Shifting Mindsets and Reimagining the Education System in India

Recent policy deliberations in India have started to emphasise upon the importance of holistic development and socio-emotional learning (SEL) to help young people attain employment opportunities amid a booming youth population. While India’s ambitious goal of providing quality holistic education rests on the essential principle of  inclusivity for all, the realization of this goal demands a transformative shift in mindset as well. 

The recent policy discourses have brought in a slew of efforts to address the systemic barriers that have historically kept a significant population at the margins of the education system. Even the government’s budgetary allocations for the education sector have been increasing. In fact, the allocation for the financial year 2025-26 of ? 78572 Cr has turned out to be the highest ever for the Department of School Education & Literacy. However, inspite of these initiatives according to a 2021 data it was found that nearly 7.7 percent of our population did not have access to quality educational resources.

There are a range of inherent issues that need to be addressed to provide a solution to this problem. Further,  as the onus is misplaced on an individual young learner as an ahistorical entity to transcend their social position, there is little hope for collective action that places accountability on all society elements to create a thriving education system in India. This is where the transformation in mindset needs to be cultivated while accommodating the socio-economic variables. In fact, policies aimed at transformation should not ignore the varying positionalities of young people that enable or prevent them from thriving.

Spelling out inequity in India’s education policy landscape

Exclusionary practices have had a historical existence in India characterized by unforgiving social hierarchies delineated by identities like caste, class, religion, gender, language and disability. Over the years there have been several policy initiatives aimed at inclusion such as the Kothari Commission (1966) and three subsequent national policies on education – 1968, 1986, 2020. The 86th amendment of the Constitution also brought in Article 21 A guaranteeing right to education as a fundamental right for children between the ages of 6 and 14. These initiatives were supplemented by the universalization of basic education under the  Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2009. But the implementation has been sluggish and uneven.

Also, these initiatives have an alternate perspective that often goes unnoticed. These initiatives in a lot of cases emerge as a charity discourse where a student’s foremost identity gets shrouded by the dominant  perception of them as marginal children, which obviously influences teachers’ perspectives as well. In such cases the ‘included’ child is seen as a specific type of group as opposed to ‘regular’ children, further perpetuating the existent inequalities instead of negating them.

This is further added up with the inconsistencies in the implementation of Section(12)(1)(c) of the RTE Act, which reserved twenty-five per cent admission in private schools for economically disadvantaged groups.  Also, a disproportionate swelling of private enterprise in education further points to a narrowing of education opportunities for the marginalized in an unequal society. This imminent withdrawal of the state can be either read simply as an outsourcing of its basic obligations or understood as its inability in addressing the inequities that characterize the Indian society. 

Rethinking success through mindset shifts and a culture of inquiry

While India is now proceeding to facilitate the incorporation of wider forms of skills into mainstream education, there is an added burden on policymakers. They must ensure that these initiatives do not merely serve as a veneer for deeper inequities.

What this necessitates, at the community level, is a mindset shift surrounding the social construct of success towards a thriving-oriented ideal. This must be supplemented by a culture of inquiry, at the individual level which would help the whole community – including teachers, family, young learners – to reflect and then actualize this shift in the mindset. These mindset shifts – eg. from achievement-centric to competency-based– would facilitate a model which prioritizes integrated “whole school”, “whole system” or even “whole societal transformation” based on the principles of inclusion, equity and dignity. This collaborative reflection can nurture the inherent potential of all learners by developing learners’ holistic competencies and skills that set them up for thriving.

Also, India’s current education landscape raises a few fundamental inquiries that policymakers, researchers and the wider Indian society need to undertake regarding privilege, inequity and social structures which would influence the ability of our young learners to thrive despite adversity.  Certain issues like how privilege manifests within the educational system and how it affects students’ access to resources and opportunities should be pondered upon. The results can further lead to a principled approach to curriculum design, pedagogical instructions and assessment practices conciliated by an inclusive system of care. This would enable all young learners to avail equitable opportunities  and live a life of dignity.

Thus, alongside focusing on developing certain specific skill sets, education ecosystems also need to collectively assess its role in reinforcing the pre-established norms of success. The excessive emphasis on achievement neglects inquiry into the other significant socio-economic variables which are also of paramount importance for quality education. This is why there is a need to imbibe an expansive notion of success poised in inclusion, equity and dignity wherein every young learner has the freedom to define their life trajectory.

Conclusion

A holistic and inclusive transformation of India’s education system is imperative. By shifting mindsets, addressing systemic barriers, and upholding inclusion, dignity and equity, we can create an educational environment that allows every young learner to maximize their potential and thrive. This comprehensive approach not only addresses current challenges but also lays the foundation for a more equitable and inclusive future for all Indians.

Firstly, there is a pressing need to redefine what success means in education. Redefining success to embrace diverse strengths and capabilities provides all children with the opportunity to lead lives of dignity and fulfillment. This stance will encourage the cultivation of a wide array of skills and competencies, promoting a growth-oriented learning environment that benefits not just individual students but the entire educational ecosystem.

Secondly, addressing and dismantling systemic barriers is crucial. These barriers, deeply rooted through historical and structural inequities related to caste, class, religion, and gender, must be recognized and actively dismantled. Adopting a positionality-sensitive approach ensures that policies and practices do not place the burden of overcoming these barriers solely on individual learners but instead hold societal structures accountable for creating equitable educational opportunities.

Lastly, upholding the values of inclusion, dignity, and equity should be at the forefront of educational transformation efforts. This involves fostering a culture of actively involving all stakeholders, including teachers, families, and communities. By doing so, we ensure that educational practices are inclusive and equitable, nurturing the inherent potential of every learner.