Incorporating ‘green skills’ in Indian school education for a sustainable future

Pages: 56-59
M. J. Ravindranath (Senior Specialist & Program Director (Retd.) and Academic Director, Agastya International Foundation, Bangalore)
Vanditha Ravindranath (Finance Professional, Bangalore)

The literature on environment and ecology is replete with articles and essays on human onslaught on environment
and the resulting consequences. It is getting more and more glaring that if we do not change our mindsets and
lifestyles then the consequent catastrophes cannot be contained. We need to work for a sustainable future by
developing in the present and future generations newer vision, perspectives, practices and work culture. Our
commitment for a sustainable future should be firmly anchored with a robust education system enabling young
minds to develop knowledge and skills to protect, preserve and promote a healthy environment and safety. Green
skills leading to green careers and green economy is the call of the present. This paper attempts to present how
skilling India with green skills will help her cope with economic slowdown and unemployment without
jeopardizing nation’s natural environment and resources. More specifically, it focuses on how Green Skills can help protect, preserve and promote India’s natural environment with increased productivity. Education, impregnated with Green skills is the only hope to conserve the environment. Imparting Green skills should begin right from the school level. The paper finds its relevance at a time when India is working on a National Education Policy -2019 (NEP, 2019).