Education
NEEDED: Curriculum Change
From redefining the purpose of the education system to focusing on skill-based education, ANSHU PANDE focuses on the changes required in the realm of curriculum
Indian education system has evolved drastically in the past few years. In the times of yore, Gurkul system of teaching was followed. The name comes from Sanskrit language, where ‘guru’ means teacher, and ‘kul’, means domain. It translates as “domain or family of the guru.” The students or ‘shishya’ lived near or with the guru in the same house. The gurus believed in the three-step process of imparting knowledge – Shravana, Manana and Niddhyaasana. Shravana meant listening to the words of wisdom which the teacher spoke. Manana meant interpreting the meaning of the lessons and Niddhyaasana meant the complete comprehension of knowledge. From Sanskrit to the Holy Scriptures, from Mathematics to Metaphysics, the guru taught everything a shishya wanted to learn until the guru was sure he had taught everything he could teach. The learning was closely linked to nature and life with rich knowledge and values.
However, the winds of change blew during the Colonial era. In the 1830s, Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay introduced the English language to India. The syllabus became limited to “modern” and specific subjects like science, mathematics, language, history, geography and civics, whereas, subjects like philosophy and metaphysics were considered unnecessary at school level. The mode of teaching became confined to classrooms, which broke the link with nature and also created a gap in the teacher-student relationship.
It was post freedom in 1947, that the Indian government, renowned educationists, social scientists and leaders, joined hands to make education Indiacentric. At present, India’s higher education system is the largest in the world, hosting more than 70 million students in less than two decades.
While we have gained freedom from British Raj, have we gained freedom from British curriculum?
Even today, most of the schools are following the curricula of 1918 with subjects like English, Math, Science, History and foreign languages. Is this how we plan on preparing the future generation to thrive in the changing landscape? There are debates about future of education, about embracing technology in the classroom, but there is almost no debate on changing what we are teaching in schools. A student that begins primary school today will graduate from university in the mid-2030s and their career will last through 2060 or beyond. But, with the subjects that are currently being taught, it is becoming a huge challenge to even get into a decent college after finishing school. Problemsolving, creative thinking, digital skills, and collaboration are in greater need every year yet they are not taught in our schools. Even when schools teach digital skills, they focus on how to use technology – how to create a document or a presentation – rather than how to create technology. In fact, some of the topics we teach today will no longer be essential in the 2030s: handwriting is increasingly obsolete, complex arithmetic is no longer done by hand, and the internet has replaced the need to memorise many basic facts.
Howard Gardner is an American developmental psychologist and his theory on different types of intelligence is prolific. Each one of us has one or more than one of these intelligences, such as naturalist (it is a human ability to discriminate among living things such as plants and animals, as well as sensitivity to other non-living things), logical/mathematical (good with numbers and validity), musical (understanding of sounds, pitch, rhythm and tone), existential (it is the sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why are we here, purpose, etc), interpersonal skills (interacting well with others), body kinesthetic (understanding oneself), spatial (mental imagery, image manipulation, graphic and artistic skills, and an active imagination). Sailors, pilots, sculptors, painters and architects all exhibit spatial intelligence and linguistic skills (the ability to think in words and to use language to express and appreciate complex meanings). That is what schools are supposed to prepare students for, but they put into us certain types of intelligence on precedence by ignoring other types. Each one of us is gifted with one or more of these intelligences—our school education is supposed to help us realise our potential, which just does not happen; resulting in a gross waste of talent.
The syllabus of our education system needs to usher in an educational revolution and an evolution of teaching techniques. The study material being taught in educational institutions is just a very small part of the actual amount of matter contained under a topic. The curriculum and pedagogy has to give way to future needs and requirements. The lessons being taught today will get outdated in future. Even as you are reading this, someone has devised something new to the world in his/her interest of subject. That hasn’t come from the monotonous subjects being taught. It’s the updated curriculum – that has included technology and advanced programming in it, which has led to a new invention.
The hindrance to technology driven classrooms prevails and is incompletely exploited in the nation. Proper measures should be undertaken to increase awareness of the benefits in adding technology to the classroom and bring in a significant change in student’s perception of subjects. The usual brick and mortar concept has reached its peak and it is high time we welcome modern technology in classrooms to help bring in a new effective learning atmosphere and teaching methodology.
A change in teaching of STEM subjects is the need of the hour. One should put special focus on STEM subjects and develop innovative hands-on solutions in Maths, Science and Robotics for schools. Introduction of mobile labs and science centers by the government and the initiative to include parents in this change so that learning becomes a continuous, multigenerational process is a must.
Classroom lectures sometimes become too boring encouraging only a little student involvement or creativity. But, if the teacher brings practical and exciting analogies to teach the classroom becomes more interesting and lessons become easy to understand. Many can question that every subject does not need practical guidance and theoretical knowledge is the base of the subject, but the visual experience and practical guidance can help in avoiding the boredom. Many successful entrepreneurs have not got the theoretical knowledge because their success stands on the experience they have gained. This is the philosophy that needs to be imparted from the school days of the students. Some schools in the country focus on the extracurricular activities to develop the student capabilities in terms of problem solving, writing skills, verbal skills, communication enhancement, physical fitness and more. These activities should be made available to each student in the country irrespective of the state and region.
Here are a few more points we could work on:
Focus on skill-based education
Our education system is geared towards teaching and testing knowledge at every level as opposed to teaching skills. “Give a man a fish and you feed him one day, teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” If you teach a person a skill, you enable him for a lifetime. Knowledge is largely forgotten after the semester exam is over. Still, year after year Indian students focus on cramming information. The best crammers are rewarded by the system. This is one of the fundamental flaws of our education system.
Personalise education – one size does not fit all
Assembly line education prepares assembly line workers. However, the drift of economic world is away from assembly line production. Indian education system is built on the presumption that if something is good for one kid, it is good for all kids.
Some kids learn faster, some are comparatively slow. Some people are visual learners, others are auditory learners, and still some others learn faster from experience. If one massive monolithic education system has to provide education to everyone, then there is no option but to assume that one size fits all. If however, we can effectively decentralise education, and if the government did not obsessively control what would be the “syllabus” and what will be the method of instruction, there could be an explosion of new and innovative courses geared towards serving various niches of learners,
Take for example, the market for learning dance. There are very different dance forms that attract students with different tastes. More importantly, different teachers and institutes have developed different ways of teaching dancing. This could never happen if there was a central board of dancing education which enforced strict standards of what will be taught and how such things are to be taught.
Central regulation kills choice, and stifles innovation too. As far as education is concerned, availability of choices, de-regulation, profitability, entrepreneurship and emergence of niche courses are all inter-connected.
Implement massive technology infrastructure for education
India needs to embrace internet and technology if it has to teach all of its huge population, the majority of which is located in remote villages. Now that we have computers and internet, it makes sense to invest in technological infrastructure that will make access to knowledge easier than ever. Instead of focusing on outdated models of brick and mortar colleges and universities, we need to create educational delivery mechanisms that can actually take the wealth of human knowledge to the masses. The tools for this dissemination will be cheap smartphones, tablets and computers with high speed internet connection. While all these are becoming more possible than ever before, there is lot of innovation yet to take place in this space.
Redefine the purpose of the education system
Our education system is still a colonial education system geared towards generating babus and pen-pushers under the newly acquired skin of modernity. We may have the highest number of engineering graduates in the world, but that certainly has not translated into much technological innovation here. Rather, we are busy running the call centres of the rest of the world – that is where our engineering skills end.
The goal of our new education system should be to create entrepreneurs, innovators, artists, scientists, thinkers and writers who can establish the foundation of a knowledge based economy rather than the low-quality service provider nation that we are turning into.
Effective deregulation
Until today, an institute of higher education in India must be operating on a not-for profit basis. This is discouraging for entrepreneurs and innovators who could have worked in these spaces. On the other hand, many people are using education institutions to hide their black money, and often earning a hefty income from education business through clever structuring and therefore bypassing the rule with respect to not earning profit from recognized educational institutions. As a matter of fact, private equity companies have been investing in some education service provider companies which in turn provide services to not-for-profit educational institutions and earn enviable profits. Sometimes these institutes are so costly that they are outside the reach of most Indian students.
There is an urgent need for effective de-regulation of the Indian education sector so that there is infusion of sufficient capital and those who provide or create extraordinary educational products or services are adequately rewarded.
Take mediocrity out of the system
Our education system today encourages mediocrity – in students, in teachers, throughout the system. It is easy to survive as a mediocre student, or a mediocre teacher in an educational institution. No one shuts down a mediocre college or mediocre school. Hard work is always tough, the path to excellence is fraught with difficulties. Mediocrity is comfortable. Our education system will remain sub-par or mediocre until we make it clear that it is not okay to be mediocre. If we want excellence, mediocrity cannot be tolerated. Mediocrity has to be discarded as an option. Life of those who are mediocre must be made difficult so that excellence is attained.
Reforming school examination systems
There is a strong need to reform the examination system to focus on logical reasoning, problem-solving and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). In recent years, major changes in the CBSE examination system have been observed. The Class X Board examination has been made optional and a new grading system has been introduced which really works for the modern-day student. State Boards have also welcomed the measures and followed up with efforts to update their respective curricula and examination systems. These refinements not only improve the learning outcomes of the students, they also improve the quality of secondary education. Thus, new reforms are needed which can enhance innovation of the existing system.
Promotion of languages
We especially laud the suggestion of mother tongue-based education. Children should not be at a disadvantage just because of their cultural distance from English or Hindi. NCERT’s evaluation study found out that mother tongue-based education has shown increased attendance and retention in schools. It has also shown a positive impact on students’ achievement in language studies as well as mathematics. However, there should be basic English education for every student as this is a language which opens more doors.
Comprehensive Education – Ethics, Physical Education, Arts & Crafts, Life Skills
Anything less than a holistic, well-rounded education results in only half an education. Non-scholastic areas are as important as scholastic areas for the overall development of a child. This change in policy to provide special tools and toys to play with, and a well-maintained sports facility to play in, does wonders for the child. More importantly, what is growth without the appreciation of art and the ability to express ideas, emotions and thoughts freely? Inclusion of visual and performing arts in school life is as welcome as a breath of fresh air.
These are times of great transformation; a period when the technologies around us will alter all aspects of life. Education has a unique and unassailable opportunity in our society to prepare us for such a change. It is precisely our human ability to learn, to harness our minds and to apply creative thought to new problems that will allow us to adapt and overcome any future technology or transition, as it has so many times in the past. We cannot rely on an outdated syllabus that teaches subjects which are not required in the coming future. Our children deserve the best knowledge and techniques, for they have to be prepared to face the world.
Education
OpenAI Academy Launches in India to Democratise AI Education for Students, Teachers, and Startups
In a landmark move to scale artificial intelligence education across India, OpenAI has officially launched its first international educational initiative—OpenAI Academy India—in partnership with the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The initiative aims to equip a wide cross-section of learners with AI skills, from students and educators to civil servants, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders.
As part of the collaboration, OpenAI and the IndiaAI Mission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining shared goals under the “FutureSkills” pillar of the national AI strategy. The curriculum will initially be available in English and Hindi, with future plans to expand into regional languages to enhance accessibility and inclusivity.
The Academy will offer a hybrid model of digital and in-person learning, combining on-demand modules, webinars, expert-led workshops, and peer-based collaboration. The content will also be hosted on platforms such as the FutureSkills portal and the iGOT Karmayogi platform, enabling central and state government officials to upskill in emerging technologies.
One of the initiative’s most ambitious goals is to train one million teachers in the practical use of Generative AI tools in education. This is aligned with OpenAI’s broader mission to empower educators to integrate AI into classrooms meaningfully.
OpenAI will also host hackathons across seven Indian states, aiming to reach 25,000 students, and conduct workshops in six major cities. Winners of these hackathons will earn the chance to attend OpenAI Dev Day events abroad. In addition, 50 startups or fellows selected by the IndiaAI Mission will receive up to $100,000 in API credits to support their AI-based innovation projects.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called the initiative a significant leap forward in democratising access to cutting-edge technology. “This partnership makes the latest AI tools available to India’s startup ecosystem and government workforce alike,” he noted, adding that it will accelerate local innovation and adoption.
Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer of OpenAI, praised India’s growing influence in the global AI landscape. “India is one of the most dynamic countries for AI development. We’re proud to launch OpenAI Academy India to help more people gain confidence and skills to use AI meaningfully,” he said.
The platform will host a free Knowledge Hub offering a variety of resources—video tutorials, virtual events, hands-on training modules, and community forums—designed to make AI literacy engaging and practical.
With inputs from PTI
It’s June 5. There’s a poster-making competition happening in the library. “Say No to Plastic,” one child writes, her glitter pen catching the sunlight. In the background, a teacher sips from a plastic bottle of mineral water. On the ground — a single dustbin, filled with half-eaten sandwiches, the plastic wrappers they came in, and the poster that didn’t win.
Welcome to World Environment Day. The annual ritual of colouring inside the lines of climate awareness, only to throw the sketch away at 3:00 p.m.
And nowhere is this performance of eco-consciousness more apparent than in the average Environmental Studies (EVS) class. A subject that, in theory, is about the environment. In practice, it is about completing the syllabus before the assessments begin.
EVS is full of the right words: sustainability, waste segregation, reduce-reuse-recycle. It teaches children the parts of a plant, but not how to grow one. It tells them about carbon footprints, but not about the quiet pride of switching off a fan when they leave a room.
It is, in short, a subject that ends at the bell. Let’s pause and ask: how many schools actually segregate their waste? How many have separate bins for wet and dry garbage — not just during inspection week or annual day, but on a random Tuesday in August?
Most schools don’t have a waste problem. They have a waste denial problem.
Because admitting there’s a problem would mean someone has to do something about it. And doing something is messy. It requires time, training, tantrums. It requires telling people they can’t use fifteen thermocol plates for a two-hour workshop. It requires building a system where children see that the habits they are being asked to adopt are not just lesson objectives, but lifestyle choices being modelled by the adults around them.
Right now, most EVS classes are like that school function where the Chief Guest arrives in a diesel SUV to plant a sapling. Ceremonial. Shallow. Slightly offensive.
But here’s the good news: children get it. Better than we think. They’re not too young to understand why the cafeteria needs to stop using plastic spoons. They don’t need a unit on climate change to know that the AC doesn’t have to be set to freezing for learning to happen.
They just need one thing: to see the grown-ups walking the talk.
Start small. Set up separate bins — label them, colour-code them, talk about them. Let kids bring waste from home and run a sorting drive. Make a habit of auditing your school’s paper usage. Assign class monitors for turning off switches. Let kids design posters that don’t end up in the bin — or better yet, design the bins themselves. And while you’re at it, stop calling it an EVS period.
Call it the lab of life.
If you really want children to learn how to care for the world, don’t just teach them the names of forests. Teach them how to keep their classrooms clean. Don’t just mention Greta Thunberg in a chapter. Ask what they would skip school for. Don’t say “reduce-reuse-recycle” like it’s a rhyme. Say it like it’s a revolution.
And show them the bin.
Despite India’s near-universal school enrolment at the primary level, the latest UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2024–25 paints a sobering picture of foundational learning and systemic leadership gaps in Indian education.
According to the report, over 95% of children in India are enrolled in primary school, yet basic learning outcomes remain dismal. ASER 2023 found that only 43% of Class 3 students could read a Class 2-level text, underscoring a national learning crisis.
While India boasts a 60% female workforce in elementary education, the leadership landscape tells a different story. Only 13% of vice-chancellors in central universities were women as of 2022, and formal principal training is absent in many Indian states despite NEP 2020’s mandate of 50 hours of annual professional development for school leaders.
This gender leadership gap reflects a global trend, with only 87 boys per 100 girls achieving minimum reading proficiency, and in middle-income nations like India, the number drops to 72 boys per 100 girls. The pandemic also reversed pre-COVID gains in gender parity for maths, with girls now underperforming in countries like Brazil, the UK, and Italy.
The GEM report also highlights bright spots. India’s policy commitment through NEP 2020 and innovative peer-mentorship pilots—like Delhi’s middle leadership model—demonstrate the potential of decentralised leadership to foster trust, collaboration, and improved school culture.
Global evidence cited by UNESCO shows that female-led schools in parts of Africa resulted in one full additional year of learning gain, proving that gender-inclusive leadership can enhance academic performance.
However, implementation remains inconsistent. Many leadership positions in India still lack transparent selection and promotion processes, and states fall short in meeting training targets. The digital divide, especially post-pandemic, has further deepened inequities, hitting girls in under-resourced regions the hardest.
What India Needs Next:
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Institutionalise mandatory leadership certifications.
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Accelerate women’s inclusion in senior roles.
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Shift focus from enrolment to outcome-driven learning metrics.
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Embed leadership training into teacher education.
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Scale up local mentorship models proven to work.
The UNESCO report is a reminder that enrolment alone cannot guarantee education quality. Bridging the gap between policy intent and on-ground implementation is critical if India is to transform its education system into one that is equitable, inclusive, and future-ready.
At a time when Artificial Intelligence (AI) headlines dominate global discourse, a quieter but more consequential conversation is unfolding in India’s education sector—one that cuts through the hype to explore whether AI is genuinely improving learning outcomes or just riding a wave of fascination.
In its latest article titled “Not Just Hype: What Investors Really Think About AI in Indian Education”, Entrepreneur India reported on insights shared by Ganapathy Venugopal, Co-founder & CEO of Axilor Ventures, at the IGIS 2025 forum. Offering a candid investor’s lens, Venugopal remarked, “We’ve seen plenty of hype around AI. But for us, it’s about where the real value lies—can it solve something fundamental, like India’s teacher-student gap?” According to him, the most investable AI tools are not the flashiest but the most functional—those that support teachers, amplify their effectiveness, and reach where human resources fall short.
Echoing this, Kobi Gal from Ben-Gurion University pointed out that while AI has democratised access to learning, it hasn’t yet changed the core of how we learn. “The education system remains rigid. AI can increase reach, yes, but transformation is still elusive,” he said.
India’s edtech sector is poised for growth with its vast K–12 student base and rapidly expanding internet access. However, a major challenge remains—only 24% of households have internet, per NSSO data. This makes Tier II–IV cities a key battleground for AI-powered learning tools. Investors are now shifting focus from “edtech” as a label to learning outcomes, engagement, and job-readiness, with AI viewed as an enabler rather than a product category.
Venugopal pointedly questioned current trends: “Are we building tools to complete homework, or to change how we learn?” His statement taps into the broader tension—between consumer-friendly shortcuts and pedagogically sound, scalable solutions.
At ScooNews Global Educators Fest (SGEF) 2023, this theme of AI with a conscience was also central. Held in Jaipur, the festival brought together educators, artists, and changemakers to discuss how artificial intelligence can serve—not replace—human values in education. Noted speakers like Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Rama Datt, and Padma Shri Anand Kumar reinforced the idea that technology must remain grounded in empathy, inclusivity, and purpose. A memorable moment was Anand Kumar’s speech on whether AI could ever truly replace a teacher’s role—a thought-provoking precursor to the investor sentiments voiced at IGIS 2025.
The conversation today is no longer about AI replacing the classroom, but enhancing it. With investor confidence growing in tools that support hybrid delivery models, regional customisation, and lifelong learning, the sector appears headed toward a more sustainable future.
Yet, Venugopal issued a final word of caution: “We look at sectors where demand is unquestionable and the cost of not solving the problem is high. Education in India fits that bill. But we must build with humility—and rigour.”
As India’s AI-powered education future unfolds, investors, educators, and innovators alike seem to agree: the goal is not disruption for disruption’s sake, but designing systems that serve learners in meaningful, measurable ways.
📌 Stay tuned for SGEF 2025 — This year, we gather under the theme: “Purpose-Driven Education: Designing for Future Realities.” Explore how we can reimagine school curricula to align with the evolving needs of our society and the professional world. Register here
The Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, observed World No Tobacco Day on 31st May 2025 with a national workshop held at Rang Bhawan, Akashvani Bhawan. Inaugurated by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSEL, the event convened key stakeholders from the Ministries of Health, Home Affairs, NCERT, CBSE, UNODC, and State representatives, alongside students, civil society members, and domain experts.
During the workshop, Kumar launched the Nationwide School Challenge on Tobacco Awareness on the MyGov platform, set to begin on 10th June 2025. Aimed at student engagement, the initiative encourages schools across India to lead awareness campaigns. Participants also took the No-Tobacco Pledge, underscoring the shared responsibility of educators and communities in protecting students from tobacco exposure.
Kumar highlighted the alarming influence of tobacco advertising on youth and emphasised the importance of proactive involvement from School Management Committees (SMCs), parents, and local bodies to create tobacco-free campuses. Additional Secretary Anandrao V. Patil reinforced this message in his keynote, focusing on student health, well-being, and preventive education.
Other key speakers included CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh, who spoke on the integration of health and wellness modules in schools, and Economic Advisor A. Srija, who stressed inter-sectoral collaboration for effective implementation of Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) Guidelines.
Technical sessions covered mental health (Manodarpan), life skills education (Navchetna), the School Health Programme, and digital monitoring of ToFEI compliance. Experts from NCERT, CBSE, UNODC, and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare contributed insights on embedding wellness in school ecosystems.
State nodal officers from Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry presented best practices—from dental health drives to creative student engagement tools like comics and animation. Efforts to contextualise ToFEI manuals in regional languages were also shared.
The workshop concluded with a call for consistent monitoring, awareness campaigns, and holistic health education to build tobacco-free, safe learning environments.
A recent report by The Indian Express reveals a worrisome shift in India’s school enrolment patterns—more students are opting for private institutions, even in states with a robust network of government schools. During meetings held by the Ministry of Education with state officials in March–April 2025 to discuss projects under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, the Centre flagged this as a “disturbing trend.”
In states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttarakhand, the enrolment in unaided private schools has consistently risen despite government schools forming the majority in number. For instance, in Andhra Pradesh, 73% of schools are government-run, yet they account for just 46% of total student enrolment. Similarly, Telangana’s government schools form 70% of total schools but educate only 38% of students, compared to nearly 61% in private schools.
This trend isn’t isolated. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and several northeastern states have also reported declining numbers in government school enrolment. The Union Ministry has urged states to reverse this decline, citing the need for introspection and reform. In Tamil Nadu, for example, government schools make up 64% of the total but serve just 37% of the student population.
Interestingly, some states have responded by conducting Aadhaar-based “data cleansing” to explain the drops. Still, the Centre believes deeper, systemic issues—such as rising aspirations and perceptions of quality—are driving families towards private schooling.
The concern goes beyond statistics. According to UDISE+ 2023–24 data, 36% of total school enrolment in India (over 9 crore students) is now in private schools. In 2022–23, it was 33%. Pre-pandemic figures already indicated this steady rise.
Where Do Government Schools Go From Here?
The falling trust in government schools paints a grim picture—especially when education budgets face cuts and systemic reform remains slow. However, all is not lost. States like Madhya Pradesh are setting examples through initiatives like the CM Rise Schools, which aim to rejuvenate public education with upgraded infrastructure, teacher training, and modern pedagogy.
But such success stories remain scattered. Without strong policy backing, increased funding, and public support, the future of government schooling appears uncertain. In an era of aggressive privatisation—be it formal schooling or the booming coaching industry—government schools risk being sidelined unless urgently revitalised.
Why must they survive? Because they remain the only accessible option for millions, especially in rural and marginalised communities. They are not just institutions—they’re vehicles of social equity, offering a shot at mobility to those who may otherwise be left behind.
Education
Over 10,000 Unrecognised Schools in Bihar, Jharkhand: Education Ministry Flags Violation of RTE Act
In a startling revelation, the Ministry of Education has flagged that over 10,000 unrecognised schools are operating in Bihar and Jharkhand, enrolling more than 1.6 million students and employing over 88,000 teachers—despite being in violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
Jharkhand has the highest number of unrecognised schools in India, with 5,879 such institutions enrolling over 8.3 lakh students and staffed by more than 46,000 teachers. Bihar follows with 4,915 unrecognised schools, catering to over 7.7 lakh students and 42,000 teachers.
These figures emerged during the 2025-26 Project Approval Board (PAB) meetings under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, held earlier this year. The Ministry stated that the existence of these schools goes against Section 19 of the RTE Act, which mandates that all pre-existing schools meet prescribed norms within three years of the Act’s implementation. Failure to comply should lead to withdrawal of recognition and closure of the institutions.
The Ministry has directed both states to take appropriate action, either by recognising these schools through proper channels or by ensuring their closure in accordance with legal norms. Notably, Jharkhand’s education department has formed district-level recognition committees and claims that many of these schools began operations before the RTE Act came into effect.
Additionally, the Ministry raised concerns over discrepancies in data regarding Out-of-School Children (OoSC). For 2023–24, Jharkhand reported 37,409 OoSC on the PRABANDH portal, whereas the NSSO survey for 2022–23 recorded 1,07,639 ‘never enrolled’ children aged 6–14. In Bihar, the contrast was even more stark: 33,285 OoSC on PRABANDH versus 6.27 lakh ‘never enrolled’ according to NSSO.
To address this gap, the Ministry has advised strict data monitoring and called for special enrolment drives, with full support from School Management Committees (SMCs), to bring every child back into the education system.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan delivered the valedictory address at the PadhAI: Conclave on AI in Education, held in New Delhi and organised by the Centre of Policy Research and Governance (CPRG). The two-day conclave brought together senior policymakers, educationists, and technology experts to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence in reshaping India’s education landscape.
In his address, Pradhan emphasised that artificial intelligence is not merely a technological tool, but a transformative force and a catalyst for innovation in education. “AI is a bridge between empathy and technology,” he said, underlining the need for India’s human intelligence to take the lead in the global AI revolution.
The Minister highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the government to promote AI in education, including the establishment of Centres of Excellence in AI and plans to promote AI integration in Indian languages. He stressed that leveraging AI to foster critical thinking in classrooms was no longer optional but essential, marking a transition from “chalkboards to chipsets.”
He also called upon academicians and technologists to collaborate on policy suggestions that would enable India to responsibly and effectively integrate AI in school and higher education systems.
The conclave featured a series of panel discussions and keynote addresses exploring how AI is transforming classroom teaching, expanding learning beyond the four walls, and the structural challenges that need to be addressed for effective implementation.
Notable speakers included Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry and Electronics & IT; Ashish Sood, Minister for Education and Higher Education, Delhi; Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Chairperson, UGC; Abhishek Singh, CEO, IndiaAI Mission; Pankaj Arora, Chairperson, NCTE; Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, NETF; Yogesh Singh, Vice Chancellor, University of Delhi; Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-founder, Info Edge; and Rashmi Das, Chairperson, Higashi Autism School.
The event concluded with a call for increased collaboration between the public and private sectors to harness AI for inclusive and accessible education.
In a significant development for India’s higher education sector, the University of Liverpool—one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious academic institutions and a member of the Russell Group—has announced plans to establish its first international campus in Bengaluru. The university aims to commence operations by 2026.
This marks the first time a Russell Group university, often likened to the Ivy League for UK higher education, will set up a physical campus in India. Known for its world-class research and academic rigour, the University of Liverpool was founded in 1881 and has produced nine Nobel laureates. Its entry into the Indian education landscape is expected to bolster the globalisation of Indian higher education and widen access to top-tier international programmes.
Initially, the Bengaluru campus will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences, and Game Design—making it the first UK university to offer these programmes from within India. The range of disciplines is expected to expand over time.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hailed the development as a “landmark moment” in the state’s educational journey. “For many years, our brightest minds left the country to study abroad. Today, a top global university is choosing to come here,” he said, adding that the government would ensure full support through policy and infrastructure.
In a move to bridge industry and academia, the university also signed an MoU with Bengaluru-based IT major Wipro to collaborate on research, innovation, and skill-building programmes.
Delhi University’s Executive Council (EC) has approved sweeping curriculum revisions that have sparked sharp protests from faculty members, igniting a fresh debate over academic freedom, ideological influence, and the future of higher education in India. The changes, ratified during the EC’s 1,275th meeting, affect multiple departments including Psychology, Sociology, and English, and introduce new programmes in journalism and nuclear medicine.
Among the most contentious shifts is the removal of conflict-based case studies from the Psychology of Peace paper. Case references to Kashmir, Palestine, India-Pakistan relations, and the Northeast have been replaced with conflict-resolution examples drawn from Indian epics like the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Similarly, a Sociology paper has dropped foundational thinkers like Karl Marx and Thomas Robert Malthus, along with key sections such as the Sociology of Food and the critical lens on the Sociology of Law.
Faculty members are sounding the alarm. As per a story in Business Standard, EC member and Associate Professor at Kirori Mal College, Rudrashish Chakraborty, called the changes “a complete disregard for disciplinary expertise” and warned they could severely damage DU’s global academic standing.
At the heart of the backlash is a deeper concern about ideological overreach in curriculum design. Critics say the move replaces rigorous, research-based frameworks with selectively religious narratives, undermining the pluralism that once defined Indian academia.
Why These Topics Were in the Curriculum in the First Place
Incorporating geopolitical issues like Kashmir and Palestine in social science syllabi wasn’t about courting controversy—it was about helping students understand conflict, diplomacy, and peace-building through lived realities. Scholars like Marx and Malthus, often labelled as ideologues, contributed frameworks that shaped global discourse on inequality, population, labour, and social justice. To erase them from academic memory is not just selective—it’s intellectually dishonest.
Their inclusion wasn’t about promoting one ideology over another but about exposing students to a spectrum of thought. If academic institutions stop encouraging intellectual plurality, they risk becoming echo chambers that simply mirror prevailing politics.
What Could Have Been Done Differently
If the aim was truly to Indianise or decolonise the curriculum—as has been cited in many recent reforms—it could have been done with scholarly rigour. Including Indian thinkers alongside global ones, offering critical engagement rather than replacement, and developing interdisciplinary modules that draw on Indian social realities would have strengthened rather than diluted the curriculum.
A meaningful curriculum reform should be inclusive, consultative, and pedagogically sound. Instead, these changes appear abrupt and top-down, with several faculty members alleging they were not adequately consulted. As one member remarked, “Modernisation cannot come at the cost of academic autonomy.”
The counter to a whitewashed curriculum should not be to do the exact opposite. Figures like Karl Marx are not just ideologists; their legacies extend beyond nation-states. They presented global ideas that remain relevant to Indian society, especially in an age grappling with inequality and labour rights.
And religion—while an important part of many societies—must never dominate education policy. When one faith is elevated in academic materials meant for students of all backgrounds, it chips away at the secular fabric of our democracy.
Replacing complex geopolitical issues with religious scripture is not only pedagogically flawed—it’s, frankly, a dangerous precedent.
New Programmes and Policy Decisions
Beyond the curriculum overhaul, DU has also announced the launch of a two-year M.A. in Journalism in both Hindi and English, and a BSc in Nuclear Medicine Technology, to be offered at the Army Hospital (R&R) for Armed Forces Medical Services personnel. The EC also introduced a new policy for determining teacher seniority, with age taking precedence over API scores when qualifications are equal.
A committee has been constituted to assess the implications of a DoPT circular mandating periodic review of employees aged 50 and above—raising concerns about forced retirement policies within the university system.
As the NEP rollout moves ahead, universities like DU need to walk the path wisely. Reforms should fuel learning, not push a story. Education isn’t meant to box students into ideologies—it’s meant to open minds, spark debate, and shape citizens who can think for themselves. Our classrooms should dig deeper, not go narrow. We can’t afford to swap knowledge for one-sided thinking.
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