New Delhi: Every year, November 11 is observed as National Education Day in India. This day is not merely a ceremonial occasion but a moment for introspection, reminding us that education is more than a pathway to exams and certifications—it is the foundation of a nation’s character, culture, and creativity. The day commemorates India’s first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who envisioned education as a powerful tool for social transformation, self-reliance, and national unity.
Maulana Azad famously described education as “a lioness whose milk requires courage to drink.” He believed that India’s education system should provide equal opportunities to every class, community, and individual, from primary education to higher studies. His dream was for education to go beyond knowledge acquisition and become a process that gives direction and purpose to life. Today, while India has made significant technical progress in education, value-based and humanistic education seems to have declined. Instead of nurturing peace, compassion, and holistic development, the system often breeds stress, competitiveness, and unrest.
Current Challenges in Indian Education
India’s education system faces multiple contradictions. Academic success has become synonymous with marks and certificates, rather than knowledge. Students increasingly become rote-learning machines, losing the ability to think critically and creatively. Moral values, coexistence, compassion, and nonviolence have taken a backseat. Teachers, once respected as sources of inspiration, are now seen primarily as syllabus-completing functionaries.
Inequalities between urban and rural education remain stark. While cities boast advanced schools, many villages still lack basic educational infrastructure. Single-teacher schools continue to exist, degrees are increasing, but employment opportunities are decreasing, widening the gap between education and real-life needs. Students are pushed into an intense competitive race, where grades, ranks, and job prospects outweigh knowledge, sensitivity, and character. The pressure of coaching, parental expectations, and fear of failure often mentally overwhelms children. Education, in many cases, has become a source of stress and psychological strain.
The Human Cost
The consequences are alarming. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), nearly 14,000 schoolchildren committed suicide in a single year, with cases rising by almost 65% over the past decade. These are not mere statistics—they represent the crushed dreams of children, victims of a system that values performance over well-being.
Education for Holistic Development
True education should promote intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth. The ancient Gurukul tradition emphasized balanced development, aiming not only for knowledge but also self-awareness, discipline, and service to society. Emotional education fosters empathy, helping students become responsible citizens. Mental education builds focus and resilience, while intellectual education sharpens reasoning, judgment, and creativity. Physical education ensures a healthy mind and body, incorporating yoga, sports, and exercise.
Education should integrate knowledge with practical skills to prepare students for life. A holistic approach combines tradition and modernity. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Education means the all-round development of body, mind, and soul.” Education must be life-centered, not job-centered, value-based to sustain morality and humanity, and inclusive, bridging local and global perspectives. Encouraging research and innovation can help India lead the global knowledge economy.
Empowering Teachers
A strong education system depends on strong teachers. Teachers are not merely instructors but guides, mentors, and motivators. They must receive adequate respect, training, and job satisfaction. As Maulana Azad noted, “Good teachers are the soul of the nation.” Teachers must be empowered emotionally, morally, and technically to fulfill this role.
India’s New Education Policy 2020 introduced several welcome reforms, including the 5+3+3+4 structure, mother-tongue instruction, skill development, and multidisciplinary learning. However, these reforms will only be effective if implemented sensitively at the ground level.
A Call for Transformative Education
The goal of Indian education should not be merely to award degrees but to nurture ethical, spiritual, and socially responsible citizens. True education, as envisioned by Maulana Azad, is “Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye”—education that liberates, not merely provides jobs. By integrating wisdom with science, ethics with technology, and compassion with competition, India can reclaim its role as a global guide. National Education Day reminds us that education shapes not just what we become, but also who we serve. A system that nurtures sensitivity, integrity, and societal contribution is the highest tribute to Maulana Azad’s vision.
