Summer vacations are here again, bringing excitement and anticipation for children and parents alike. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his 120th episode of Mann Ki Baat aired on 30 March 2025, passionately encouraged schools, families, and communities to use these months meaningfully. With hashtags like #MyHolidays and #HolidayMemories, PM Modi beautifully highlighted that vacations could be more than just leisure; they could nurture holistic growth in young minds.In this context, it’s essential to reflect on how the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and institutions like the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) are shaping the future of Bharat, particularly focusing on adolescents. The NEP 2020 is celebrated worldwide for its visionary stance on education that bridges traditional cultural wisdom with modern interdisciplinary practices.
It recognises adolescence as a vital stage of personal and emotional growth — a truth vividly captured in Netflix’s recent series Adolescence, where teenagers struggle to find their identity amid cultural and emotional complexities. Anthropologist Margaret Mead once remarked, “The young, free to act on their initiative, can lead their elders in the direction of the unknown,” aptly summarising the potential and restlessness of youth.
Here, CCRT steps in effectively, translating the vision of NEP 2020 and National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023into reality. CCRT has been actively promoting arts and cultural education by blending age-old wisdom with contemporary teaching methods. UNESCO’s Framework for Culture and Arts Education highlights precisely this — cultural literacy is not just beneficial but essential for sustainable and cohesive societies.
Globally, successful educational models, such as those in Finland, South Korea and Japan, underscore the importance of cultural education. Finland, often praised for its education system, integrates cultural appreciation deeply within its curriculum. Similarly, South Korea has earned global recognition for infusing its educational framework with a rich cultural heritage.
Bharat, long celebrated as a Vishwaguru, now has the opportunity to reclaim its leadership by implementing cultural education initiatives guided by policies like NEP 2020. CCRT’s initiatives (under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India) — which include the Digital District Repository (DDR) Project and specialised teacher-training workshops in art-based pedagogy — have profoundly influenced adolescents, especially at the grassroots level.
These initiatives foster a genuine sense of cultural pride and self-awareness, helping young people navigate identity struggles similar to those depicted realistically in Adolescence. With the summer holidays upon us, the timing couldn’t be better. PM Modi’s appeal resonates with CCRT’s vision of turning leisure time into learning adventures.
Imagine our children swapping mundane afternoons of screen time for immersive storytelling sessions, theatre workshops, or hands-on experiences in traditional crafts. Certainly, these experiences promise far richer holiday stories to share with hashtags #MyHolidays and #HolidayMemories!
Furthermore, cultural and heritage education nurtures empathy — an indispensable quality in our rapidly globalising world. It also offers emotional resilience, equipping adolescents with the confidence to address modern-day challenges. So, as summer camps begin and cheerful voices echo through activity-filled sessions, let us recognise the perfect harmony between NEP 2020’s vision and CCRT’s mission. Together, they foster culturally conscious, globally minded citizens deeply rooted in Bharatiya traditions. Indeed, Bharat, as the original Vishwaguru, is well-positioned to lead by example in educational innovation. Cultural education is not merely about preserving traditions — it is about empowering the next generation.
Let’s wholeheartedly embrace this idea, transforming this summer vacation into an unforgettable journey of cultural discovery and growth for Bharat’s adolescents.
(The writer is Deputy Director, Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture, New Delhi; Views are personal)