Adult education in post-pandemic India: bridging challenges through community innovation and digital inclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted education systems worldwide. Adult education has been significantly affected, particularly in India, where adult education systems are already affected by structural inequalities that create obstacles to access to learning opportunities. Unlike formal schooling, adult education programs are typically based on community-led, face-to-face means of communication that were quickly stopped as a result of the pandemic. This disruption resulted in millions of adult learners, especially those from rural and marginalised communities, being cut off from educational resources . This period also became a starting point for experimentation and creativity in adult learning practices. Digital technologies enabled learners to connect with teachers and educational organisations mobile microlearning, WhatsApp audio lessons, community radio broadcasts, as well as hybrid learning models that combine online and offline elements. This study uses a qualitative documentary and narrative analysis of policy reports, institutional documents, and community learning initiatives to understand how adult education systems responded during and after the pandemic. This study examines both the challenges and emerging innovations in post-pandemic adult education in India. It argues for the need to strengthen inclusive, community-driven, and digitally adaptable adult education systems in post-pandemic India.