New varsities could also be beneficial to local students (Editorial)
How many universities should Goa have? What spin-offs will they bring to the state? And are there ways to secure the maximum benefits from them? Earlier this month, the Goa Public Universities Bill, 2025, was tabled in the state assembly and sent to a Select Committee for reconsideration. Naturally, such thoughts might enter the minds of all concerned about higher education in our region.
Until very recently, Goa had limited options for higher education. The changing situation could soon bring in a whole lot of choices.
The Goa government has given in-principle approval to four private universities under the Goa Private Universities Act. Additionally, under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the state is planning to establish new public ‘cluster universities’.
Can Goa sustain so many universities? Though students here might still struggle to get the options they want, it is also true that Goa’s higher education ecosystem is fairly dense for a small state of 16 to 17 lakh population. Besides Goa University, the main affiliating university, the state currently has an IIT, an NIT, and between 53 and 61 affiliated colleges in fields like arts, science, commerce, engineering, law, and pharmacy, among others. The student base is limited, and some prefer to go out of Goa or even abroad for their higher studies. Existing colleges have at times reported declining enrolments, while lifelong learning among adults has not taken root due to strict attendance requirements.
Goa’s push towards more universities can be seen as a way of political signalling and NEP 2020 compliance. The Union government has pushed for more universities, especially private and cluster ones, under the National Education Policy. Goa has shown its willingness to align with the NEP as a whole. There is also private investment lobbying and the possibility of large land allocations. Above all, Goa wants to market itself as an educational hub, even though its student base is limited. Many cities and countries across the globe have done so, with varying degrees of success.
Do the figures add up? Roughly speaking, if there are 1,35,000 young people in the student age group for higher education (19-23 years of age), and an estimated 30% of these get enrolled, that would make for a total of 40,500 students. The current supply in Goa University, IIT, NIT and all affiliated colleges is approximately 40,000 seats. This roughly matches demand, though a few seats are in high demand, and, at the other end, there are seats with few to no takers. The new universities (four private ones) could add up to 20,000 more seats, creating a total of 60,000-plus seats.
This need not be an argument against expanded higher education, which most right-thinking minds will only be in favour of. But there is indeed a need to ensure that this drive can somehow fill Goa’s higher education gaps. We need to rethink whether higher education leads to jobs, and if so, what kinds of degrees are needed at the moment, and at what cost. There was a debate in the recently held monsoon session of the Goa assembly on the Goa Public Universities Bill, 2025, and also on the possible implications for Goa University. Goa must ensure that more of its young citizens (and even the not-so-young) get access to the knowledge they need to lead more fulfilled lives and act as better citizens, which the country always needs more of. If the new universities can offer job-oriented education at a reasonable price, it would benefit local students, as it could stop the trend of youngsters going out of Goa for education.
