The NEP 2020 aims to develop intellectual, aesthetic, social, physical, emotional, ethical and moral facets of an individual in an integrated manner, thereby contributing directly to transformation of the country and making India a global knowledge superpower. What constitutes an HEI, that is, a university or a college, is also defined in the NEP 2020. Large multidisciplinary HEIs to be established in or near every district by 2030 is one of the most significant recommendations in the NEP 2020. A multidisciplinary institution should not only have different departments, but also should have innovative programmes of a multi- and interdisciplinary nature to help widen learners’ thinking and learning capability and train them to address emerging challenges.

The way proposed in the NEP 2020 to end fragmentation of higher education is by transforming HEIs into multidisciplinary universities, colleges and clusters and knowledge hubs. The types of HEIs envisaged are:

• Multidisciplinary research-intensive universities (RUs)
• Multidisciplinary teaching-intensive universities (TUs)
• Degree-awarding multi-disciplinary autonomous colleges (smaller than a university)

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