Students across India will have a new multidisciplinary institution as Nayanta University prepares to begin its academic journey in August 2025. Located in Pune, the new visionary institute has been established under Maharashtra State Private University Act. With the aim to shape the future of higher education, Nayanta University offers an immersive, fully residential undergraduate program designed for today’s global dynamic landscape.

The pioneering institution is co-founded by a distinguished group of industrialists including Raj Dugar, Bharat Puri, Naushad Forbes, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Nadir Godrej, Meher Pudumjee and Satish Reddy.

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‘Nayanta’ meaning ‘new hope’ represents the university’s dedication to fostering innovation, empowering students and contributing to a better tomorrow. Emphasising the university’s focus on providing a student-centred education, Dr Ranjan Banerjee, CEO of Nayanta Education Foundation claimed, “At Nayanta, we are committed to nurturing self-awareness and personal growth. We believe in providing each student with the mentorship and guidance they need to thrive, both academically and personally.”

The university focuses on four key pillars: ‘Care’, which fosters an environment where students receive personalised mentorship; ‘Curiosity’, which encourages a thinking mindset and inspires to think critically; ‘Confidence’, through practical experience and rigorous curriculum, students will gain confidence to work in a practical setting; and ‘Careers’, with tie-ups across top industries, the institute enhances employability in diverse fields.

Speaking to The Statesman, Dr D. Parthasarathy, Head of Academics at Nayanta Education Foundation, highlighted a defining feature of the university, “Traditionally, students in Indian universities are required to choose a single subject for their graduation. Often, they select a subject, influenced by their parents or peers and are unable to change it later. However, at Nayanta, we will provide a 16-month foundation program. Throughout the program, students will be able to explore multiple disciplines across science and social sciences before selecting a particular specialisation for the remaining duration of the four-year program.” He further specified that this aligns with the new National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasises interdisciplinary learning and flexibility.

The university also offers partial and full scholarships for underprivileged students.  “Nayanta believes that financial constraints should never limit a student’s access to quality education. We have a very strong affirmative action program. Fifty per cent of the students will come from underserved and less privileged communities. They will be admitted on the basis of merit, but will be given scholarships depending on their financial needs,” Banerjee stated.

Another key differentiator of the university is its collaboration with leading corporations. In partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Godrej, Bajaj, Thermax, Forbes Marshall and various other government and private organisations, the university will provide students with opportunities for internship and placements across various sectors. “As per the course, each student will undertake three one-month immersions in government, corporate and social sectors. This will be followed by a five-month internship in their chosen field. The basic goal is to give students exposure to different industries, help them identify their field of interest, and develop their skills accordingly,” Parthasarathy shared. He further added, “Unlike traditional trends, where only engineering students dominate industries, globally, professionals from diverse academic backgrounds such as biology, anthropology or philosophy are securing leading roles in industries. We want to bring that shift to India.”

As the admissions for the inaugural cohort of students has already begun in February 2025, the university is ready to create future-ready professionals, who are not just job seekers, but are problem solvers and leaders in their respective fields.