Minister Sanjeev Arora honours Dr. Anshu Kataria with ‘Best Leader of Unaided Colleges of India’ Award
Babushahi Bureau
Mohali (Punjab), April 5, 2026: Dr. Anshu Kataria, President of the Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) and Chairman of Aryans Group of Colleges, was conferred with the prestigious ‘Best Leader of Unaided Colleges of India’ award by Punjab Cabinet Minister Sh. Sanjeev Arora at the Iconic Leadership Awards held at Radisson Red, Mohali.
Expressing his gratitude, Dr. Kataria said, “PUCA has consistently worked for the growth and welfare of unaided colleges in Punjab. We are now expanding nationally, aiming to bring nearly 8,000 technical institutions onto a unified platform.”
Dr. Kataria highlighted PUCA’s collaborations with institutions in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, and shared plans to extend its reach across India to guide youth, strengthen the education ecosystem, and contribute to making India a global superpower by 2040, aligning with the vision of the Prime Minister of India.
Dr. Kataria’s journey is widely regarded as inspiring. Born in 1976 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, he faced early hardships, dropping out after the 10th grade. Through sheer determination, he completed his higher education via part-time studies while working, eventually earning a Doctorate from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Beginning his career in teaching, he went on to establish the Aryans Group of Colleges in 2007, starting with a one-acre campus that has now expanded to 22 acres, educating around 4,000 students.
Over the years, Dr. Kataria has emerged as a prominent educationist, currently serving as President of PUCA, President of the Federation of Self Financing Technical Institutions (FSFTI), All India, and Co-Chairman of the Joint Association of Colleges (JAC).
Established in 2015, PUCA has actively worked to address policy, regulatory, and academic issues for unaided colleges in Punjab, successfully resolving several critical matters to benefit institutions and students.
Dr. Kataria has also taken up important issues at the national level. Over the past 4–5 years, he has approached the Supreme Court of India to seek extensions in admission cut-off dates for technical courses, providing relief to lakhs of students and thousands of institutions.
He has advocated for academic flexibility in India, welcoming the University Grants Commission’s introduction of a January session alongside the traditional July session. He has also urged reforms in pharmacy education, opposed mandatory NEET for paramedical courses, and proposed policy interventions to convert non-operational engineering colleges into medical colleges, noting that infrastructure in nearly 500 institutions remains unused.
Today, Dr. Kataria continues to work tirelessly for the welfare of nearly 8,000 students in technical education, focusing on creating an inclusive, modern, and accessible learning environment across India.