top international universities to set up campuses in the country, while also enabling Indian institutions to expand their global footprint.

Pradhan was speaking at the ‘Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City’ event, where Letters of Intent (LoIs) were handed over to five prestigious foreign universities from the UK, Australia, the USA, and Italy.

These institutions — University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Western Australia, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Instituto Europeo di Design (IED) — plan to establish campuses in India. The Minister called this development a milestone in India's education journey and a sign of growing global trust in India's education system, especially as NEP 2020 completes five years.

The LoI ceremony was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, Principal Secretary Aseem Gupta, and UGC Chairman Dr. Vineet Joshi.

CM Fadnavis noted that the swift approval process shows the government’s commitment to reform. He credited NEP 2020 for enabling foreign universities to become part of India’s education system and said this will benefit students who previously struggled with access and affordability when seeking education abroad.

Now, he said, Indian students can receive global-standard education without leaving the country, making quality international learning more accessible and cost-effective.