From Vision to Policy: A Critical Study of Swami Vivekananda’s Educational Philosophy and Its Reflection in NEP 2020

Abstract

The paper predominantly reflects upon the educational thought of Swami Vivekananda and its manifestation in the most recent National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) of India. It is worth investigating the policy implementation of NEP 2020, which is inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s holistic and value-oriented postulation, particularly concerning education, commonly articulated as “man-making education”. The study aims to explore how the widely discussed NEP 2020, as a policy, concretises Swamiji’s emphasis on character building, self-reliance, and the integration of material and spiritual knowledge for an ardent learner.

The research foregrounds qualitative methodology in philosophical analysis and policy critique. The work places primary texts from The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (CWSV) in dialogue with the NEP 2020. It further delves into Indian epistemological categories, such as neer-ksheer viveka and khandana–mandana, to enhance the NEP’s call for critical thinking grounded in the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). The NEP 2020 marks a genuine departure from systemic colonial legacies rooted in Indian education, which is evident in its emphasis on promoting Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), experiential learning, and cultural contextuality. Taking note of Swami Vivekananda’s contribution in shaping the latest education policy, the paper situates him as an early theorist of IKS, whose educational insights align with contemporary debates on knowledge decolonisation, cultural sovereignty, and nation-building.