In this exclusive conversation with Outlook, Prof. (Dr.) Karamjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, outlines an ambitious vision for reimagining public higher education in India. At the heart of his tenure lies a bold integration of regional identity and technological advancement — from the “Punjabi First” initiative to the establishment of the Surjit Patar Ethical Centre for AI. Rooted in the moral philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev, his approach seeks to harmonise language, ethics, and innovation in an AI-driven era. Addressing issues ranging from employability and research impact to student well-being and global competitiveness, he presents a roadmap for transforming a public university into a nationally recognised model of value-based, innovation-led education.
Q1. What single reform at the university will define your tenure as Vice-Chancellor?
If I must identify one defining reform, it would be the structural repositioning of Guru Nanak Dev University as a value-rooted, language-empowered, ethically driven modern university through the twin initiatives of “Punjabi First” and the establishment of the Surjit Patar Ethical Centre for AI.
The Act of Guru Nanak Dev University is not merely an administrative document; it carries a moral and cultural mandate — to promote Punjabi language, preserve regional heritage, and uphold the ethical values inspired by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Over time, like many institutions, universities tend to drift toward standardisation and metric-driven competition. My conviction has been that global excellence and regional identity are not opposites — they must reinforce each other.
The “Punjabi First” initiative is therefore not linguistic nostalgia. It is a structural reform. It ensures that Punjabi becomes a functional academic, research, and technological language in administration, digital content, AI training datasets, and skill development. If Punjab is to participate meaningfully in the AI age, our language must not remain confined to literature alone — it must enter code, computation, governance, and innovation.
Parallel to this, we have conceptualised the Surjit Patar Ethical Centre for AI, named after one of Punjab’s finest literary minds. Artificial Intelligence is reshaping education, governance, and society. But technology without ethics can deepen inequality and algorithmic bias. Inspired by Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s principles of truthfulness (Sach), humility (Nimrata), and universal welfare (Sarbat da Bhala), the Centre aims to embed ethical reasoning, transparency, and accountability within AI research and pedagogy.
In essence, this reform integrates:
Language with technology
Identity with innovation
Ethics with enterprise
If, at the end of my tenure, Guru Nanak Dev University is recognised nationally as a university that demonstrated how a regional language and spiritual ethos can power modern technological leadership — that will be the reform I would like to be remembered for.
Q2. Punjab has many higher-education challenges — where do you think Guru Nanak Dev University can lead the state nationally?
Punjab faces three structural challenges: youth migration, skill mismatch, and overdependence on limited economic sectors.
Guru Nanak Dev University can lead nationally in three areas:
Sports Excellence as Institutional Strength – We are the only university in India to win the MAKA Trophy 25 times . This proves that holistic education is not rhetoric; it is measurable.
Research Growth Model – Our h-index has risen from 62 in 2017 to 175 in 2025. This shows how focused research ecosystems can elevate public universities.
Entrepreneurship & AI Integration – By combining AI-driven courses with start-up incubation, we aim to retain talent by creating opportunity within Punjab rather than exporting it.
Our ambition is to make Guru Nanak Dev University a model for value-based, innovation-driven public higher education in India.
Q3. Is the traditional university model becoming outdated, and how is your institution reinventing itself?
The traditional university model is not outdated — but it is incomplete.
The 20th century focused primarily on knowledge transmission.
The 21st century demands knowledge application, ethical intelligence, and interdisciplinary agility.
However, while we modernise, we must not forget a fundamental truth: public universities in India have historically been the greatest engines of social mobility. They opened their doors to poor, rural, first-generation, and brilliant students — many of whom went on to bring laurels to Bharat in science, civil services, sports, literature, and industry. That democratizing role must never be diluted.
At Guru Nanak Dev University, reinvention is therefore not only technological — it is moral and structural.
We are modernising in four visible ways:
Introducing AI-based and job-oriented programmes aligned with emerging industries
Digitising governance through RFID libraries, e-office systems, and smart campus infrastructure
Expanding access via Open & Distance Learning to remove socio-economic barriers
Strengthening research funding and our IPR ecosystem to convert ideas into patents and societal solutions
But alongside these reforms, we anchor ourselves in the ethical framework inspired by Guru Nanak Dev Ji— Sach (truthfulness), Kirat (dignified effort), Vand Chhakna (equitable sharing), and Sarbat Da Bhala (welfare of all).
In today’s context, these values translate into:
Transparency in governance
Equal opportunity in admissions and support
Ethical deployment of technology
Ensuring that innovation benefits society, not just markets
Reinvention must therefore be inclusive. Public universities cannot carry this responsibility alone. If India wants equitable growth, both government and industry must strengthen public institutions — because they educate the largest and most diverse segment of the population.
Technology without access widens inequality.
Innovation without inclusion weakens democracy.
Our effort at Guru Nanak Dev University is to demonstrate that a public university can be technologically advanced, globally competitive, and yet deeply committed to social justice.
Modernisation, for us, does not mean abandoning values.
It means expressing them in contemporary form.
That is how the mission of Sarbat Da Bhala becomes institutional reality.
Q4. If you had to choose one: global rankings, research output, or student employability — what comes first and why?
Student employability comes first.
Rankings and research matter — and we are strengthening both — but the primary moral obligation of a public university is to prepare students for dignified, productive lives. India’s demographic dividend will become a liability if graduates leave campuses with degrees but without competence.
Our focus is therefore clear: every student must either be employable or entrepreneurial.
Employability today is not just placement statistics. It means problem-solving ability, technological fluency, communication skills, ethical professionalism, and adaptability. At the same time, we are cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset so students can become job creators, not merely job seekers.
Public universities have historically enabled poor, rural, and first-generation learners to rise and serve the nation. If industry and government truly want inclusive growth, they must invest in strengthening this ecosystem.
When universities produce skilled, ethical, self-reliant citizens, rankings will follow naturally — but nation-building will lead the way.
Q5. Many graduates struggle with job readiness. What is the one skill gap universities must urgently fix?
The most urgent skill gap we must address is the ability to apply knowledge to solve real-world problems with confidence, creativity, and responsibility.
Our students are intelligent and ambitious. The DNA of Punjabi youth is defined by hard work, innovation, and resilience. Across continents — in business, agriculture, science, and public service — Punjabis have demonstrated global leadership. The challenge is not capability; it is structured preparation.
Universities must prepare students not only for Punjab, not only for India — but for the world. However, global leadership does not emerge in abstraction. It is built through solving concrete problems.
Punjab today faces critical issues — declining groundwater levels, sustainable agriculture, diversified irrigation models, rural enterprise transformation. If students can design solutions for these complex challenges, they will be equipped to lead anywhere in the world.
NEP-2020 rightly emphasises multidisciplinary learning, experiential education, and skill integration. We must translate that into project-based learning, industry immersion, agri-tech innovation labs, interdisciplinary problem centres, and international collaborations.
We must teach students to think globally, compete globally, and lead globally — while remaining capable of innovating for their soil.
The future belongs not merely to job seekers, but to globally competent, locally grounded solution creators.
Q6. How are you ensuring that academic research moves beyond papers and impacts industry and society?
For too long, research in many universities has been evaluated by publications alone. Our approach is different — research must demonstrate measurable social and industrial relevance.
We have taken several structural steps.
First, I have directed all Deans and Research Boards that while approving PhD and funded research proposals, the potential social, economic, or technological impact of the research must be clearly articulated. Research topics are now being evaluated not only for academic novelty, but for societal relevance — particularly in areas such as sustainable agriculture, groundwater management, renewable energy, public health, and sports science.
Second, we have strengthened our IPR and Patent Support ecosystem to ensure ideas move from laboratory to protection and commercialization.
Third, through the Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, promising research outcomes are incubated into start-ups, bridging academia and enterprise.
Additionally, we are actively engaging with foreign universities for joint research publications and collaborative projects, ensuring global standards while addressing local needs.
However, universities cannot do this alone. For research to truly transform society, industry and government must partner proactively — through funded projects, shared laboratories, pilot implementation platforms, and innovation grants.
If research remains confined to journals, it informs debate.
If research reaches industry and policy, it transforms society.
Our goal is the latter.
Q7. With AI reshaping education, what changes will students at your university actually see in classrooms this year?
AI is not a distant concept for us — it is already entering the classroom in structured and responsible ways.
This year, students will experience AI-assisted learning modules, interdisciplinary technology-driven projects, recorded and hybrid lectures for flexibility, and faculty who are being systematically trained to use AI as a pedagogical tool rather than a shortcut.
But our approach goes beyond classroom tools.
We have roped in our distinguished alumni — many of whom are working in leading global technology firms — and constituted a Strategic Advisory Board that includes Indian and international AI experts. They are actively guiding us on how to implement new ideas in ways that are academically rigorous, socially responsible, and contextually relevant.
AI will supplement, not replace, human mentorship. We are embedding ethics, critical thinking, and accountability into AI education so students learn not just how to use technology, but how to use it responsibly.
Our goal is simple: global competence, grounded in values.
Q8. Funding pressure affects most public universities — what innovative revenue or partnership models are you exploring?
Public universities today face a structural funding challenge. However, the solution is not commercialization — it is strategic diversification with autonomy.
At GURU NANAK DEV UNIVERSITY, we are building a multi-layered partnership model.
One significant example is the generous contribution of our USA-based alumnus, Sardar Jaspreet Singh, Attorney, who has established Sikh Studies Chairs at the university. This diaspora-supported endowment demonstrates how alumni can become institutional nation-builders.
With his support, we have also conceptualized innovative academic offerings such as an AI-based certificate course titled “Punjabi for Non-Punjabi Speaking People”, aimed at global learners, as well as structured courses on Sikh history and civilizational studies. These programs not only preserve heritage but also create new academic revenue streams through global digital outreach.
Beyond diaspora partnerships, we are expanding:
Industry-linked sponsored research and collaborative laboratories
Skill certification programs for lifelong learners and working professionals
Start-up incubation models that encourage revenue-generating innovation
Alumni engagement platforms that channel mentorship, internships, and funding
Our objective is clear: diversify funding without diluting academic integrity.
Public universities must be supported by government, strengthened by industry collaboration, and empowered by alumni philanthropy — so they can continue to provide equitable access to quality education.
Financial sustainability must reinforce academic excellence, not compromise it.
Q9. Student mental health and campus safety are major concerns nationwide. What systems have you put in place?
We believe mental health is not addressed by reaction alone — it requires preventive, structural systems.
At Guru Nanak Dev University, we focus on building belonging, discipline, and purpose.
We are the only university in India to have won the prestigious MAKA Trophy 25 times, reflecting sustained excellence in sports. Participation in athletics, team events, and national competitions creates resilience, confidence, and peer bonding — essential foundations for mental well-being. Similarly, our strong performance in youth cultural festivals nurtures creativity and emotional expression.
Academically, we have developed a mentorship-driven culture and structured policies — including our first-ever comprehensive sports policy — ensuring fairness and clarity.
Our Psychology Department is now exploring structured counselling outreach in Punjab’s border districts, in collaboration with district administration, recognising the region’s unique social pressures.
Beyond systems, we organise melas, seminars, and workshops that promote ethical reflection and discipline. Inspired by Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s message — “Thaal vich tin vastu paio: Sat, Santokh, Vicharo” (Truth, Contentment, Contemplation) — we encourage students to cultivate balance in a high-pressure world.
Mental well-being grows where structure meets values.
Q10. If we interview you again in five years, what measurable transformation would you want us to see on campus?
In five years, I would want you to see a university that has moved from incremental progress to structural transformation.
First, I would like Guru Nanak Dev University to be recognised as a national model of a value-driven, innovation-led public university — where Punjabi language, ethical foundations inspired by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and cutting-edge AI integration coexist seamlessly.
Second, I would want measurable outcomes:
A significant rise in patents, technology transfers, and industry-funded research
A strong ecosystem of start-ups led by students and faculty
Global academic collaborations producing joint research and exchange programmes
AI-integrated classrooms grounded in ethical reasoning
Third, I would want a visible social impact:
Graduates who are employable, entrepreneurial, and globally competitive
Students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds rising through opportunity
Research addressing Punjab’s real challenges — agriculture sustainability, water management, renewable energy
Most importantly, I would want Guru Nanak Dev University to stand as proof that a public university can modernise without losing its moral compass.
If we can demonstrate that technology can serve society, language can power innovation, and education can uplift the most deserving — that will be meaningful transformation.
Not just for Guru Nanak Dev University — but for public higher education in India.