Hiring good leaders in higher education

India has 54 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026, making it the fourth most represented country after the United States, the United Kingdom and China. The number of Indian universities in the rankings has increased from 11 to 54 since 2015. As of 2025, only six Indian institutions are ranked in the global top 250. Twelve IITs are included in the rankings, and five Indian institutions are recognised in the global top 100 for Employer Reputation, indicating strong industry confidence in graduates.

India has over 1,000 universities, both private and public and still has a long journey ahead. Many institutions exist in India, but only a few succeed because of their vision. This vision can only be realised through effective leadership. Leadership is vital in elevating an institution to a global level.

Leadership crunch

While recruiting institutional leaders such as Principals, Deans, Directors, HoDs and others, management and panellists often focus on questions about candidates’ current salaries, research publications, reasons for leaving their current jobs and most importantly, on personal questions that are insignificant. These are stereotypical questions designed to verify whether candidates meet specific criteria.

Today, most higher education institutions lack leaders with the necessary vision and leadership style to progress. Most act as official spokespeople of management and do what is expected of them. Except for a few top-rated institutions with strong, dynamic leadership, most heads are mere puppets without genuine vision. As a result, the quality of these institutions becomes questionable.

Many institutions focus on student enrolment, but they do not realise the core issue is leadership. In a rapidly evolving academic world, choosing the right leader is about purpose. Qualifications, research publications and experience are essential, but not enough to assess a leader’s ability to foster meaningful change. Most institutions lack authentic leadership. Despite impressive CVs, they often lack the skills needed to justify their roles. Extraordinary people build extraordinary institutions. Salary limitations and micromanagement do not provide better options for selecting candidates with exemplary leadership qualities.

As Maxine Driscoll states, ‘You can’t lead anyone if you can’t lead yourself!’ For an institution to succeed, we need leaders with a visionary outlook on the future, rooted in academic excellence, inclusivity and innovation. With NEP 2020, institutions face many challenges in their pursuit of excellence. Only dynamic leadership can promote progress, transform academic culture, foster innovation, improve student outcomes, retain and motivate faculty and develop lasting partnerships.

Finding the talent

Institutions should carefully consider what they truly want from education. We need many more institutions to excel globally. Poor leadership can hinder progress, foster mediocrity and cultivate an environment that prioritises compliance over creativity. Institutions should select leaders based on these essential skills to achieve success.

Psychometric assessment: Many educational institutions do not evaluate their leaders using this method. It is also beneficial for all faculty members to take this assessment. We need more mentors in educational institutions and should use tools to assess leadership potential, emotional intelligence and personality traits relevant to academic leadership.

Vision presentation: Candidates shortlisted should present a 3- to 5-year vision plan for the institution and demonstrate understanding of governance, innovation and learner-centric education.

Case studies or simulation exercises: Candidates should be evaluated on how they manage real-life situations, such as faculty disagreements, low enrolments or industry partnerships, among other scenarios. This also helps identify leaders with integrity.

Track record of impact in the past: Look beyond previous positions held. Assess what the candidate has accomplished, such as programmes introduced, faculty-developed initiatives, culture improvements and academic initiatives in their past experiences.

References with depth: Instead of superficial references, obtain detailed feedback from former colleagues and subordinates regarding leadership behaviour, not just professional skills.

If we aim to reform educational institutions, we must move beyond tokenism in leadership selection. It is time to prioritise vision, values, and vitality over superficial achievements. When discussing vision and values, it is equally important that management shares the same principles. The right leader is a torchbearer, illuminating the path not just for today but for future generations. Let us raise the standards for leadership roles and the future of Indian higher education.