Education for the future

India needs to liberate education from political control and give institutions the autonomy needed to innovate

About a month ago, the government approved the New Education Policy (NEP). Universal quality education is most important for the future of India. Its basis for economic prosperity is widely recognised, particularly now as we move towards a knowledge economy. But the social role of education is much more than that of producing high productivity workers. One must therefore welcome this statement in the NEP: “The purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and