New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- India's chief economic adviser Anantha Nageswaran has called for states to have a bigger role in driving the next phase of higher-education reforms, arguing that India's ability to convert its demographic advantage into long-term growth will depend on how quickly universities adapt to changing economic and technological realities.

Speaking at the CII Global Higher Education Summit in New Delhi, Nageswaran said states must move away from a high-control approach towards stewardship, address faculty shortages through flexible mechanisms such as professors of practice, and shift the focus of regulations from inputs to outcomes. A professor of practice is a specialized faculty position designed to bring industry experts,...