Higher Education Department Hosts IKS Dialogue to Drive Future-Ready Governance

The session brought together policymakers, academicians, and senior officials to explore how India’s rich knowledge traditions can inform modern education, innovation, and governance frameworks.

In a significant initiative to integrate India’s intellectual heritage with contemporary policymaking and education, the Department of Higher Education organized an interactive session on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) as part of Sadhana Saptah 2026. The week-long observance, held from April 2 to 8, commemorates the Foundation Day of the Capacity Building Commission (CBC) and marks five years of Mission Karmayogi, India’s flagship reform for citizen-centric governance.

The session brought together policymakers, academicians, and senior officials to explore how India’s rich knowledge traditions can inform modern education, innovation, and governance frameworks.

Strengthening Governance Through Knowledge and Capacity

Delivering the welcome address, Shri Syed Ekram Rizvi, Joint Secretary (Administration), Department of Higher Education, underscored the pivotal role of the Capacity Building Commission under Mission Karmayogi in transforming governance.

He highlighted how CBC’s digital learning platforms and structured training modules are equipping civil servants with critical skills, domain knowledge, and adaptive capabilities, enabling a shift toward more responsive and citizen-focused governance.

Indian Knowledge Systems: Beyond Tradition, Toward Transformation

The session focused on positioning Indian Knowledge Systems not merely as a cultural repository but as a dynamic, multidisciplinary framework capable of enriching contemporary academic and governance practices.

Participants engaged in structured peer learning and deliberations on how traditional Indian intellectual traditions—spanning philosophy, science, medicine, and ethics—can contribute to modern problem-solving, innovation, and policy design.

Keynote Highlights: Integrating IKS into Higher Education

The highlight of the event was an address by Dr. Mohan Raghavan, Associate Professor at IIT Hyderabad and an expert at the intersection of biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, and heritage science.

Dr Raghavan emphasized that while IKS holds substantial market and research potential, its true transformative power lies in higher education. He advocated for integrating IKS across disciplines rather than treating it as a standalone subject.

“IKS should serve as a multidisciplinary lens that enriches science, engineering, humanities, and management education,” he noted.

He further outlined how such integration can:

• Shift education from rote learning to holistic, application-oriented learning

• Combine technical knowledge with ethical and value-based frameworks (dharma)

• Encourage interdisciplinary research and innovation rooted in Indian contexts

• Produce graduates who are globally competent yet culturally grounded

Dr. Raghavan also highlighted that this approach aligns closely with ongoing education reforms, including the National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasizes critical thinking, flexibility, and experiential learning.

Building Future-Ready Institutions

The session reinforced that embedding IKS into academic curricula can enable institutions to:

• Develop interdisciplinary programs combining tradition and technology

• Foster original research inspired by indigenous knowledge systems

• Strengthen India’s position as a global knowledge leader

Such efforts are seen as crucial in building a higher education ecosystem that is both innovative and rooted in civilizational wisdom.

Engaging Dialogue and Policy Relevance

An interactive Q&A session followed, where participants explored practical pathways for integrating IKS into governance and education systems. Discussions highlighted the importance of:

• Bridging traditional knowledge with modern policy frameworks

• Leveraging IKS for sustainable development and inclusive growth

• Embedding cultural intelligence into administrative decision-making

Mission Karmayogi: Driving Systemic Transformation

The event reflects the broader vision of Mission Karmayogi, which aims to create a competent, accountable, and future-ready civil service through continuous learning and capacity building.

By incorporating Indian Knowledge Systems into training and governance discourse, the initiative seeks to foster a humane, adaptive, and knowledge-driven administrative ecosystem.

A Step Toward Holistic National Development

The session witnessed participation from senior officials of the Department of Higher Education and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to aligning India’s ancient wisdom with modern institutional frameworks.

As India navigates complex global challenges, such initiatives underscore the importance of blending tradition with innovation—ensuring that governance and education systems remain not only efficient but also ethically grounded and culturally resonant.