Freshers’ Day Push for AI, Robotics and Quantum Tech: Governance Gaps in India’s Higher‑Education Drive

On 19 September 2026, BSNL Deputy General Manager M. Satya Prasad addressed the freshers of Avanthi St. Theressa Engineering College, urging them to specialise in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Quantum Technologies. The ceremony, attended by college officials and the Government Polytechnic principal, highlighted new laboratories and certificate‑course options, signalling a policy thrust that collides with long‑standing constitutional and systemic shortcomings in India’s higher‑education system.

Constitutional Mandate and the State’s Education Obligation

The Constitution obliges the Union and States to secure education as a fundamental right and a directive principle.

• ▸Article 21‑A guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6‑14.
• ▸Article 45, now subsumed under Article 51‑A(k), directs the State to promote early childhood care and education.
• ▸The 2022‑23 Economic Survey records a Gross Enrolment Ratio of 27.1 % for the 18‑23 age group, far below the NEP 2020 target.

While these provisions lay a legal foundation, the translation into higher‑education outcomes remains uneven. The National Education Policy 2020 enshrines emerging technologies as priority areas, yet the constitutional guarantee stops at secondary schooling, leaving higher‑education largely a policy‑driven, non‑justiciable domain. Consequently, the State’s duty to “promote” advanced learning rests on legislative enactments and administrative will rather than enforceable rights.

Policy Emphasis on Emerging Technologies

The freshers’ day event exemplified the NEP’s call for early exposure to frontier fields.

• ▸M. Satya Prasad urged students to pursue AI, robotics and quantum studies on 19 September 2026.
• ▸The college announced certificate courses in these domains from the first year itself.
• ▸Avanthi College has constructed new laboratories to facilitate hands‑on experimentation.
• ▸G. Satyanarayana, Principal of the Government Polytechnic, stressed the need for practical knowledge to foster confidence and innovation.

These initiatives rely on a delivery chain that includes curriculum redesign, industry‑academia partnerships, and skill‑certification bodies. However, without a statutory framework mandating quality standards, the onus falls on individual institutions to secure resources, often leading to disparate outcomes across regions and disciplines.

Implementation Gaps and Last‑Mile Challenges

Even as flagship colleges upgrade infrastructure, systemic bottlenecks persist.

• ▸Over 400 students participated in the Maths Olympiad 2026 in Hubballi, reflecting enthusiasm at the school level but not translating into higher‑education uptake.
• ▸The event was organised by The Hindu in association with local educational bodies.
• ▸CAG audits have repeatedly highlighted the enrolment shortfall, underscoring fiscal inefficiencies.

Low enrolment, faculty shortages, and uneven lab facilities create a “digital divide” that marginalises students from weaker states. The absence of a robust monitoring mechanism means that promises of AI‑focused curricula often remain confined to a handful of well‑funded institutions, widening regional inequities.

Governance Levers: Transparency, Audits and Stakeholder Accountability

Effective redress hinges on institutional checks and citizen‑driven oversight.

• ▸The Right to Information Act 2005 empowers students to demand data on course availability, faculty qualifications and lab utilisation.
• ▸The University Grants Commission Act 1956 authorises the UGC to set minimum standards for emerging‑technology programmes.
• ▸Periodic CAG audits assess financial compliance and enrolment metrics, providing a basis for corrective action.

When these tools are employed rigorously, they can compel state agencies and private colleges to align with constitutional imperatives and NEP goals. Strengthening the feedback loop—through RTI‑driven disclosures, audit‑based incentives, and transparent accreditation—offers a pathway to bridge the gap between policy rhetoric and on‑ground reality.