Historical practices, policies and their impact on the Indian education system: An analysis of strengths and shortcomings

Pages: 560-562
Manju Elizabeth Alexander (Department of Psychology)

Indian governments have seen education as a crucial development tool. The development of education is a continuum, which gathers its past history into a living stream, flowing through the present into the future. This paper begins with a brief historical background of educational development in India and the changing emphasis within government policy which have shaped the education system in India to better understand the present and visualize the future. It provides an understanding of how traditions have come to shape the content and methodologies employed in educational settings in India. The purpose of this reflection is to serve as a means to draw on strengths from ancient practices as well as to create an opportunity for rethinking other such practices having roots in Indian history which may be detrimental to the students’ experience of learning.