Transforming education: An essential milestone on the Vishwaguru Expressway

Abstract

The 21st century is hailed to be the Asian century. The world has been looking towards Asia to lead them through this new millennium. While the rise of China is already propelling this prophecy towards its fruition, how much of an Asian century it would turn out to be will also depend on how India, the world’s largest democracy, rises to this occasion. After all, one in three Asians are Indians. The Indian growth juggernaut that rolled into motion with the LPG reforms of 1991 has transformed the country beyond recognition. The optimists, however, say this is just the beginning. Picture abhi baaki hai (The story isn’t over yet), as the dialogue of a famous Hindi film would go. Some would argue that the juggernaut will not stop until India reaches its rightful place of Vishwaguru (teacher to the world) in the world order. While the aspirations are commendable, the proof of the pudding would be in the eating. As India bets on its demographic dividend to make the transformation, it becomes imperative that we study the preparedness of this dividend to take on this mantle.