Education National Opinion

Old India Built Institutions. New India Is Building Optics

There was a time when India invested in universities with a clear academic foundation. Institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science, the Indian Institutes of Technology and the National Institutes of Technology were designed around research depth, faculty quality and long term academic credibility.

They were not built for quick visibility. They were built for substance.

Recent patent data between 2020 and 2025 highlights the difference in approach. IISc, IITs and NITs are converting roughly 40 to 46 percent of their patent filings into granted patents. That is a strong validation rate by any standard.

At the same time, some newer private universities such as Galgotias University and others have filed thousands of patents but secured approvals at rates below one percent.

This contrast is not about public versus private ownership. It is about institutional philosophy.

The older model focused on building a research culture first. Faculty recruitment was rigorous. Funding was competitive. Internal peer review was strong. Patent applications were screened before filing. Industry collaboration was driven by real technical problems. As a result, when a patent was filed, it had a reasonable chance of being granted.

The newer model in parts of the private sector appears to prioritise measurable output that improves rankings and perception. Patent filings become a visible indicator. They can be counted and reported. But if the underlying research depth is not equally strong, approval rates remain low.

The concern is not that private universities exist. India needs them to expand access to higher education. The concern is whether the system is encouraging real innovation or rewarding visible activity.

Old India focused on building institutions that would earn credibility over decades. If New India shifts toward institutions that prioritise optics over academic foundation, the long term cost will not be in rankings. It will be in research quality and global trust.

The data on patents is not just a statistic. It is a reflection of the kind of higher education culture we are choosing to promote.

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