Why in the News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the government is modernising the country’s education system to meet the needs of the 21st century.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Educational Reforms (Introduction, Driving Forces, Key Interventions, Research & Innovation, Global Engagement, etc.)

Introduction

• India is undergoing a significant transformation in its education landscape, with the government taking proactive steps to modernise the system in alignment with global standards and the needs of a rapidly evolving knowledge economy.
• Addressing the first-ever YUGM Innovation Conclave held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, PM Modi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a dynamic, inclusive, and future-ready education ecosystem.
• The centre piece of this transformation is the New Education Policy (NEP), which aims to equip India’s youth with the skills, resources, and mindset necessary to make the country a global innovation hub.

Driving Forces Behind Education Reform

• At the heart of this reform initiative is the belief that India’s future depends on its youth, and preparing them for global competitiveness is crucial.
• The government’s approach encompasses three key elements: Talent, Technology, and Temperament, which together form the trinity envisioned to drive India’s ascent on the world stage.
• The NEP, introduced in 2020 and continuously refined, has become the cornerstone of this vision.
• From curriculum redesign to technological integration, the focus is on transforming Indian classrooms, research spaces, and learning ecosystems to meet international benchmarks.

Key Interventions and Infrastructure Development

• National Curriculum Framework and School Reforms
  • The development of new textbooks and teaching-learning materials for Classes 1 to 7 under the National Curriculum Framework represents a foundational shift.
  • The framework prioritises conceptual clarity, experiential learning, and multilingual education, addressing the diversity of India's learners.
• Higher Education Expansion
  • The government has committed to increasing seats and capacity in premier institutions such as IITs, and to launching meditech courses in partnership with institutions like AIIMS.
  • These efforts aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry, especially in areas such as biomedical engineering and AI-driven healthcare.
• Digital Education Infrastructure
  • Under the PM e-Vidya initiative and the DIKSHA platform, a robust digital backbone is being developed to enable ‘One Nation, One Digital Education Infrastructure’.
  • Educational content is now being created in over 30 Indian languages and seven foreign languages, enhancing accessibility and equity across socio-economic groups.

Empowering Research and Innovation

• Research Parks and R&D Cells
  • India’s research ecosystem has witnessed significant growth. Since 2014, the number of operational research parks has grown from 3 to 9, with 13 more planned.
  • Nearly 6,000 higher education institutions now house Research and Development Cells, encouraging a research-driven academic culture.
• National Research Foundation
  • The proposed Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will play a central role in promoting frontier research.
  • With the Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) doubling from ₹60,000 crore in 2013-14 to ₹1.25 lakh crore, India is signalling a shift from rote-based education to a discovery-driven model.
• Innovation and Commercialisation
  • To shorten the gap between idea, prototype, and product, the government is actively facilitating lab-to-market transitions.
  • This includes catalysing public-private-academic partnerships and encouraging youth-led innovation, making university campuses the new epicentres of transformative ideas.

Global Engagement and Academic Mobility

• India is not only transforming education domestically but also internationalising its institutions.
• Campuses of IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi, IIT Madras in Tanzania, and upcoming plans for IIM Ahmedabad in Dubai signal India’s academic footprint going global.
• Simultaneously, top foreign universities are being invited to establish campuses in India, enhancing cross-border knowledge flows.

Access to World-Class Knowledge

• The ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ initiative ensures that Indian students and researchers can access top-tier research journals without institutional barriers.
• This initiative aims to democratise academic access and foster a culture of continuous learning.

India’s AI Ambitions in Education

• Aligning with the larger IndiaAI Mission, the government is also investing in AI-based educational infrastructure.
• The objective is to leverage AI not just for administrative efficiency but to personalise learning, predict skill gaps, and transform pedagogy across education levels.