Dr Vineet Joshi, Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, has stressed the need for a comprehensive overhaul of curricula, teaching approaches, and assessment systems in India’s higher education institutions to keep pace with a rapidly changing world. Highlighting the widening gap between current academic content and real-world developments, he noted that in many cases, students are still being taught material that closely mirrors what their professors studied decades ago.
Pointing to the accelerating pace of change, Joshi observed that transformations that once took 15 to 20 years are now unfolding within just 15 to 20 months. He emphasised that educational institutions must respond proactively to this shift. He also called on vice-chancellors and institutional leaders to take responsibility for ensuring that curricula remain dynamic, relevant, and aligned with contemporary demands.
Joshi was speaking at the inaugural session of the Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit, held at the IIT Bombay Research Park. The two-day event serves as a platform to showcase India’s emerging deep-tech start-ups and foster stronger connections between academia, industry, and innovation ecosystems. He noted that such initiatives play a key role in encouraging stakeholders—including students, educators, and institutions—to rethink and adapt educational frameworks.
The pre-summit precedes the Bharat Innovates 2026 global showcase scheduled to take place in France as part of the India-France Year of Innovation. The initiative aims to present India’s most promising deep-tech ventures to international investors and collaborators.
A total of 137 startups are participating in the pre-summit, with around 120 expected to be shortlisted for the international event. Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood highlighted the importance of increasing the share of deep-tech start-ups within India’s already robust startup ecosystem, noting that this would significantly enhance the country’s technological capabilities.
The event also featured innovative solutions from IIT Bombay, including AI-driven tools for infrastructure monitoring and early detection of oral cancer, underlining the potential of cutting-edge research in addressing real-world challenges.
