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Introduction

As Kerala enters a new phase of educational reform with the Kerala Private Universities Bill, it is crucial to examine its implications for academic quality, curriculum design, and access to higher education. While the state government assures adherence to global standards, questions remain around regulatory oversight, affordability, and institutional autonomy.

Understanding Quality in Higher Education

Quality education is more than academic excellence—it includes skills, values, and critical perspectives essential for building a sustainable and equitable society. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 champions multidisciplinary learning, research, and inclusive education, offering a framework that private universities in Kerala can align with—if effectively regulated.

Private Universities in India: The Bigger Picture

India has around 430 UGC-recognised private universities as of 2025. Many top-ranked institutions (e.g., Ashoka, BITS Pilani, Manipal) demonstrate that private participation, when monitored, can enhance educational quality. However, unregulated privatisation—as seen in states like Punjab—has also led to commercialisation and compromised standards.

Lessons from Other States

States like Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu have successfully integrated private universities into their higher education ecosystem through robust frameworks. These models reflect the potential for quality private institutions—when backed by clear regulatory mechanisms and public accountability.

Kerala’s Move: What’s at Stake?

Kerala’s proposed bill opens the door for reputed private players to enter a traditionally public-education-driven state. While the bill outlines quality parameters, critical concerns remain:

• Will it protect curriculum autonomy and academic freedom?

• Can it maintain affordability and equitable access?

• How will it align with NEP 2020 goals?

This webinar aims to explore how Kerala, through its State Private Universities Bill 2025 can strike a balance between innovation and integrity in academic quality, curriculum design, and access to higher education.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS

• Exploring how academic quality will be ensured under Kerala’s emerging private university framework.
• Assessing how it can can reflect the state’s socio-economic realities.
• Drawing on learnings from other states and countries regarding the regulation of private universities.
• Discussing the alignment of the bill with NEP 2020 principles.

SPEAKERS

Dr Ram K Sharma

Vice Chancellor, UPES, Dehradun, India

Dr Ram Sharma has been driving academic transformation and innovation, internationalization, and the use of technology to address issues related to access, quality, and equity in higher education. He has also championed STEAM and experiential education across higher educational organizations.

He has expertise in setting up greenfield universities as well as transforming brownfield institutions, and has held leadership roles in several reputed organizations including Shiv Nadar University (SNU), Plaksha University (an upcoming STEM university sponsored by some of the founders of Ashoka University and others), UPES Dehradun, Amity University, and KPMG in India. He has helped these institutions establish and transform key verticals such as curricular design, development, new product launches, teaching and learning, research, entrepreneurship and innovation, e-learning, and quality assurance—including strategic interventions for rankings and accreditations.

Dr Ram led the efforts in preparing a successful application for Shiv Nadar University under the Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme of the Government of India, which involved creating a long-term business and academic plan.

Ram is a life-long learner who believes in an open work environment built on empathy and trust. He enjoys learning online, discovering new cultures and geographies, and is deeply fascinated by the philosophies of Advaita and Buddhism.

He has been a Fulbright Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) at Coursera, and a Chevening Gurukul Fellow at the University of Oxford, with a focus on leadership and excellence.

Dr Vivek Ahuja

Director, Accreditation, Ranking and Compliance, & Doctoral Programs, FLAME University, Pune

Dr Vivek Ahuja is the Director of Accreditation, Ranking and Compliance, and Doctoral Programs at FLAME University, Pune. He brings extensive experience in academic leadership, policy implementation, and institutional development within Indian higher education. At FLAME, he plays a key role in steering accreditation strategy, ensuring regulatory compliance, and overseeing the governance of doctoral programs.

Previously, Dr. Ahuja led the academics and peer learning functions at the Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University. He has also held academic and administrative positions at Amity University and Shiv Nadar University, where he contributed to curriculum design, policy formulation, academic operations, and taught courses in entrepreneurship and strategic management.

Dr. Ahuja holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration, an MBA, and a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology Engineering. His research interests include higher education leadership, quality assurance frameworks, entrepreneurship, and institutional policy. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes, and he is the author of a book on Social Entrepreneurial Intent.

Mr Pankaj Ballabh

Advisor, Nayanta University, Pune

Pankaj has worked for over 30 years in the Sustainability and Social Impact space.

Pankaj has spent close to two decades working on Sustainability and CSR. He also worked with grassroots organisations for over a decade. He is currently advising Nayanta University (Pune) on Affirmative action and Inclusion, and also supports Astytva‘s work with underprivileged children.

MODERATOR

Dr Aswani R S

Associate Dean, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, IILM University, Greater Noida

Dr. Aswani R S is the Associate Dean of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at IILM University, Greater Noida. She holds a PhD and M.Phil with a focus on the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific, along with an MBA in Energy Management. Her research spans international relations with an emphasis on geostrategic themes, including non-traditional security threats, non-state actors, and strategic alliances.

Dr. Aswani’s research on the geopolitics of climate change and energy transition has been published in high-impact journals. In 2023, she served as a South Asian Futures Fellow and undertook a month-long residency in Sri Lanka focused on climate cooperation between India and Sri Lanka. In 2024, she visited Australia as a Special Defence Visitor to study security relations within the QUAD framework. She was also invited by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam to participate in the South China Sea Conference (2023) and the 10th Ocean Dialogue (2022), contributing to discussions on maritime security challenges in the region.

Aswani is the recipient of several awards, including the Academic Excellence Award – UPES (2022), Excellence in Journalism – Press Club Trivandrum (2015), and the Best Dissertation Award – TV Paul, McGill University, Canada (2014).

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