By Rima Singh
In the vast tapestry of India’s educational evolution, a profound transformation is underway; one that prioritises the alchemy of skills over the arithmetic of scores. Historically, Indian
students have been taught using a traditional method of learning that centres around memorising content through repetition and cramming for exams, where students were judged by how accurately and thoroughly, they could recite what they had studied.
Although the disciplined training model produced a group of well-prepared students, it typically failed to consider the more expansive dimensions of learning (questioning, adapting, and innovating in an unpredictable world). The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has now created a bold new direction for India to implement Competency-Based Education (CBE), where assessment has become a guiding light for the individual learner’s experience beyond just day-to-day learning.
Beyond Knowledge: Building Real-World Competence
This shift began from an understanding that knowledge is fleeting in a fast-paced technological world. The focus of the NEP on an inclusive yet flexible curriculum indicates the movement away from subject-specific education to integrated competencies such as Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity & Ethical Reasoning.
Many educational institutions across the world, such as IB (International Baccalaureate) and other similar models, have passed down their experiences to India regarding inquiry-based learning and developing learners’ resilient minds through that process. CBE is an example of how education has moved away from its reliance on high-stakes tests to a model that focuses on ongoing assessments of student learning and application to real-world situations.
For example, instead of memorising definitions from a textbook, students can work collaboratively to address a local environmental issue by creating interventions in their communities, developing their ability to solve complex problems with uncertainty.
Redefining Success in the 21st Century
Nonetheless, this shift profoundly alters the concept of ‘success’ by shifting the paradigm of how we view those who have been successful. Old measures celebrated those who memorised dates and chemistry equations. CBE now elevates the concept of a learner as they are now seen as someone who can integrate diverse concepts into solutions for today’s pressing issues such as climate change and digital ethics.
Research shows clear benefits: OECD studies find competency-based systems boost adaptability, with graduates about 20% more likely to succeed in changing job markets. In India, where youth unemployment remains high despite a demographic advantage, this shift is more than just educational — it’s vital. It helps young people use artificial intelligence as a tool rather than see it as a threat by teaching meta-skills like ethical judgment and continuous, iterative learning.
The Quiet Barriers and the Path Forward
From the vantage of decades immersed in educational landscapes, one discerns patterns in this metamorphosis. The inertia of legacy systems, which includes overburdened syllabi, teacher workloads, and parental expectations anchored in board exam laurels, poses formidable barriers.
The shift from traditional education to competency-based education (CBE) will require educators to be retrained as facilitators of discovery as opposed to just providing information. Professional development for staff should focus on coaching teachers to provide students with support throughout the inquiry process using transdisciplinary units that connect science and social justice.
In addition, the assessment portion of this model needs to be redesigned as well; student portfolios containing project work, peer reflections, and self-evaluations are more representative of a student’s abilities than simply assigning a numerical value, even though they challenge the societal preference for “measurable merit.”
The Missing Piece: Emotional and Intercultural Literacy
Looking at CBE through emotional and intercultural literacies gives a fresh perspective often missing from policy plans. In diverse classrooms that mirror India’s mosaic of nationalities and socioeconomic backgrounds, competence goes beyond cognition to include empathy and a sense of global responsibility.
Through real world experiences; from studying regional artisans’ case studies on the ethical implications of their work within the supply chain to engaging diplomatic negotiation simulations regarding the sustainable development of countries; Inquiry Based Learning leads students beyond the walls of schools, providing opportunities for meaningful exploration and the opportunity to find the balance between intellectual and emotional insight. Students become not only skilled professionals but also compassionate leaders bringing about positive change.
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Living the Philosophy
Institutions that embrace this approach show what’s possible. Continuum programs that run from primary through diploma levels let young learners in the early years pursue transdisciplinary inquiries, like mapping urban ecosystems to understand the links between biology and civics.
As students advance, interdisciplinary projects sharpen analytical edges, while culminating phases demand reflective essays and community-engaged service, embedding theory of knowledge with practical action. Overseas immersions and service expeditions push this journey further, exposing learners to different cultures and environments where adaptability matters more than accolades and leadership grows through real conversations with stakeholders.
Toward an Empowered Tomorrow
Despite the challenges, the momentum is unstoppable. Policymakers need to increase investment in digital infrastructure so access is fair, and communities should shift how they define “success,” valuing versatile, curious people as much as test-toppers.
Imagine a world twenty years from now, the classroom is a bustling hive of creative thinkers with a focus on teamwork and collaboration. The classroom is also a place where students work together, share ideas, and learn from each other’s mistakes rather than being punished for them.
The India we envision will be built on this change in mindset regarding the importance of skills versus the importance of grades. While this transition is indeed a reformation of education, it is also a renaissance. The country is moving from an “industrial” model of education to a “creative” model, thus helping to prepare young people for life after they have finished school; a creative society.
(The author is the Head of School at DPS International, Gurgaon. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.)
