Reviving The Gurukul Spirit In Modern Classrooms: Integrating Indian Knowledge Systems In Schools Under NEP 2020

Sourav Maity

Reviving The Gurukul Spirit In Modern Classrooms: Integrating Indian Knowledge Systems In Schools Under NEP 2020

Author(s)	Sourav Maity
Country	India
Abstract	India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a significant turning point in the country's approach to school education by directing the formal integration of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) across all levels of the curriculum. The ways in which the Gurukul tradition’s foundational philosophy of holistic development, experiential learning, and deep mentorship can be meaningfully revived within modern, digitally mediated schooling are explored. This study identifies core areas of IKS that carry high contemporary relevance: ancient mathematical and astronomy (Ganita and Jyotisha), traditional sciences, medicine and environmental knowledge (Vijnana), classical literature and philosophy (Sahitya and Darshana), and holistic wellness practices including Yoga and Ayurveda. It is argued that these are not merely historical curiosities but living intellectual frameworks with direct pedagogical value. This approach moves away from treating IKS as a standalone historical subject and instead embeds it as an active, cross-curricular competency. This study further explores how emerging technologies, including Virtual Reality, hybrid learning platforms, and AI-driven language tools, can amplify rather than undermine the relational and experiential values at the heart of the Gurukul philosophy. Significant implementation challenges are also addressed, including the risk of superficial tokenism, the need for rethinking the school education, teacher training programmes, and the imperative to maintain academic objectivity and cultural inclusivity across India's diverse regional and tribal traditions. The study concludes with implementation guidelines to the various stakeholders, state and central bodies like NCERT, State Education Boards, and Teacher Education Institutions. It is argued that the integration of IKS represents not a retreat into the past, but a strategically grounded path toward a more balanced, rooted, and future-ready education system.
Keywords	Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), NEP 2020, Gurukul Philosophy, Curriculum Integration, Digital Education, Holistic Learning, Teacher Training, Experiential Learning, Decolonisation of Education.
Field	Sociology > Education
Published In	Volume 6, Issue 12, December 2025
Published On	2025-12-06

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Reviving The Gurukul Spirit In Modern Classrooms: Integrating Indian Knowledge Systems In Schools Under NEP 2020

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