Education reform:…

The method: How reform gets done

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A method without discipline is no method at all. Education reform must be anchored in process, not whims and fancies. It begins with clarity of purpose and ends with accountability in delivery.

Reform must begin with a vision of the future world, one cognizant of the digital revolutions reshaping economies and societies. The question is not what children need today, but what competencies they will require to thrive in 2033 and beyond. Without this foresight, reform collapses into patchwork fixes that solve yesterday’s problems while leaving tomorrow’s challenges untouched.

Education is no longer about knowledge alone. It is about employability and, crucially, employment creation. This is a critical shift in thinking. The traditional model of “study-get a job” is arelic of industrial-age thinking. In the digital economy, education must prepare graduates to create opportunities, not just fill vacancies.

India has understood this imperative. The country has structured education systems specifically for modern agriculture and entrepreneurship, recognizing that job creation is as vital as job readiness. The results speak for themselves: India’s startup ecosystem now contributes nearly 8% to its $1.3 trillion economy, with over 100 unicorns and more than 80,000 registered startups. This didn’t happen by accident. It happened because education policy deliberately fostered entrepreneurial thinking, risk-taking, and innovation from school level upward.

India’s Atal Innovation Mission, launched in 2016, established innovation labs in over 10,000 schools, where students learn design thinking, prototyping, and problem-solving through real-world challenges. Universities now offer incubation centers, mentorship programs, and seed funding for student entrepreneurs. The National Entrepreneurship Awards celebrate young founders, making entrepreneurship aspirational rather than a fallback option.