NEP 2020\'s Effect on the Culture of Research and Innovation in Indian Higher Education

Abstract

A revolutionary framework designed to restructure India\'s educational ecosystem is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The influence of NEP 2020 on the culture of research and innovation in Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) is investigated in this study. The study examines changes in institutional structures, funding mechanisms, interdisciplinary research, industry-academia linkage, incubation and entrepreneurship initiatives, faculty and doctoral student surveys, policy analysis, and case studies of six HEIs across regions and types using a mixed-methods approach. Through suggested initiatives like the National Research Foundation (NRF), emphasis on multidisciplinary institutions, and encouragement of translational research, NEP 2020 has sparked policy-level momentum for research and innovation. However, actual change on the ground is still uneven, according to the findings. Major obstacles include inconsistent leadership commitment, academic workload and compensation schemes, poor research infrastructure in many HEIs, and delayed funding flows. The article ends with suggestions for institutional changes, policy implementation goals, and future research directions.

Introduction

• NEP 2020 is one of India's most ambitious education reforms since independence, replacing the 1986 policy.

• It aims to transform India's education system to meet the demands of a 21st-century knowledge society.

• The focus has shifted from rote learning to creativity, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and research-driven learning.

2. Key Objectives and Vision

• Make universities hubs of innovation and research, not just centers of teaching.

• Emphasize multidisciplinary education, digital integration, and skill development for global competitiveness.

• Introduce the National Research Foundation (NRF) to support high-quality research across disciplines, including STEM, social sciences, and the humanities.

3. Systemic Challenges in Indian Higher Education

Despite a large university network, India’s research output remains below global standards due to:

1. Low funding for research compared to developed countries.

2. Siloed academic disciplines, limiting interdisciplinary work.

3. Weak academia-industry linkages, affecting real-world impact.

4. Bureaucratic hurdles and inadequate infrastructure for young researchers.

4. NEP 2020: Proposed Reforms

• Strengthen institutional autonomy, create research clusters, and build innovation incubators.

• Integrate vocational education with higher learning.

• Encourage research in both STEM and non-STEM fields (AI, data science, environment, arts, social sciences).

• Promote inquiry-based, project-oriented learning from the undergraduate level.

• Foster international collaboration through student/faculty exchanges and partnerships with foreign universities.

5. Inclusivity and Equity

• NEP 2020 emphasizes that research shouldn't be limited to elite institutions (IITs/IIMs) but also involve:

  • State universities

  • Rural colleges

  • Private HEIs

• This inclusive approach is intended to:

  • Bridge urban-rural gaps

  • Enable locally relevant innovations

  • Address socio-economic challenges (healthcare, agriculture, sustainability)

6. Implementation Challenges

To succeed, NEP 2020 requires:

• Adequate funding

• Institutional reform

• Faculty training in research

• Industry partnerships

• Monitoring systems for policy outcomes

• Addressing regional disparities and adapting implementation to local contexts.

7. Research Focus of the Current Study

The study aims to evaluate how NEP 2020 affects the research culture in Indian HEIs by investigating:

1. Impact on research environments in colleges and universities.

2. Role of tools like autonomy, interdisciplinarity, and the NRF.

3. Challenges and opportunities in implementing reforms.

4. NEP 2020’s role in positioning India as a global knowledge leader.

8. Research Gap

• Although NEP 2020 has been widely discussed, empirical studies on its research and innovation impact are limited.

• Existing studies mostly focus on:

  • Curriculum changes

  • Policy theory

  • Equity implications

• Very few use primary data (surveys/interviews) to assess institutional practices, research outputs, and innovation.

9. Literature Review Highlights

• Globally, HEIs are key drivers of national development through research and innovation.

• Countries like USA, Europe, and China have strong research ecosystems that India aims to emulate.

• Indian HEIs suffer from poor industry-academia links, underfunding, and overemphasis on teaching.

• NEP 2020 aims to fix these through:

  • The NRF

  • Promoting interdisciplinary and applied research

  • Encouraging faculty autonomy and entrepreneurial ecosystems

10. Methodology of the Study

• Mixed-methods design including:

  1. Policy/document analysis

  2. Surveys (300 respondents: faculty, PhD students, research administrators across 6 HEIs)

  3. Secondary data (publications, grants, patents, startups)

• Data collection: January–April 2024

• Analysis methods: Descriptive statistics, thematic analysis, trend observation (2018–2024)

11. Study Limitations

• Not nationally representative

• Incomplete data sets from some HEIs

Conclusion

Having the goal of establishing an environment that is focused on innovation and research, the National Education Policy 2020 offers a revolutionary vision for Indian higher education. This study shows that NEP 2020 has increased student participation at the postgraduate and doctorate levels and had a favorable impact on research culture, particularly in central and private institutions. Significant obstacles are also shown by the data, such as differences in institutional ability, a lack of money, poor infrastructure, little business cooperation, and unequal student awareness. In order to achieve NEP 2020\'s goal of an inclusive, interdisciplinary, and internationally competitive research environment, these issues must be resolved. Indian higher education institutions may promote a long-lasting culture of research and innovation by raising awareness, bolstering facilities and financing, establishing industry connections, and placing a strong priority on the development of professors and students. Future studies will also be necessary to track developments, assess results, and offer evidence-based suggestions for ongoing policy enhancement. In conclusion, NEP 2020 has the potential to make India a center of knowledge and innovation on a global scale, but its success hinges on its efficient execution, fair resource allocation, and active involvement from all parties involved in the higher education system.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Prasanna Ganpatrao Chavan. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.