National Youth Day: How universities are shaping India’s future leaders

New Delhi: Every year, National Youth Day is celebrated with great pomp on January 12th to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. As India moves towards becoming a 'Viksit Bharat', everyone must acknowledge that youth play a cornerstone role. India is making steady strides toward reaching its ambition of being a world leader in Knowledge and Innovation by 2047; Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will play a significant role in facilitating this transition by transforming themselves into innovative environments prior to 2026, moving away from their traditional roles as a place to provide formal instruction.

In an exclusive interaction with TV9, Dr Tanya Singh, Dean of Academics, Noida International University, believes that universities will begin preparing future leaders to be ethical, globally minded, digitally fluent, and socially responsible.

Today's universities have become breeding grounds for leadership development. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, these schools help students develop a foundation of knowledge while participating in an interactive way to build upon their current experiences and create a plan for their future. The current way learning occurs (in 2026) will move away from a reliance on memorising facts, focusing instead on developing competencies through action and taking ownership of their continued development via reflection and accountability.

Dr Tanya Singh said, "The future of leadership will be filled with a diverse population of leaders such as entrepreneurs, researchers, policy creators, social entrepreneurs, educators, and technology experts. The universities are taking notice of this diversity and are creating ecosystems to help students identify and develop their individual leadership opportunities."

It is envisaged that the curricula at all progressive Indian universities should align their courses and prepare students with the required skills to be able to fulfill the national priorities. This alignment is happening through visibility of course intersections and demonstrating the growing trend for interdependence within each of these fields.

The Leadership Module includes critical thinking, decision-making, public policy awareness, emotional intelligence, and Ethics and is embedded into academic programs through different methodologies such as Case-Based Learning, simulations, and project-based assessment. In combination with these methodologies, students are developing analytical skills that will enable them to assess complex situations and subsequently develop skills to lead a team, make better-informed decisions in an environment of uncertainty.

Grooming individuals into leadership roles cannot only happen within a classroom context. Therefore, many universities have established various ways for students to gain practical experience in leadership roles outside of the classroom setting. Examples of these platforms include student government organisations, academic interest groups, cultural organisations, business incubators, and various forms of community service organisations. These types of organisations provide students with opportunities to hone their skills in areas such as communication, conflict management, responsibility, and teamwork.

"In 2026, mentoring became part of the educational experience of university students through a formalised approach where faculty mentors provided guidance and support as well as industry experts acting as advisors to students, and also alumni in leadership roles acting as models for the students throughout their academic and life journeys. A new culture of mentoring has helped support students in developing their confidence, increasing their sense of purpose and building their perseverance, Dr Tanya added. 

University leadership development programs place a strong emphasis on practical experience by providing opportunities for students to connect with industry through practical projects/internships, short-term project work, and campus- and industry-based mentorship relationships. By participating in activities related to their field early in their education, students gain insight into how organisations function, what is expected of them as future leaders, and what is considered professional behaviour.

As the world shifts towards being more interconnected by 2026 and beyond, there is an increasing need for students to enjoy broader international exposure. To meet this challenge, the establishment of Global Collaboration Programs, opportunities for students to participate in international exchanges, and global classrooms have enabled Indian students to develop international competencies and global perspectives, thereby becoming successful leaders globally. Universities are providing an opportunity for students to have a local mindset but to act globally.

Innovation provides students with the opportunity to examine the traditional business models of society and create solutions to problems facing society and industry. Universities encourage students to lead with innovation by identifying issues, developing solutions, building teams, and managing resources. Students from engineering, healthcare, humanities, and sciences are encouraged to be agents of change.

To be a sustainable leader, core values play an essential role. Therefore, by 2026, all schools of Higher Learning have made ethics and empathy as well as social responsibility their primary values for leadership. They also provide their students with the opportunity to participate in meaningful hands-on experiences in the community through rural immersions, sustainability projects, Social Internships, etc. This allows students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to be responsible stewards of our planet. Universities are dedicated to creating a system of constitutional values, promoting inclusive practices, gender sensitivity, and environmental responsibility. As a result of these programs, the future leaders will be successful as well as fair, compassionate, and committed to nation-building.

Faculty members play a significant role in mentoring, educating, and assisting in developing future leaders. Faculty members have an important function—as teaching professionals. Therefore, faculty members must continue to develop professionally throughout their careers as professionals where new knowledge is required for the education of students around the world. By developing new knowledge based on the latest ideas and practices, they will be able to be effective professors. Additionally, faculty should have continued access to research participation opportunities.

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When students see their faculty demonstrating integrity, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to lifelong learning, these qualities become a part of the students’ own style of leadership. In 2026, universities across India will no longer simply serve as institutions for transmitting knowledge; instead, they will have become architects of the future leadership capital of India. Universities will prepare their students to be competent, confident, and conscientious leaders through the use of a future-ready curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, mentoring, developing innovative ecosystems, and providing value-based education to their students.

Knowledge, purpose, and ambition meet ethics, and education contribute to nation-building at the university level, being where India's leaders will come from. Universities do much more than just provide students with skills to become employed; they also play a role in developing the future leaders of India.