The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents the most comprehensive reform of India's education system since the National Policy on Education (1986). It seeks to transform higher education through multidisciplinary learning, flexible curricular structures, technology integration, academic mobility, institutional autonomy, research promotion, internationalization, and improved governance. Haryana has emerged as one of the leading states in implementing NEP 2020 through initiatives such as the National Education Policy Evaluation and Validation (NEEV) Portal, Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), digital governance, and institutional quality assurance mechanisms. Despite significant progress, implementation remains uneven due to infrastructure disparities, faculty shortages, financial constraints, digital inequality, and differences in institutional preparedness. This critical review synthesizes policy documents, government reports, peer-reviewed literature, and state-level initiatives to evaluate the implementation and impact of NEP 2020 on higher education in Haryana. The review critically examines governance reforms, curriculum restructuring, digital transformation, research promotion, employability, quality assurance, and institutional readiness. It argues that while Haryana has demonstrated strong administrative commitment toward policy implementation, sustainable transformation requires enhanced financial investment, faculty capacity building, stronger industry-academia collaboration, institutional autonomy, and evidence-based policy evaluation. The review concludes by proposing strategic recommendations to strengthen the long-term implementation of NEP 2020 within Haryana's higher education system.