RETHINKING EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION IN INDIA: PATHWAYS, CHALLENGES, AND INNOVATIONS WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON ANDHRA PRADESH

Quality education is central to social justice and sustainable development. In India, the past decade has witnessed a wave of educational reforms, particularly with the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). Andhra Pradesh, as one of the leading states in reform initiatives, has experimented with new models of pedagogy, teacher training, and digital learning. Yet, the distance between policy vision and ground reality remains significant. This paper offers a unique perspective by viewing education not merely as a system but as a cultural ecosystem. It examines pedagogical innovations, assesses persistent challenges, and outlines transformative pathways that integrate teacher identity, social justice, and local wisdom into policy implementation.