Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya: Relevance of His Thoughts in the Present Education System

Abstract

Independence posed a formidable challenge. Under the hegemony of the British education system, the aims of education lacked clarity and relevance to indigenous needs. Consequently, there arose an urgent need to redefine and reconstruct the educational framework. Several commissions and committees were constituted to review the existing system and recommend reforms. Numerous thinkers and reformers contributed significantly to the revival and restructuring of Indian education. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was one such visionary who provided ideological direction for the reconstruction of a new Bharat. He envisioned a nation where no individual is left behind (Antyodaya), where the citizens are socially responsible, culturally rooted, and economically self-reliant. This paper aims to highlight Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s educational philosophy and examine the relevance of his ideas in the contemporary education system.