Opinion | Economic Aspiration To Civilisational Capability: Why India Must Reform Education By 2030

The concept of meritocracy in education is not merely a desirable preference; it has become an unequivocal necessity for achieving strategic progress

India has set forth an ambitious and visionary goal: to establish itself as the second-largest economy in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms by 2050, and to ascend to the rank of the largest economy in nominal terms by 2075. This aspiration for a Vikshit Bharat — in other words, a developed India — is not merely a dream; it demands a profound, multifaceted transformation of India’s economic structure, technological prowess, and institutional integrity over the coming decades.

Realising the scale of this economic vision requires more than simply harnessing the vast size of the population, increasing consumption rates, or implementing superficial productivity enhancements. Historical evidence clearly indicates that every nation that has emerged and maintained its status as a great power has fundamentally achieved this through the cultivation of deep scientific, technological, and innovative capabilities. At its core, economic predominance is inextricably tied to leadership in knowledge and innovation.

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Serious about its long-term ambitions, India must embark on a systematic approach that involves meticulously identifying desired outcomes and then strategically working backwards to define the critical prerequisites and essential policy decisions needed to achieve them. One of the central tenets of this plan is to establish an exceptional Science and Technology (S&T) base by 2040 — this is not negotiable. It is a vital requirement, underscored by the rapid pace of technological advancement worldwide.

Developing high-performing S&T ecosystems — whether in emerging fields such as semiconductors, rare earth technologies, advanced manufacturing processes, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, aerospace engineering, or cutting-edge materials science — requires sustained, committed investment over time. These........

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