NCERT head takes stock of science and technology in India while recalling Pokhran-II
India celebrates May 11 as National Technology Day in remembrance of the momentous occasion when we became a nuclear power state by conducting the Pokhran-II tests in 1998. This event not only conferred nuclear status on India but also celebrated the achievement of scientific advancement, indigenous innovation, and technological self-reliance. Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (at that time, he was Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister Office), this occasion was a reflection of India's determination to become a respected technological giant in the world.
Yet this day has its importance beyond that one occasion. It is a time to sit back and ponder over the extent of India's legacy in science and technology, achievements made since then, and how India ventures towards a futuristic and self-reliant status for Viksit Bharat - 2047.
Since ancient times, knowledge has thrived in this Bharat. Technological wisdom has been one of the significant cornerstones of India's cultural and cosmological life since the earliest times. Saraswati-Sindhu civilization is an example; it offered cities with excellent planning so that, even today, they appear as engineering marvels because of their superior water management and drainage systems.
An ancient text like the Sushruta Samhita affirms the saga of advanced surgical and medical knowledge. Rishi Charaka, the physician par excellence of ancient times, laid the foundation of Ayurveda. India gave the concepts of zero and Algebra, Trigonometry, and accurate observations of planetary movements to the world, and these are credited to Aryabhatta, Bhaskara-II, and Varahamihira.
The Iron Pillar in Delhi is a testimony to India's ancient metallurgical science knowledge system. This pillar has withstood the wrath of corrosion for more than 1600 years- and addresses the fact that ancient Indian scientists possessed very advanced skills in metallurgy.
Making headlines globally
In the 21st century, India has transformed into a global technological powerhouse in invention and scalable application of technology for social transformation. With the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world today, India has world-renowned IT hubs like Bengaluru.
India has been in the limelight ever since its success in missions like Chandrayaan-3 and Gaganyaan in space technology. Digital India has transformed and revolutionized governance and public service delivery while incorporating millions through initiatives like Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and several citizen-centric digital platforms.
India is a global leader in digital public infrastructure, low-cost health innovations, renewable energy technologies, and artificial intelligence applications. With striking examples, it clearly demonstrates how digital transformation seamlessly becomes inclusive—bridging the rural-urban gap, empowering communities, and providing transparent governance. Make in India, Startup India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat schemes encouraged the creation of a more favourable environment for homegrown innovation and manufacturing capabilities across sectors.
Technology providing learning materials
Education remains a key component that can further technological advancement. The NCERT as an organisation devoted to school education has ensured continual change in innovative education. Therefore, since NCERT believes that technological literacy should begin from an early stage, it is actively involved in placing technology at the heart of learning-teaching and assessment, beginning from the foundational stage with the development and dissemination of an integrated mobile app, i.e. e-Jaadui Pitara which is designed to support parents and teachers of children in the age group 3-8. Initiatives for the promotion of digital literacy and computational thinking in school education and coding skills at all levels are being undertaken by the NCERT in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020.
Digital platforms such as PM e-Vidya, DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing), NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement), ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society), PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), courses on SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active - Learning for Young Aspiring Minds), PRASHAST (Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool), Bharat on the Moon portal, Rashtriya Vidya Samiksha Kendra, ePathshala etc. are set to provide high-quality interactive learning materials available to students and teachers across India. These platforms provide digital textbooks, audio-visual resources, and interactive modules in various languages suited to different types of learners.
NCERT is now executing training of teachers under one of the largest digital platforms, i.e., the NISHTHA programme, to use digital tools effectively, practice blended learning strategies, and create tech-enabled teachers and inclusive classrooms. Currently, NCERT is also involved in running 200 school education DTH TV channels under PM eVIDYA to address curricular issues related to regional language and ensure equitable quality education for all across the nation.
Meanwhile, a new ICT curriculum includes important areas such as digital safety, productivity tools, creativity, problem-solving, and emerging technologies. NCERT is planning to introduce coding and artificial intelligence in the new curriculum, which aims to enable today's children to not only consume technology but understand and learn to build with it and use it as well. Another major effort in using technology to promote foundational literacy and numeracy utilizes games, stories, and interactive content to develop appropriate competencies among children in the age group 3–8 years.
These efforts aim to engage the children of India in interventions that will build their skills for a world with endless technological possibilities. Therefore, the underlying focus for India as Viksit Bharat by 2047 is to be not only a powerful hub for scientific infrastructure and tech parks but also a nation where innovation, critical thinking, creative thinking, and ethical digital citizenship are nurtured.
Skill, scale and speed
The vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 is to make India a developed and technology-driven nation where digital reach is ubiquitous, green energy fuels the economy, AI undergirds governance and education, space missions break new frontiers of human knowledge, and innovation underpins national development. Its mission is to make India a world leader in next-generation technologies, including quantum computing, clean hydrogen, robotics, cyber safety security, and smart manufacturing. It fundamentally places humanity and its values as an instrument of technology into inclusion, empowerment, and sustainability. During the launch of the Digital India campaign in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once mentioned that skill, scale and speed together could be achieved if we use technology at the right time and with the right speed.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam once said, 'You have to dream before your dreams can come true.' This National Technology Day, India dreams of such a future where its technological journey would be inspired by wisdom, ignited by innovation, and rooted in individual equality. From ancient astronomers to AI engineers, from gurukuls to smart classrooms, from river valley hydraulic systems to lunar landers-India's story has always been about curiosity, courage, and capability.
Let us remember this day for grace in the past and rededication to the way ahead. Every child should be able to explore technology with joy. Every teacher should become a digital mentor. Every citizen must take pride in being a citizen of a country that believes in science and technology as a way of shaping destinies. In India, technology is not merely an accomplishment; it is a legacy, a commitment, and a promise for future generations.
(The writer is Director, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi)
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