Every year, November 11 is observed as National Education Day in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the nation’s first Education Minister and a visionary architect of modern Indian education. The day celebrates his lifelong dedication to learning, knowledge, nation-building, and serves as a reminder of the role education plays in shaping an equitable and progressive society.
The observance was first announced in September 2008 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now the Ministry of Education) to honour Maulana Azad’s remarkable contribution to the field of education. The day also aims to encourage discussions on improving India’s education system, addressing modern challenges, and reaffirming the constitutional commitment to education as a fundamental right.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: The Architect of Modern Indian Education
Born on November 11, 1888, in Mecca, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was not only a freedom fighter but also a reformer and scholar whose ideas continue to influence India’s educational philosophy. He was deeply rooted in Islamic scholarship but also embraced Western science, philosophy, and literature, which shaped his broad and inclusive outlook on learning.
As a journalist, Maulana Azad founded the Urdu weeklies Al-Hilal (1912) and Al-Balagh, which became platforms for nationalist thought during the freedom struggle. At just 35 years old, he became one of the youngest presidents of the Indian National Congress and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.
After Independence, Maulana Azad served as India’s first Minister of Education (1947–1958). Under his leadership, the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) was established in 1951, the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 1953, and institutions such as the Sahitya Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, and Sangeet Natak Akademi were founded to promote India’s cultural and literary growth.
In recognition of his immense contributions, Maulana Azad was awarded the Bharat Ratna after his demise in 1992.
His Educational Philosophy: Inclusion, Equality, and Empowerment. Maulana Azad believed that true independence could only be achieved through the education and empowerment of every citizen, regardless of social or economic background. His policies focused on three main priorities:
Universal Primary Education: Free and compulsory education for all children, ensuring access regardless of geography or status.
Girls’ Education: Equal education for girls as a national priority, recognizing that no society can progress while neglecting half its population.
Adult Literacy: Programs to extend education to adults, ensuring knowledge reached every corner of society.
He emphasized that education was not merely about employment or academic success but about developing critical thinking, creativity, and social awareness; the cornerstones of a truly progressive nation.
From Vision to Law: Education as a Fundamental Right
Maulana Azad’s belief in universal access to education found expression in India’s legal framework through the 86th Constitutional Amendment, which added Article 21A, making free and compulsory education a Fundamental Right for all children aged 6 to 14.
This right was operationalized by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which came into effect on April 1, 2010. The Act includes a landmark provision — Section 12(1)(c); mandating private schools to reserve 25% of entry-level seats for children from economically weaker sections, promoting inclusivity and social equity.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Responsibilities
Despite constitutional guarantees and ambitious reforms, challenges persist. The gender gap in literacy, with 84.7% for males and 69.4% for females, underscores the need for continued efforts toward equality.
The digital divide also remains a pressing concern. While regions like Chandigarh and Delhi have full internet access in schools, states such as West Bengal report only 18.6% connectivity, limiting access to digital learning platforms like PM e-VIDYA and DIKSHA.
Furthermore, while the education system is gradually embracing skill-oriented learning, implementation gaps remain. It now offers electives such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Financial Literacy, and Coding, but according to NCERT’s 2024 survey, only 47% of Indian schools offer any skill-based course for senior classes, and just 29% of students opt for them. Implementation, not intent, remains the challenge.
From AI literacy and digital problem-solving to emotional intelligence and cross-cultural communication, tomorrow’s workers need more than high exam scores. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 ranks critical thinking, analytical skills, and self-management among the top employability traits.
In the same spirit, the International Baccalaureate Organisation notes that we need to update our policies and curriculum by giving more emphasis to skill areas such as thinking, research, communication, social, and self-management. It is a curriculum that mirrors the soft skills demanded by modern employers.
The National Education Policy 2020: Carrying the Vision Forward
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, launched on July 29, 2020, builds on Maulana Azad’s ideals, aiming to transform India into a global knowledge superpower by 2047. Replacing the 1986 policy, it is based on five pillars; Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, Accountability, and introduces a new 5+3+3+4 structure, encouraging holistic and multidisciplinary learning.
The change follows the NEP 2020’s call for a shift from knowledge-based to competency- and skill-based learning, placing greater emphasis on conceptual clarity, critical thinking, and real-world application. By removing rigid boundaries between arts and sciences, the policy seeks to create learners who are innovative, ethical, and globally competent, values that echo Maulana Azad’s vision of education as a means of liberation and empowerment.
Examinations, too, are set to undergo a radical transformation, shifting from memory-based testing to assessments that measure understanding, analysis, and application. If learning is to prepare children for life, assessment must measure their life-ready skills.
The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2022–23 represents a decisive evolution in this direction. It is a learning outcome based curriculum framework (LOCF) that shifts the focus from what students know to what they can do. The framework emphasises that learning must lead to demonstrable skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and the ability to apply knowledge meaningfully in real-world situations.
However, a glaring mismatch persists. While curriculum and pedagogy have moved toward competencies and real-world application, assessment systems remain largely outdated. Unit tests and board exams continue to reward rote recall over reasoning, memorisation over mastery. If learning is expected to be active, applied, and outcome-driven, our assessments must reflect the same philosophy.
The logic is simple: if students are taught through inquiry and teamwork, they should also be evaluated through inquiry and teamwork. Real-world assessments make learning authentic and pave the way for genuine mastery of concepts. Such assessments ask students to analyse, collaborate, and create; skills that define success in the modern world.
Curriculum reform without assessment reform is like teaching students to swim but never letting them into the water. The NCF and LOCF envision learners who can think critically, act responsibly, and contribute meaningfully, not just score well in exams.
If schools continue using outdated tests, they will undermine that vision and produce students unprepared for the modern job market and an evolving world. Embedding real-world assessments into policy will help close this gap, ensuring that children are ready not just for exams, but for life, work, and citizenship in the 21st century.
This shift aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, both of which aim to reduce rote learning and promote conceptual understanding. As Mr. Mubashir Hassan, a reputed teacher from Government Middle School, Dardpora, rightly says, “Life is an open book. The world doesn’t reward memorisers; it rewards problem-solvers.” Experts note that this change places India firmly on the path to 21st-century education, where analysis, creativity, and application define learning outcomes.
According to Mr. Altaf Ahmad Mir, Head of Government Middle School, Dardpora, “We must devise a system that reduces exam stress, promotes questioning minds, and develops decision-making skills among students.”
That would indeed be the truest tribute to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and the best way to carry forward his mission of education that empowers minds and transforms society.
Revisiting the Foundations: Beyond Information to Wisdom
Our education system still suffers from flawed parameters that must be addressed if we want to progress in line with Maulana Azad’s vision. The one-size-fits-all model is a failed approach that needs an urgent overhaul. Findings from the ASER survey show that many states continue to grapple with a learning crisis, where students struggle to meet basic proficiency levels despite high enrolment.
To sustain engagement and foster deeper understanding, activity-based, play-based, and project-based learning must replace outdated methods. The chalk-and-talk approach belongs to the past. Teachers should also cultivate storytelling skills, as stories have a unique power to entertain, enlighten, and educate. Whether teaching literature, history, or science, storytelling can simplify complex ideas, make learning memorable, and connect emotionally with students.
Equally concerning is the decline of kindness and compassion in education. We seem to have moved from wisdom to knowledge, and from knowledge to mere information. As a nation, we must pause and reflect: Are we truly preparing students for life, or just training them to take exams?
A Call to Action
As we celebrate National Education Day 2025, the message is clear: Maulana Azad’s dream of an educated, self-reliant India can only be fulfilled when every child; regardless of gender, caste, or circumstance, has equal access to learning.
National Education Day is not merely a day of remembrance. It is a call to action, a reminder to policymakers, educators, and citizens alike that education is the foundation of justice, progress, and national unity. To honour Maulana Azad’s legacy is to continue his mission: to educate, empower, and elevate every mind that shapes the future of India.
Comments are closed.