IIT-Madras Director Outlines Strategy to Reach 50% Higher Education Enrollment by 2035
Director V. Kamakoti proposes a community-driven ripple effect to meet National Education Policy goals. The plan relies on students and parents actively mentoring marginalized families.
Grassroots Mobilization to Meet National Education Policy Goals
India can realize its National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 objective of a 50 percent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035 through a structured collaborative strategy. V. Kamakoti, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, detailed this outlook on Sunday during the annual day celebrations at Sandipandi Vidyalaya School. He argued that institutional efforts alone are insufficient without a broader societal push toward inclusivity.
The Ripple Effect Strategy
To bridge the current gap in higher education participation, Kamakoti suggested a specific peer-to-peer engagement model. According to a press release detailing his speech, the director recommended that higher secondary students and their families take personal responsibility for local outreach. Key points of his proposal include:
- Individual households engaging with two to three families from marginalized backgrounds.
- Motivating these families to pursue enrollment in higher education institutions.
- Generating a voluntary 'ripple effect' across the national school system to scale impact.
During the event on July 27, 2026, the IIT-Madras head also participated in awarding prizes to school toppers and recognizing teachers for their contributions. He emphasized that this direct form of community advocacy serves as the most viable path toward the 2035 deadline.
Source: The Hindu — Cities
