Kolkata, March 27 West Bengal Governor R N Ravi said on Friday that structural weaknesses in the education system from the colonial era had hindered the country's progress in the past and are being urgently addressed to enable India to regain global leadership.
Highlighting the importance of knowledge creation, the governor said, "Knowledge is power. India was once a global center of learning, but over time, we lost that position. Now, we are on the right track to reclaim that role."
He said that despite having nearly 20 per cent of the world's population, India's contribution to global intellectual property remained low.
"We are sending talented people to major global technology companies, but fundamental research in our own country has lagged behind," he said.
Ravi, who was speaking at a teachers' conference at the IIT Kharagpur Research Park, said, "Countries that were once behind us have moved ahead, while we have fallen behind. This is due to deficiencies in the country's educational foundations over a decade ago."
He emphasized that this flaw has been corrected.
The event was jointly organized by IIT Kharagpur and the Centre for Excellence for the Indian Knowledge System, and focused on the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, along with themes such as artificial intelligence, digital education, and global collaboration.
Drawing attention to India's changing global role, Ravi remarked, "India is gradually becoming a supplier of knowledge workers, but it should also be a leader in innovation."
Referring to comparisons with smaller and neighboring countries, including Pakistan, he stressed the need for introspection and reform.
Criticizing the continued influence of colonial-era frameworks, the governor said, "We are still carrying the legacy of Macaulay's education system," adding that post-independence policies did not sufficiently break away from that structure, but the National Education Policy was framed in the right direction.
He called for a fundamental shift towards multidisciplinary, skill-based, and research-oriented education, in line with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020.
Emphasizing the need to revive India's intellectual heritage, Ravi said, "We must return to a culture of knowledge creation, innovation, and critical thinking if we want to build a strong and self-reliant India."
Earlier, Professor Suman Chakraborty outlined the objectives of the conference, stressing the challenges of implementing policy reforms, while other speakers highlighted the need for administrative changes, interdisciplinary learning, and greater use of technology in education.
The day-long conference featured panel discussions on artificial intelligence, digital learning, and internationalization, with participants underscoring the importance of effectively implementing the National Education Policy 2020 to strengthen India's higher education system.