India, Aug. 23 -- India's education centres have long been more than just places of instruction. They have been social and cultural anchors. From the renowned centres like Nalanda and Takshashila, where scholars engaged in dialogue with visitors from East and Central Asia, to the entrepreneurial and innovation-driven hubs of contemporary India, universities have always reflected the aspirations of their surrounding communities while shaping them. Such institutions were vital because they were open to ideas, combined with a foundation in societal realities.

Universities do well when they balance academic autonomy and social responsibility. Nalanda did not attract scholars merely because it pursued abstract knowledge. Scholars came because...