Indian Knowledge Systems and NEP 2020: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Directions

Abstract Indian knowledge systems offer a distinctive, multidisciplinary, and holistic framework that encompasses a number of fields, such as science, philosophy, health, ethics, and spirituality. IKS prioritizes sustainability and the harmony between people and the natural world, and it is based on life experience. In the areas of education, health and well-being, and the sustainable and equitable use of resources, IKS can provide useful answers for the modern world. There is a great chance to actively integrate these traditions thanks to the National Education Policy 2020. I contend that IKS are not only this country's history but also an essential component of current knowledge that is applicable to people all over the world and in a variety of fields. This paper aims to investigate the theoretical scope of IKS, its pedagogical implications, its role in helping students form their cultural identities, and its significance for the growth of learners as whole human beings. The paper summarizes recent research on the subject and offers insights into how the Indian government and educational establishments view the reintroduction of IKS into the official curriculum. After assessing how various tactics, including curriculum reforms, multilingual approaches, community engagement, technology-driven dissemination, and others, might define the extent of IKS decolonization of education that fosters ethical responsibility, creativity, and resilience, the study came to a close. I believe that the findings emphasize that IKS integration under NEP 2020 is not just a policy effort but also a civilizational task that seeks to reconcile tradition and modernity, resulting in education that is holistic, sustainable, and globally appropriate.