Abstract

Education is vital to a nation’s economic growth as it constitutes an investment in human capital development. Undergraduate education, which is the first level of higher education, equips students with critical thinking and skills, preparing them as catalysts for sustainable economic growth. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes the significance of undergraduate education in promoting economic and societal development. It aims at holistic and multidisciplinary approach to education, incorporating critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative skills into the curriculum. Despite its contributions, the undergraduate education system faces challenges in terms of access and quality, skill mismatch, underinvestment in education etc. that limit its potential. This paper analyses how India’s undergraduate education system is foundational to its ambitions of becoming a global economic leader. It provides suggestions to address existing challenges so that undergraduate education can emerge as the backbone of India’s economic growth.

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