Good education policy starts with listening, and listening takes the right people in the same room. Hinduja College was honoured to take a seat at one such table, an important dialogue in Mumbai on student concerns and the future of higher education.

A Conversation That Mattered

The dialogue brought together some of the key voices shaping higher education in Maharashtra. Hon’ble Deputy Speaker Shri Sachin Ahir and Hon’ble Minister of Higher and Technical Education Shri Chandrakant Dada Patil were joined by senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Shri B. Venugopal Reddy, Director of Higher Education Dr. Shailendra Deolankar, and Director of Technical Education Dr. Pramod Naik. Together, they created a platform focused on student welfare, academic development and where higher education is headed.

Who Represented Hinduja College

Our college was represented by Principal Prof. (Dr.) Navin M. Punjabi, Dr. Antara Sonawane Sarode, Chief Coordinator for Integrated Programmes, and Mr. Sanjay Patil, Registrar. Having academic leadership, programme coordination and administration all present meant the college could engage with the discussion from every angle that shapes a student’s experience.

Why Dialogues Like This Matter

Conversations between institutions and policymakers rarely make headlines, yet they shape much of what students experience day to day. When educators and officials sit down together, concerns raised on campus get a direct route to the people who can act on them. These interactions strengthen collaboration between institutions and government, and help keep policy grounded in the realities students actually face.

Putting Students at the Centre

The heart of the dialogue was a simple idea: higher education works best when it is progressive, inclusive and student-centric. For Hinduja College, that idea isn’t new. It runs through how we approach academics, student support and campus life, and it’s why taking part in discussions like this one matters to us.

Connecting Campus Concerns to the Bigger Picture

Being part of this dialogue also helps the college stay closely connected to developments across the wider higher education sector. Student welfare, academic development and the future shape of higher education are shared concerns, and no single institution can address them alone. Participating in forums like this one is one way we contribute to the broader conversation.

Our Continued Commitment

Hinduja College remains committed to taking part in constructive discussions and initiatives that support student welfare and the ongoing advancement of higher education. Our involvement in this dialogue reflects that commitment, and our hope that every student, in every institution, benefits from a system built around their needs.

Looking Ahead

Conversations like these are a reminder that progress in education happens gradually, through steady engagement and a willingness to listen. We’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of this one, and we’ll keep working to make sure our students’ voices, and their futures, stay at the centre of it.

Want to know more about what’s happening at Hinduja College? Visit Hinduja College to see what’s next.