VIVEKANANDA'S VISION OF EDUCATION AND THE INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM: A PHILOSOPHICAL PATHWAY FOR NEP-2020

Abstract: The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020) introduced by the Government of India marks a significant shift towards an education system rooted in Indian ethos and holistic development. This policy draws deep inspiration from the educational philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, whose ideas are firmly grounded in the Indian Knowledge System (IKS). The present paper situates Vivekananda’s vision of education within the broader framework of IKS, understood as a holistic, value-oriented, and consciousness-centered tradition of knowledge that integrates intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and social dimensions of human life. By analysing Vivekananda’s key teachings on education—such as man-making, character-building, self-reliance, experiential learning, and the harmony of spiritual and secular knowledge—the paper demonstrates their close alignment with the core objectives of NEP-2020. It further argues that NEP-2020 represents a contemporary institutional attempt to reinterpret and operationalize fundamental principles of the Indian Knowledge System for modern educational needs. Through this analysis, the study highlights the continuing relevance of Vivekananda’s educational philosophy in shaping a holistic, inclusive, and culturally rooted education system for present-day India. Keywords: Swami Vivekananda, National Education Policy 2020, Indian Knowledge System (IKS), Educational Philosophy, True Aim of Education