Renowned Indian economist, historian, and member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM), Sanjeev Sanyal, has ignited a nationwide debate on the future of higher education. In a candid interview on the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, aired toward the end of December 2025, Sanyal described the current model of university education—particularly its reliance on lecture-based classrooms and rigid, outdated curricula—as increasingly irrelevant and, in many ways, a “waste of time.”
Sanyal’s remarks come at a time when artificial intelligence (AI) and rapid technological advancements are reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace. He argued that AI tools are “vastly superior” to traditional university systems when it comes to delivering cutting-edge, up-to-date knowledge. University curricula and faculty, he pointed out, simply cannot match the speed at which technologies—such as smartphones and AI platforms—evolve, often changing dramatically every few months.
Reflecting on the historical context, Sanyal noted that widespread university attendance is a relatively modern phenomenon. Until the 20th century, attending university was largely an elite activity reserved for a small segment of society. Most people throughout history have led productive and successful lives without formal degrees. He emphasized that the current mass-scale, lecture-centric approach to tertiary education is losing relevance in an AI-driven world.
Drawing from personal experience, Sanyal shared that during his own college days, he often felt he was wasting time. While he gained some valuable education, he described spending hours in unproductive classroom settings, attending classes minimally and finding little connection between the structured lectures and real-world learning. He stressed that his critique is not a dismissal of universities entirely. “That does not mean universities have nothing to do,” he clarified, “just that doing it the way they are doing it today is a waste of time.”
Sanyal’s comments extend beyond universities to broader issues in India’s education and career landscape. He has repeatedly criticized the national obsession with competitive exams like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services examination, calling the pursuit of such roles for job security a “complete waste of time” in the current era. With lakhs of young aspirants dedicating years to preparation only to face extraordinarily low success rates, he argued that this drains youthful energy and diverts talent from more dynamic, skill-oriented paths.
Instead, Sanyal advocated for a fundamental shift toward more practical and flexible models of learning and career development. He recommended:
- Encouraging early entry into the workforce, such as starting apprenticeships or jobs at age 18 while continuing education part-time.
- Prioritizing real-world skills and on-the-job training, as industries often advance faster than academic institutions.
- Embracing AI as a powerful tool for personal and professional upskilling, rather than resisting the disruption it brings.
- Exploring online learning, remote examinations, and hybrid approaches that blend theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
These views build on Sanyal’s earlier statements from 2024 and mid-2025, where he questioned the wisdom of treating UPSC success as a primary life goal and highlighted how technology is eroding the relevance of rote-based, exam-centric systems.
The interview has gone viral, with clips and headlines circulating widely across social media and news platforms. Supporters praise Sanyal for highlighting the urgent need to modernize India’s higher education amid AI disruption, while critics argue that his statements undervalue the social, intellectual, and networking benefits of traditional universities.
As India enters 2026, Sanyal’s provocative take has fueled broader global conversations about the future of tertiary education: Should society continue investing heavily in conventional degrees, or pivot toward agile, skill-focused, and technology-integrated alternatives? His call challenges policymakers, educators, and young Indians to rethink how knowledge is acquired and applied in a rapidly changing world.
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