Bridging Past and Present: A Gandhian Perspective on India's National Education Policy 2020

- By Dr Bhaskar Kumar Kakati*

Abstract

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) marks a significant milestone in India's educational landscape, aiming to revolutionize the system from elementary to higher education. Rooted in extensive consultations and inspired by India's rich educational heritage, NEP 2020 emphasizes holistic development, value-based learning, and societal contribution. This paper examines NEP 2020 through the lens of Mahatma Gandhi's educational vision, highlighting its alignment with Gandhian principles such as holistic development, moral character, and community engagement. Through a comparative analysis, it explores the congruence between NEP 2020 and Gandhi's ideas, shedding light emphasis on their shared on indigenous knowledge, vocational education, and decentralization. By integrating Gandhian philosophy with contemporary educational reforms, NEP 2020 aspires to cultivate empowered individuals committed to ethical, inclusive, and sustainable nation-building.

Introduction

The Government of India approved the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) on July 29th, 2020, replacing the National Policy on Education 1986. NEP 2020 took its present shape after nationwide consultations and meetings. The primary objective of NEP 2020 is to transform the education system of India, emphasizing a comprehensive framework for elementary to higher education, including vocational studies. The policy expects the curricula and pedagogy to be radically transformed to develop a ‘deep sense of respect towards the Fundamental Duties and Constitutional values, bonding with one’s country, and a conscious awareness of one’s roles and responsibilities in a changing world’ (MoHRD, 2020, p. 6).

‘Education is fundamental for achieving full human potential, developing an equitable and just society, and promoting national development’ (MoHRD, 2020, p. 3). Mahatma Gandhi rightly said, ‘by education, I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, mind, and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education nor even the beginning. It is only one of the means whereby man and woman can be educated’ (Gandhi, n.d., p. 411). Therefore, literacy, which refers to the ability to read and write, is not always education. On the other hand, education is a holistic concept that refers to the ability of a human being to think critically, attain truth, knowledge, and wisdom.

Historically, India has been the hub of numerous excellent centres for learning and teaching. World-renowned institutions like Nalanda, Vikramshilla, Takshashila, and Vallabhi University set the highest standard of teaching-learning experiences in India. Accordingly, the ancient education system of India produced several great scholars such as Charaka, Aryabhata, Bhaskaracharya, Panini, Chanakya, etc., who contributed to diverse knowledge fields such as medical science, surgery, mathematics, engineering, architecture, yoga, navigation, astronomy, fine arts, etc. However, with the introduction of the modern education system, many traditional teaching-learning systems were lost. The modern curriculum of Indian education introduced by the British served the immediate needs in different job vacancies.

On the other hand, NEP 2020 focuses on revisiting the ancient education system on the line of modern perspective to meet the growing developmental imperatives of the nation. Accordingly, this policy emphasizes the creation of human beings with wisdom who have diverse knowledge of different subjects and have a social, emotional, and ethical association with society, leading to the emancipation of the individual. NEP 2020 seeks to create conditions to improve the quality of the teaching-learning process, including the management of the education system of India.

This paper attempts to understand and locate NEP 2020 in the realm of the Gandhian vision and framework of education. It tries to analyse how far NEP 2020 corresponds to Mahatma Gandhi's vision on education in India. Accordingly, the paper is based on the original writings of Gandhi on education, considering the critical analysis of other scholars on the Gandhian perspective on education. The paper is organized into five sections, including the introduction and conclusion. The second section deals with the salient features of NEP 2020, and in the third section, this paper discusses Gandhi’s view on education. This paper analyses NEP 2020 from Gandhi's perspective in the fourth section.

National Education Policy 2020

The NEP 2020, the first education policy of the 21st Century, aims to address the many growing developmental imperatives of India by proposing revisions and revamping in different aspects of the education structure of the country, based on India's tradition and value system to achieve aspirational goals of education, including Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) (MoHRD, 2020). The document includes school education to higher education, including professional and adult and lifelong education. It is divided into four major parts. Part-I deals extensively with school education from early childhood care to higher secondary, including pedagogy, teachers, child rights, accreditation, and quality education. The second part of the policy document deals with higher education, focusing on quality education and research development, teacher education, governance, etc. Part three deals with professional education, adult and lifelong education, promotion of Indian culture and language, use of technology, and the last or fourth section emphasizes implementation strategies.

The NEP 2020 focuses on recognizing the individual capabilities of each student. Accordingly, it makes no rigid distinction between different fields of study where every field has equal weightage and provides multiple entries and exit options in higher education. It is expected that with no rigid separation of the field of study, the creativity of learners will enhance, which in turn will assist in critical thinking. Moreover, it is expected that the multidisciplinary approach to learning will assist in developing a holistic knowledge base among the learners, which is essential for ethical and constitutional values. Therefore, the NEP 2020 primarily focuses on a value-based education system where the learner will learn reading and writing and be enabled to apply the learning in the field creatively and critically to develop a nation.

Furthermore, the NEP 2020 also recognizes the issue of diversity and unity. Accordingly, the NEP focuses on a curriculum that focuses on the local context, pedagogy, and mother tongue. More importantly, the NEP 2020 also focuses on public services. According to NEP 2020, teaching is not only a service; instead, it is a public service, and one of the child's fundamental rights is to access the quality of education.

The NEP 2020 has made a revolutionary transformation in the structure of school education, emphasizing foundational literacy and numeracy, which is one of the primary prerequisites to the learning process. The policy thus recognizes the importance of character building from early childhood education. It considers that education aims not only at cognitive development but also at building character and creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with the key 21st-century skills’ (Ibid: 12). Accordingly, to enhance the students' creativity, the policy also introduced vocational subjects in school education. Focus is also laid on multilingualism. As a result, students are empowered with the flexibility and choice of subjects to study, particularly in secondary school.

Although the NEP 2020 was focusing on school education, the significant impact is observed in the higher education system as ‘this policy envisions a complete overhaul and re-energizing of the higher education system to overcome’ (Ibid: 34) different existing challenges to higher education in India. The policy's significant transformative steps are adopting a multidisciplinary approach, providing more autonomy to higher educational institutions, emphasizing quality education and research, Internationalization, accreditation. Moreover, this policy document also aims to incorporate professional education with an overall higher education system. A particular focus is being laid on agricultural, legal, health sciences, technical universities.

Thus, the focus of NEP 2020 does bring not only a revolutionary change towards the academic curriculum but also revolutionary changes to the institution. The institutions will have more autonomy over the decision to become multidisciplinary rather than traditional studies where the teacher will occupy the central position. Focus also laid on conceptual learning of the subject with having ethical values towards society.

Gandhian Education Perspective

The Gandhian vision of education reflects his belief in holistic development, ensuring the dignity of labor as ‘the process of learning and reducing the gap between mental and physical labor’ (Diwakar, 2019, p. 3). His vision encompasses character-building, morality, ethics, and values. He realized the importance of the combination of intellectual exercises and manual work, or the importance of vocational education, which he considered one of the ways to achieve an individual's moral, economic, and political progress. Therefore, Gandhi's educational philosophy aims to achieve social and economic transformation among individuals to bring about a transformative change to society. He considered education as a process of liberation that enables the learner to realize the self. According to Gandhi, the purpose of education is ‘to usher in a non-violent, non-exploitative socio-economic order’ (Pandey, 2016, p. 18).

Gandhi considered education as a moral value system that is essential for the growth of the individual and society. So, the objective of education, according to Gandhi, is to enable the learners to become dedicated servants of the people who would live and die for society. Thus, he emphasized more on character-building. Character is not inherited; instead, it is learned, which refers to the ability of an individual to control his/her senses. Therefore, the goal of the end product of knowledge should be a moral character. Only the individual with good character can create a social order free from violence and injustice.

The art of reading and writing does not make anybody educated. Education is a lifelong process, and everyone must be ready to learn at any point in time. Thus, in his educational philosophy, the dignity of labor finds an important place. He never distinguished any type of work; instead, he focuses on manual labor, which, according to him, everybody must pursue in their life. He believed that training in handicrafts from childhood would enable each child to adopt corporate life responsibly towards society.

Furthermore, he also focuses on the financial autonomy of educational institutions. He wanted to make educational institutes independent of government sources of funds. He said that ‘I am very keen on finding the expenses of a teacher through the product of the manual work of his pupils because I am convinced that there is no other way to carry education to scores of our children. We cannot wait until we have the necessary revenue, and until the Viceroy reduces the military expenditure’ (Gandhi, 1938, p. 7). Thus, the main characteristics of Gandhian educational philosophy are to empower a human being economically, politically, and socially.

Gandhi and National Education Policy 2020

The year 1835 marked a turning point in the history of education in India with the introduction of the English Education Act 1835, which focused on English as a medium of instruction in education. Lord Macaulay's Minute of 1835, which was the basis of this act, strongly emphasized that western learning was superior to Indian learning, and this learning could only be taught through the English medium rather than any native language. He wanted to create a group of people who could act as interpreters between the British and India. He said, ‘we must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect’ (Macaulay, 1835, p. 30). Therefore, his objective behind the introduction of modern education was not to educate the Indian learners but to exploit India's resources with the support of these natives. In fact, with this education, the colonial ruler could use it as an instrument to restrict the growth of citizenship among the natives, and they would be more loyal to the colonial ruler than to the native. Thus, the system adopted by the colonial ruler assisted the individual to detach from ‘his physical and social surroundings, for the courses taught in schools were entirely unrelated to Indian life’ (Bala, 2005, p. 535). Since then, English occupies an important place in the Indian education system.

However, after independence, the Government of India undertook several steps to decolonize the education system, resulting in the appointment of several commissions such as the University Education Commission (1948-49), Secondary Education Commission (1952-53), DS Kothari Commission (1964-66), which resulted in several education policies such as the National Education Policy 1968, National Policy on Education 1986, and National Policy on Education 1992. These policies primarily focused on access to education and equity and laid down the legal foundation for universal elementary education. Although these policies brought revolutionary transformation to the Indian education system over time, it became crucial to provide value-based education to achieve the holistic development of learners. Issues such as morality, justice, non-violence, and holistic, sustainable development gained importance in the last few years. For example, every year, many graduates pass out from several premier institutions of India, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). However, have they been educated to provide selfless services to society? Thus ‘without the development of ethical values and moral character, such modern education is miseducation, and its graduates have been trained to contribute to and be rewarded by forces upholding modern, immoral, violent, and unsustainable values, relations, and structures’ (Allen, 2019, p. 5). Gandhi also raised questions on such education. He experienced that graduate knowledge of the existing education system is superficial with no practical experiences (Gandhi, n.d.). So, the education system of India is oriented towards providing services as a servant rather than encouraging value-based critical thinking. These issues induced the planners to relook at the education system, and NEP 2020 is the outcome of such initiatives.

‘It is not an exaggeration to suggest that since the independence of India in 1947, educational policies and aims have significantly moved away from Gandhi’s education’ (Sharma, 2015, p. 329). Gandhi never supported Western, mainly English, education. He considered that the education system in India is based on the education system of the British, which has no roots with the indigenous system of the soil of India. ‘The existing system of education in India, which was of foreign import, did not suit the culture and genius of the people of India; therefore, it needed overhauling to suit the needs of society and people of India’ (Bala, 2005, p. 534). While addressing the All-India National Education Conference at Wardha in 1938, he said that 'I am convinced that the present system of primary education is not only wasteful but positively harmful’ (Gandhi, 1938, p. 3). Thus, this implies that Gandhi criticized the Western education model and firmly emphasized the importance of primary education. His emphasis was on developing the curriculum for students in primary schooling by introducing handicrafts and the mother tongue. Based on experiences, Gandhi ‘gave the scheme of education for modern India which can be called the first blueprint of the national system of education which is job-cantered, value-based, and mass-oriented’ (Bala, 2005, p. 531).

Gandhi's perspective on education can be visible in many components of NEP 2020. In fact, emphasis on value and a multidisciplinary approach to education in NEP 2020 is highly influenced by Gandhi's thought. NEP 2020 ‘envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society’ (MoHRD, 2020, p. 6). The policy also envisages the development of a curriculum which is not only based on local culture, local skills, and the indigenous knowledge system but also assists the individual to have a deep sense of respect towards the constitutional values of India and develop the role of the individual towards society and the nation which Gandhi considered as democratic values. Gandhi considered that education must enable the individual ‘to lead a corporate life based on the social aspects of democracy. They should learn to adjust themselves in the best manner with their social environment’ (Bala, 2005, p. 534).

Gandhi considered that elementary education must include sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, performing one's own tasks, and assisting parents at home. This was one of the significant characteristics of India's ancient Gurukul system, where each student was taught all activities so that they could become independent from childhood. This system of education not only imparts spiritual learning but also provides hands-on training to students. Therefore, learning is not solely about reading books; rather, the ancient education system focuses on learning from experiences because the ‘ultimate aim of education in ancient India was not just knowledge, for life in this world or the next, but for the complete realization of the self’ (MoHRD, 2017, p. 186). The demarcation between different academic fields such as Arts, Science, Commerce, and Vocational was a hurdle that detached students from learning what they wanted. Learning these fields from childhood without any demarcation not only assists individuals in learning the subjects but also helps them develop qualities like self-help and responsibility for society.

The indigenous education system of India was rooted in spirituality, where the teacher was the centre of the education system. Teachers had full autonomy to develop the curriculum and teaching-learning materials. There was a lack of interference from rulers in the ancient education system. We have references indicating that even sons of kings received the same treatment as others in Gurukul. Therefore, the teacher, who occupied the pivotal position in ancient times, played roles like parents, facilitator of learning, philosopher, reformer, moral educator, and evaluator.

Similarly, Gandhi also wanted to ‘free the Indian teacher from interference from outside, particularly government or state bureaucracy’ (Burke, 2000, p. 17). NEP 2020 also focuses on the importance of the teacher. One of the critical principles of NEP 2020 is locating faculty in the heart of the learning process. It is worth noting that Gandhi also gave importance to the teacher. He pointed out that those teachers ‘should not be those who are unable to find any other job’ (Pandey, 2016, p. 21). NEP 2020 further focuses on providing more autonomy to educational institutions to decide for themselves, a characteristic of the education system of ancient India.

The influence of the Wardha Conference on Basic Education 1937 has had a considerable impact on NEP 2020. Gandhi, in the Wardha Conference, raised questions on the prevailing system of education where English is the medium of instruction and education lacks vocational training, which is the basis for recommendations like the introduction of mother tongue as a medium of instruction, focusing on educational curriculum based on the ethical and moral value which led an individual to understand the ideal citizenship and their rights and duties towards the nation. Moreover, this conference also focused on developing accountability towards society. Similarly, NEP 2020 also focuses on involving the community in the education system and promoting the mother tongue as a medium of instruction. Inclusion of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction will promote and preserve Indian culture and language and help young children learn and grasp nontrivial concepts more quickly (MoHRD, 2020). Further, it is expected that the mandatory teaching of an Indian language will protect and promote our linguistic and cultural diversity.

The ‘education can enable young people to understand their rights, obligations, and responsibilities as active citizens within the most complex democratic societies' (Sharma, 2015, p. 331) underscores the importance of education in shaping informed and engaged citizens. However, classroom learning alone cannot fully prepare students to actively participate in their local communities. Thus, Gandhi considered that Western education, which lacks roots in Indian soil, lacks accountability toward society. The educational curriculum must fulfil the need for the development of civic values. Therefore, emphasis has been laid in NEP 2020 to directly benefit the community through educational institutes, especially agricultural institutes. Further 'efforts will be made to involve the community and alumni in volunteer efforts to enhance learning in schools' (MoHRD, 2020, p. 11).

India, as considered by Gandhi, primarily consists of villages, which are the most deprived areas in terms of development efforts. Gandhi was deeply concerned about the education of the rural poor and believed that the existing education system was not rural-friendly. Accordingly, he emphasized rural education. NEP 2020 highlights the importance of high-quality education in rural areas. The document introduces concepts such as Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SDGs) and Special Education Zones (SEZs) to provide high-quality education in deprived areas.

Furthermore, NEP 2020 also focuses on the Indianization of education to make India a superpower in knowledge building. The policy aims to promote India as a global study destination through collaboration and faculty/student exchange programs. Moreover, this policy also aims to encourage the best universities globally to establish centres on Indian soil so that those who want to study abroad can access the same knowledge but with the Indian value system. Similarly, Gandhi believed that those who are educated abroad generally lose touch with Indian education roots, and he never advocated for going abroad to acquire education. He said, 'I have never been an advocate of our students going abroad. My experience tells me that such, on return, find themselves to be square pegs in round holes. That experience is the richest and contributes most to growth which springs from the soil' (Gandhi, n.d., p. 423).

The NEP 2020 has made sincere attempts to reform academic curriculum and pedagogy by providing information, knowledge, skills, and values to assist learners in becoming contributing members of the country's development. However, many apprehensions surround the policy document. The foremost question revolves around its implementation and the role of the English language. Despite the significant emphasis on mother tongue education, the popularity of English education persists. The presence of foreign universities on Indian campuses further raises questions about the quality of the arrangement. Despite these concerns, NEP 2020 can be considered a transformative approach in the history of Indian education. It not only addresses the current needs of society but also revolves around the Indian value system, aiming to develop an ideal society consisting of self-reliant communities with respect for human and constitutional values.

Gandhi believed that education is incomplete without learning, and learning is a continuous process. According to Gandhi, "the education system gave primacy to the mind and kept the body & spirit somewhere at the backburner" (Pandey, 2020, p. 2). In fact, the focus of NEP 2020 aligns with this perspective. The central theme of this policy is to enhance individual quality in terms of creativity and research so that individuals may ‘contribute to the development of a plural, yet equitable and inclusive society with the qualities of rationality, compassion, empathy, resilience, scientific temper, and creativity along with upholding of ethics and values’ (Nishank, 2020, p. 5). Therefore, NEP 2020, which emphasizes a value-based education system, is expected to transform India into a peaceful, secure, prosperous, and developed nation.

Conclusion

The National Education Policy 2020 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of India's educational landscape, aiming to align the country's education system with its rich cultural heritage and address the contemporary developmental challenges. Rooted in the Gandhian vision of education, NEP 2020 seeks to imbibe ethical, moral, and value-based learning while fostering holistic development among learners.

Gandhi's emphasis on education as a means of holistic development finds resonance in NEP 2020's focus on character-building, vocational training, and community engagement. The policy underscores the importance of dignity of labour, echoing Gandhi's belief in the integration of mental and physical labour for individual and societal progress. By emphasizing the significance of the mother tongue, local context, and indigenous knowledge systems, NEP 2020 aims to preserve India's cultural diversity and heritage, a principle dear to Gandhi.

Moreover, NEP 2020's emphasis on providing autonomy to educational institutions and promoting multidisciplinary learning mirrors Gandhi's vision of empowering both learners and educators. By fostering a learning environment rooted in Indian ethos, NEP 2020 aims to nurture active citizenship and promote societal welfare, aligning with Gandhi's vision of education as a tool for social transformation.

However, challenges remain in the effective implementation of NEP 2020, particularly concerning the dominance of English language education and the integration of foreign universities into the Indian educational landscape. Nonetheless, NEP 2020 represents a transformative approach towards building an inclusive, equitable, and value-based education system that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and ethical leadership among learners.

In essence, NEP 2020 stands as a testament to India's commitment to revitalizing its education system in line with its cultural values and aspirations for national development. By embracing Gandhi's philosophy of education as a catalyst for societal change, NEP 2020 paves the way for India to emerge as a global leader in education, equipped with compassionate, empathetic, and resilient citizens who uphold the principles of ethics and values.

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* Dr Bhaskar Kumar Kakati is a Consultant at Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, Lalmati, Near Games Village, Guwahati 781029, Assam. Email: bhaskarkumarkakati@gmail.com