CHENNAI: Home to the world’s youngest population, India’s development depends on how well its students are prepared to convert ambition into action. At the ThinkEdu Conclave 2026, former University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar and Dr Girija Vaidyanathan, former chief secretary to Tamil Nadu government, spoke about how education policy can support this in a fast-changing world.

In a session titled ‘Dreamers and Doers: The Next Gen Student’, moderated by author Shankkar Aiyar, the speakers discussed how well the next generation is equipped to dream and to act. Prof Jagadesh Kumar referred to the Madras Presidency about 200 years ago, and said the region’s education system was socially inclusive, accessible and of high quality. Citing Thirukkural, he argued that India must move away from rigid Western models of education and revive practices such as multidisciplinary education. “We have emphasised this in NEP 2020, so that our students will become dreamers and doers,” the former UGC chairman said.

On the future of education, Dr Vaidyanathan opined, “Study from anywhere will become the norm in the future except for real-life courses.” He urged students to focus on building products, adding that experiential learning, integrated with personalised education, is set to shape the coming years.