Page 91 - EducationWorld May 2022

Teacher-2-Teacher

Transforming India into a

Global Education hub

SANJAY VISWANATHAN

N THE SEVENTH CENTURY CE, XUANZANG (602- In the 21st century, India will overtake
664 CE, also known as Hiuen Tsang), a peripatetic Chi-
nese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator, the US and China to become the most
Idefied his kingdom’s ban on travel abroad and came prosperous nation in the world again. To
overland to India. Over 16 years (629-645 CE), his travels in
India took him to Kashmir, Mathura, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, attain this objective we need a National
Varanasi, and Nalanda among other seats of learning. Doctrine starting with mindset change
At the famous Nalanda University, he schooled with Bud-
dhist masters including Silabhadra. When he returned to
China, he shipped 657 Sanskrit texts centred on Mahayana ricula, content, and certification rubric. For curriculum, we
and Hinayana Buddhism on 20 packhorses. To his surprise, must build on our native academic heritage blended with
Emperor Taizong welcomed him as a national hero and set contemporary ideas and technology from the West. In con-
up a large centre of learning in Xi’an. tent, India needs hybrid pedagogies that enable learners to
Over 2000 years before Xuanzang set foot in India, we learn from anywhere and anytime without the constraints
had shown the world our academic brilliance through Su- of physical boundaries. Measuring students’ progress
shrutha, Kanada, Aryabhatta, Chanakya, Adi Shankara and should be their choice so we can foster auto-didacts who
Madhvacharya, among other eminent scholars. Maharishi recognise that success in life comes from knowledge that
Kanada developed the foundations of atomistic approach generates employment.
to physics and philosophy and wrote of anu or atom and its o improve learning outcomes, the Central, state and lo-
indestructible nature in the Sanskrit text Vaisesika Sutra Tcal governments must mandate online or digital school-
2200 years before John Dalton propounded atomic theory. ing as complementary to physical in-person learning. This
My prediction is that in the 21st century, India will over- necessitates re-skilling and up-skilling the country’s 10 mil-
take the US and China to become the world’s most prosper- lion teachers to take live classes, coach learners through
ous nation again. So, how can we regain our intellectual interactive communication and immersive platforms, and
leadership and vigour and emerge once again as a global administer proctored assignments and exams digitally.
pioneer and inventor nation that will drive human civilisa- The India Skills Report 2019-20 states that only 46 per-
tion and progress? For this, India needs a National Doctrine cent of the country’s graduates are employable. In some
comprising key elements — Mindset, Structure, Building states like West Bengal — erstwhile intellectual hub of In-
Blocks, and Values. In this essay, let’s start with Mindset. dia — a mere 5 percent of graduates are employable. To
To regain our position of pre-eminence, we need to de- make our young population future-ready, India needs to
velop a new national mindset — one that questions and start skilling learners from early age. Generic arts, com-
employs analytical rigour, rather than blind acceptance of merce, economics, and science education must be infused
myths, opinions, and beliefs, and builds on India’s proven with higher order skills such as data science and artificial
academic traditions. We need to transition from the 19th intelligence, and soft skills like working English and busi-
century Macaulayian practice of unquestioningly adopting, ness etiquette, so that future learners become employable.
borrowing, and following an alien and slavish approach to India has an excellent higher education system in the
knowledge gathering and societal management. IISc, IITs and IIMs. But it will become a viswa guru (glob-
Dispensing education rooted in our spiritual traditions al teacher) nation only after we elevate our institutions of
while enlarging the mind through innovative ideas and learning — K-12 schools, vocational centres and universi-
technology will deepen our understanding of our intellec- ties — into world-class centres of knowledge excellence
tual lineage and broaden our horizons. “Learn everything such as Takshashila or Nalanda or Pushpagiri that fostered
that is good from others, but bring it in, and in your own research and innovation rooted in Indian academic tradi-
way absorb it, do not become others,” advised Swami Vi- tions. By innovating a National Doctrine of learning, we
vekananda. Educators and learners need to embrace the can regenerate thousands of Sushruthas, Kanadas, Aryab-
spirit of inquiry, and develop a mindset that searches for hattas, Chanakyas, Adi Shankaras and Madhvacharyas. As
answers through relentless research, debate and dialogue, Adi Shankara (788-820 CE), Hinduism’s greatest thinker,
while being open to new thinking. In short, we need a new philosopher, and teacher said in his work Atmabodha —
and reimagined education system. “the world is filled with attachments and aversions, and the
To change the national mindset necessitates rewiring rest is like a dream. It appears real if one is ignorant, but we
the system in two directions simultaneously. First, we become enlightened when we awake.”
must change the way our children are taught in schools. (An alum of Strathclyde University and Harvard Business School,
Secondly, it is imperative to infuse skilling into school, col- Sanjay Viswanathan is founder-chairman of the London-based Adi
lege and university curriculums. Our schools need new cur- Group and Ed4All)

MAY 2022 EDUCATIONWORLD 91