From Ancient Skills to Future Readiness: How India Is Reclaiming the Dignity of Work Through Vocational Education

India’s history is shaped not only by kings and kingdoms, but by the skilled hands of its people. From the carefully planned cities of the Indus Valley to the majestic temples and forts of the medieval era, generations of artisans, farmers, and craftsmen laid the foundation for a thriving economy. This tradition of skill and innovation once made India a beacon in global trade. But, centuries of colonial rule and a shift toward academic elitism devalued these contributions, creating a legacy of disconnect between education and livelihood that continues to haunt us.

A system disrupted

British colonial education policies, particularly Macaulay in 1835, deliberately undermined India’s indigenous education systems, thus dismissing the value of ‘manual labour’ and ‘traditional skills’. As a result, generations grew up associating education with white-collar jobs — and manual work with failure.

Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed that education should combine learning with productive work, forming the basis of his concept of Nai Talim (basic education). He viewed vocational education as a means to build character, promote self-sufficiency in villages, and develop a balanced individual who contributes meaningfully to society. Post-independence reforms like craft education and the introduction of Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) in schools tried to reverse this trend by reintroducing skills such as weaving, pottery, woodwork, and gardening into the curriculum. Without proper assessments, trained instructors, or meaningful connections to industries, vocational education remained marginalised — perceived as a fallback option rather than a respected path to education and employment.

Learning that meets the real world

Today,........

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