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@article{209111,
        author = {G MAHENDER GOUD},
        title = {Centralization versus Federalism in Indian Higher Education Governance: A Systematic Policy Analysis of NEP 2020 and the Evolving Role of the UGC},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {5},
        pages = {723-729},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=209111},
        abstract = {The governance of higher education in India has long been characterized by a dynamic tension between centralization and federalism. While the Constitution situates education within the Concurrent List, enabling shared responsibility between the Union and the states, recent reforms—especially the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020—signal a major restructuring of regulatory authority. This study conducts a systematic policy analysis to examine how NEP 2020 and the evolving mandate of the University Grants Commission (UGC) reshape India’s higher education governance landscape. Using a qualitative design grounded in document analysis, the research integrates federalism theory, regulatory governance frameworks, and centralization–decentralization perspectives to analyze policy documents, legislative texts, state responses, and scholarly literature. Findings reveal that the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) architecture—comprising NHERC, NAC, HEGC, and GEC—centralizes regulation, accreditation, funding, and curricular standards, thereby reducing the discretionary role of state governments. While the policy aims to enhance transparency, coherence, and academic quality, it also raises concerns about diminishing state autonomy, asymmetric adoption across regions, fiscal dependency, and constrained institutional flexibility. The study argues that although NEP 2020 advances efficiency and standardization, sustaining India’s constitutional federalism requires strengthening cooperative federal mechanisms, ensuring contextual adaptation, and enhancing state-level capacity. The paper contributes to ongoing scholarly discourse on education governance by offering a conceptual model that illustrates the centralization–federalism interaction and provides policy recommendations for a balanced governance approach.},
        keywords = {Higher education; NEP 2020; federalism; regulatory governance; HECI; UGC reforms},
        month = {October},
        }