Gandhi's educational vision in 21st century: Building a modern, inclusive, accessible education system for Viksit Bharat 2047

The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) aims to modernize the education system in India. It does so by relying on the key ideals of education rooted in India's rich ancient education traditions practised in the Gurukula system and the visionary ideas of Mahatma Gandhi.

- KARAN KATARIA

Bharat is ranked 39th in the recently published Global Innovation Index. This great uphill movement of Bharat reflects the nation's progress in innovation. This significant improvement can be attributed to the flourishing start-up ecosystem, the proliferation of unicorns, and a variety of other initiatives driven by the entrepreneurial efforts of our youth, which speaks volumes about our country's growth trajectory. Furthermore, India's demographic structure presents a dynamic opportunity for economic growth, with a sizable working-age population and few dependents. However, this demographic dividend will not last forever and may turn into a demographic disaster if policymakers, academia, and industry leaders do not make strategic investments in education and job creation. Indian academic institutions have worked collaboratively to improve educational accessibility while ensuring its relevance to current needs. A case in point is the recent decision of the UGC to enable biannual admission decisions to higher education institutions and several online education courses being recognised and promoted, making education more accessible and modern. Notably, this modernisation does not imply a mere imitation of Western models; rather, it emphasises the development of a value-based, contextually relevant education system that aligns with the demands of the present, which is often referred to in Indian scholarship as "Yuganukul," or suited to the needs of the current era.