Sachchida Nand Tripathi

India’s ambition to become ‘Viksit Bharat’ will depend as much on the strength of its universities as on economic growth or technological capability. As the country positions itself in areas such as climate action, clean energy, digital systems, and advanced manufacturing, higher education must produce graduates who can think across disciplines, adapt to change, and contribute to complex problem-solving.

Data from October 2024 and 2025 illustrate the challenge. In October 2024, the city’s PM2.5 levels rose from around 57 micrograms per cubic metre in the first week to 128 by mid-month, pushing the Air Quality Index (AQI) from “moderate” to “very poor.” A year later, in October 2025, PM2.5 climbed from roughly 45 to 153 micrograms, and the AQI reached about 286.