Government Sets Up Panel to Restructure Association of Indian Universities in Line with NEP 2020
The Indian government has constituted a high-powered committee to comprehensively review and restructure the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), bringing it into alignment with the goals outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The move is also aimed at preparing the AIU for integration within the envisioned Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), reflecting the broader aim of reforming higher education regulation in India.
This initiative signals a pivotal shift in the governance of AIU—an organisation that represents nearly 1,000 universities across the country—by transitioning it from an independent body to one more closely associated with government-led policy frameworks. With NEP 2020 prioritising multidisciplinary learning, academic mobility, and global engagement, the restructuring seeks to equip AIU with a modern mandate that supports these reforms effectively.
The formation of this committee is significant because it reflects the government’s intent to streamline and modernise AIU’s role within a centralised, yet reform-driven higher education landscape. By aligning it with the NEP and laying the groundwork for HECI integration, the panel’s recommendations are expected to redefine how AIU functions, potentially shaping future university collaboration, standard-setting, and degree equivalence processes.