Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s philosophy placed teachers at the centre of nation-building. NEP 2020 brings his vision alive, empowering educators with autonomy, resources, and recognition to nurture creativity, inclusion, and holistic learning — transforming classrooms into the foundations of India’s future
Every year on Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday on 5th September, we celebrate the efforts, hard work, and contributions of teachers in India. As we celebrate his 137th birthday, it is worth examining how his profound insights about learning and education are finally being translated into practice through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. And moreover, how this policy empowers teachers to become the transformative force he always envisioned.
Writing on Democracy and Education in 1954, Dr Radhakrishnan declared, “The future progress of the country depends on accomplishing in a few decades the work of centuries. The essential means of bringing about a new society is education.” These words marked a fundamental reimagining of the purpose of education. For Dr Radhakrishnan, education was never about producing workers for an industrial economy; it was about nurturing complete human beings capable of intuition, compassion, and democratic participation.
This philosophy and vision rested on a simple yet often ignored premise: that true learning emerges from understanding, not memorisation. In his seminal book, An Idealist View of Life, he emphasised the importance of developing creative intuition over just theoretical intellect. He wrote, “intuitive realisation is the means to salvation… intuitive insight is identical with freedom,” suggesting that education should liberate the mind’s creative potential rather than constrain it through rote learning. At the core of this transformation, according to Dr Radhakrishnan, were teachers. In his address at Punjab University in 1953, he said, “We have to realise that the kind of education we provide for our children is determined overwhelmingly by the kind of men and women we secure as teachers.”
However, for much of independent India’s history, our education policy struggled to operationalise these insights. The system that emerged often prioritised mechanical learning and rote memorisation over creative intuition and understanding. Teachers found themselves constrained by rigid curricula, excessive textbooks, and limited autonomy. Rigid subject boundaries replaced the holistic development Dr Radhakrishnan championed, while teachers were reduced to following prescribed textbooks rather than inspiring creative minds.
As our Hon’ble Prime Minister has often said in Mann Ki Baat, “India has been the sacred land of education and knowledge. We have not confined education to bookish knowledge, but [it] has to be seen as a holistic experience of life.”
This holistic experience is at the heart of NEP 2020 and represents the first serious attempt to bridge this gap. Dr Radhakrishnan’s emphasis on “intuitive insight” comes alive in NEP 2020’s focus on experiential learning and competency-based education, and nowhere is this more evident than in the NIPUN Bharat Mission. Instead of confining teachers to rote instruction, NIPUN gives them the freedom and resources to make the teaching/learning process joyful, meaningful, and tailored to each child. Educators now have access to tools like Jadui Pitara, engaging teaching-learning materials (TLMs), comprehensive teacher guides, and structured lesson calendars, which simplify planning while leaving ample room for creativity. This professional autonomy allows teachers to innovate in their teaching styles, experiment with new activities, and adapt lessons to the diverse and unique needs of their students.
Over the past five years, teachers have championed NEP’s transformative initiatives like NIPUN Bharat, Vidya Pravesh, and creative aids such as Jadui Pitara, laying strong cognitive foundations. The National Curriculum Framework 2022 and integrated teacher education programmes have enriched educators with interdisciplinary approaches, creativity, and global perspective.
Building on this, NEP 2020 also addressed Dr Radhakrishnan’s call for developing the quality of teachers themselves. Through the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST), their competencies at different career stages are clearly defined, providing educators with a transparent roadmap for professional development, appraisal, and advancement. Digital platforms like NISHTHA and DIKSHA allow teachers to upskill anytime, anywhere, expanding access to high-quality professional learning. Beyond online resources, multiple state governments have established mentor cadres of senior teachers who regularly visit classrooms, observe teaching, and provide constructive feedback, fostering communities where experience and insights are shared and refined.
Our Ministry remains resolute in upholding inclusion and quality in education by promoting Indian and regional languages in higher and technical education via technology-enabled translations, Bhasha Sangam content, and AI-powered learning portals.
Under an MoU with NCERT and NIOS, Indian Sign Language is being integrated into curricula, enabling inclusive learning for Divyang children.
Over 3,600 schools have been upgraded, more than 80,000 strengthened with new classrooms, and 138,000 schools equipped with digital facilities, spaces shaped by teachers’ steadfast efforts. Over 35,000 girls’ toilets have been constructed last year, a silent yet powerful testament to focusing on retention and dignity. With 1.46 lakh eco-clubs leading the plantation of 5.18 crore saplings in 2024, our teachers are embedding sustainability into the very fabric of school life.
Today’s achievements — be it expanding PM SHRI Schools, fostering Atal Tinkering Labs, or advancing digital learning through DIKSHA and SWAYAM — all testify to our teachers’ adaptability and resolve.
While empowering teachers in classrooms is essential, Dr Radhakrishnan’s vision extends beyond the school walls. It requires the active support of society at large.
First, parents must play a pivotal role as partners in education. By reading together with their children, encouraging curiosity, and creating supportive learning environments at home, parents can become co-educators, reinforcing classroom innovation. This partnership not only strengthens foundational learning but also allows teachers to focus on achieving higher competencies during class, knowing that lessons are being reinforced at home.
Communities too have a responsibility to empower teachers and enrich the learning environment. School Management Committees (SMCs) should actively collaborate with teachers to ensure schools are safe, well-resourced, and conducive for learning. Communities can create platforms for interaction between students, teachers, and parents, while also bringing local artisans, professionals, and entrepreneurs into classrooms to share real-world experiences. In this way, communities become partners in education, empowering teachers to innovate, experiment, and teach more effectively, while fostering a culture of shared responsibility for learning outcomes.
Finally, state governments must listen to teachers as key stakeholders in policy design and implementation. Teachers are on the frontlines, implementing reforms daily, and possess invaluable insights into what works and what needs further refinement. By systematically incorporating teachers’ inputs, states can make reforms more effective, scalable, and aligned with classroom realities.
Today, we can proudly say that the system emerging through NEP would be recognisable to Dr Radhakrishnan as the education system he always believed India could and should achieve. The philosopher-president’s blueprint for human development is no longer just an ideal; it is unfolding in classrooms through well respected, supported, and trusted teachers.
This Teachers’ Day, let us not only celebrate our educators but also commit to giving them the tools, autonomy, and support to inspire every child. Our teachers are ready. It is now our responsibility to ensure they succeed, and through them, India does too.
As the Hon’ble Prime Minister beautifully said, teachers are “scriptwriters of a brighter future.” Let us reaffirm our unwavering gratitude to every teacher across India whose dedication, compassion, and wisdom nurture the mind, nurture the character, and nurture the nation.
The writer is Minister of State for Education and Minister of State of DONER, Government of India