The Urgent Need to Rethink India's Education System: A Call for Urgent Reform and Mental Well-being

The Indian education system stands at a critical juncture. With 1 in 5 students suffering from some Mental health issue, we need to consider it nothing less than a pandemic. While the country has made remarkable progress in expanding access to education with more than 30,000 colleges and 1000+ universities, a deeper examination of classroom dynamics reveals persistent flaws that demand urgent reform. Our current approach to education often prioritizes rote learning, exam-based assessments, and outdated teaching methodologies, leading to increased mental health issues among students. It is time we shift our focus toward a more holistic, skill-based, and student-centric learning environment in the classrooms of our institutions.

Dr Dhruv Galgotia speaks at the QS India Summit 2025

A System Stuck in the Past
Despite rapid advancements in technology and pedagogy worldwide, Indian classrooms remain largely unchanged. Traditional lecture-based teaching continues to dominate, leaving little room for creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. This rigid approach not only stifles student engagement but also places immense psychological pressure on young minds, contributing to anxiety, burnout, and, in extreme cases, tragic instances of student suicides.The days of giving a monologue by a faculty to unattentively bored and dis-interested students should have been over years back.

Mental Health Pandemic in Higher Education
The mental well-being of students has become a growing concern in India’s higher education institutions. The relentless pressure to excel in competitive exams, the stigma associated with failure, and the absence of structured mental health support create an environment where students struggle in silence. Unfortunately, whatever efforts are being made to address these issues are reactionary rather than preventative. We tend to respond only after crises occur, instead of implementing proactive strategies to nurture students' emotional resilience and well-being from an early stage.

Breaking Free from Rote Learning: Time to Bring in AI in classrooms
One of the most damaging aspects of our education system is its over-reliance on rote memorization. Instead of fostering curiosity and innovation, students are trained to memorize and reproduce information without truly understanding concepts. This not only diminishes their ability to apply knowledge in real-world scenarios but also suppresses independent thinking. To build a workforce ready for the challenges of the 21st century, we must encourage active learning, critical analysis, and experiential education. Infact, we have made the investments at Galgotias university to make it a point that old lecture style classrooms are done away with to a large extent and made almost all classrooms collaborative and technology enabled to ensure teaching is done to enhance the retention of our learners.

The Need for Preventative Measures in Mental Health
The current model of mental health intervention in universities is largely post-mortem-action is taken only after visible distress signals emerge. This approach fails to address the root causes of stress, such as academic pressure, social isolation, and unrealistic expectations. Universities must integrate mental wellness programs into their curriculum, provide easy access to counselling services, and normalize conversations around mental health.The need for strong mental health support on campuses with well trained counsellors is one of the most critical needs in higher education institutions. Galgotias has established a mental wellness centre in partnership with HCL healthcare to ensure students get personalised attention with scientific technology enabled follow-ups in due course as needed by students, faculties and parents both on and off the campus.

Active Learning at Galgotias University: Student Centered Ecosystem
Galgotias University has taken significant strides toward implementing active learning to revolutionize education. By launching G-SCALE ( Galgotias student centered active learning ecosystem) and incorporating interactive teaching techniques such as Think-Pair Share, Scaffolding, Jigsaw, Simulations, problem-based learning, Case-study techniques  and hands-on projects, students are engaged in a more dynamic and participative learning process. The university has also pioneered India’s first active learning building, designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and real-world problem-solving skills. This initiative places Galgotias University at the forefront of modern educational reform, ensuring that students not only acquire knowledge but also develop critical thinking and practical skills essential for their future careers.

A Shift Toward Student-Centric Learning
To truly reform our education system, we must move toward a student-centric model that prioritizes engagement, curiosity, and well-being. This can be achieved through:

• Lower failure rates: Better conceptual understanding, reduced failure rates, strengthened social relationships, and better absorption of knowledge leading to academic achievement for students who would have been predicted not to have performed well.

• Personalized Education: Using technology to tailor learning experiences to individual student needs.

• Skill Development: Encouraging practical skill-building over rote memorization to prepare students for real-world challenges.

• Mental Health Integration: Embedding emotional well-being initiatives within academic frameworks to ensure students receive the support they need.

• Industry-Academia Collaboration: Bridging the gap between classroom education and professional realities to enhance employability.

A Call for Change
The time to rethink India’s education system is now. We must acknowledge that the traditional methods of teaching and assessment are no longer sufficient in preparing students for the future. By embracing progressive educational reforms, fostering a culture of mental wellness, and making learning more meaningful, we can create an education system that truly empowers students to thrive in all aspects of life.

Change begins with a willingness to challenge outdated norms. As educators, policymakers, and stakeholders, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that every student in India receives an education that not only imparts knowledge but also nurtures their mental and emotional well-being. Only then can we truly unlock the potential of our youth and drive India toward a brighter future.

About the author :
Dr. Dhruv Galgotia is the CEO of Galgotias University and recently spoke at the QS India Summit on Mental health in Indian Institutions held in Goa.