Dr. S.P. Mishra

The European Renaissance wasn’t led by governments — it was led by individuals and institutions that dared to ask new questions.  It was a constellation of disruptions, innovations, and reimaginings

Delivering the B.G. Deshmukh Lecture 2025 in India International Centre, New Delhi on July 9, Prof. Deepak Nayyar, the highly respected former Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, remarked: “There is a quiet crisis in higher education in India that runs deep. It is visible.”

Proof of this quiet crisis in India’s higher education institutions is that in 2023, over 900,000 Indian students opted  for expensive education abroad, where they spend nearly $27 billion (Rs.1.25 lakh crore) per year.

Across continents, a quiet but consequential transformation is underway. Right-wing populism, once confined to the fringes, has now gained a foothold in the political mainstream of countries as diverse as India, Japan, Hungary, Brazil, and the United States. This is not merely a story of electoral victories, it’s a story of ideological conquest. And one of its most strategic battlegrounds is the university.

In India, recent reforms such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and centralisation of university admissions through the National Testing Agency have raised apprehensions about autonomy and ideological control. Appointments to academic bodies are being increasingly  politicised, and curricula are being reshaped to reflect a singular national narrative. The outcome is a narrowing of intellectual space with chilling effect on academic freedom.

The late 20th century witnessed emergence of this trend, and the decade past has witnessed its acceleration. Now the question is urgent: Can academia mount meaningful resistance? Can universities lead a renaissance of the 21st century? To answer this question, it’s instructive to look back — nearly six centuries — to another area of profound transformation.

The European Renaissance, spanning the 14th-17th centuries, was born from crisis. The Black Death had decimated Europe’s population, feudal structures were collapsing, and the Church’s authority was being questioned. Amid this upheaval, a new worldview emerged — one that celebrated human potential, secular inquiry, and artistic innovation.

This renaissance wasn’t led by governments — it was led by individuals and institutions that dared to ask new questions. Universities began to shift from theological dogma to liberal arts and empirical inquiry. Thinker-scholars such as Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus, and Copernicus bridged disciplines and challenged orthodoxy. The Renaissance wasn’t a singular movement, but a constellation of disruptions, innovations, and reimaginings.

Today, we find ourselves in a similar time of disruption. The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed systemic fragilities; trust in institutions is eroding; digital technologies are reshaping how we learn, communicate, and govern. And again, the university stands at a crossroads.

To lead this renaissance, universities must evolve from remaining ideological fortresses, into pluralistic, globally connected spaces of inquiry. They must reclaim their intellectual autonomy, resisting the temptation to become echo chambers of political ideologies. Governance systems must be reformed to ensure transparent appointments, protect academic freedom, and insulate curricula from partisan control. But this won’t happen seamlessly, as right-wing governments have already seized control over the independence of higher education systems.

The spirit of the Renaissance thrived on synthesis — bridging art, science, and philosophy. Similarly, contemporary higher education institutions must embrace interdisciplinary research that addresses complex global challenges. The integration of ancient philosophical frameworks, such as Advaita Vedanta, with modern cosmology is one example of how timeless wisdom can inform contemporary inquiry.

Universities must also dismantle their ivory towers. They need to engage with communities, make research accessible, and promote civic education. Intellectuals must speak not just to each other, but to society. Democratisation of knowledge is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

Latter day academic enrichment depends on transnational alliances. HEIs must collaborate across borders to uphold shared values of inquiry, diversity, and truth. Platforms such as Education International and Scholars at Risk are already laying the groundwork for such solidarity. They need to be supported and encouraged.

Finally, universities must embrace plurality. The European Renaissance was not a unified movement — it was fragmented, contested, and resistant to synthesis. This ethos aligns with postmodern and post-colonial approaches to knowledge. Universities must welcome diverse epistemologies, including indigenous and non-Western traditions, and develop spaces where multiple truths can coexist.

In his recent address, Prof. Deepak Nayyar warned of the erosion of higher education in India, and made a plea for a renewed commitment to autonomy, equity, and excellence. His words resonate far beyond national borders. The crisis is global, but so is potential for renewal.

The 21st century renaissance won’t be led by kings or corporations. It must be led by academics who dare to ask new questions, challenge old answers, and imagine better futures. It must be led by universities.

But only if they choose to rise to the challenge.

(Dr. S.P. Mishra is Founder, India Career Centre, Hyderabad)