For far too long, the Indian education system functioned in a rigid, top-down manner that stifled curiosity. Children were taught to memorize, not question; to follow, not explore. The natural instinct of a child to ask “why?” was too often met with silence—or worse, reprimand. In a world where innovation and discovery define progress, this suppressive approach was a disservice not only to individual learners but also to the nation’s growth potential. Thankfully, this is beginning to change!
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a landmark reform that promises to radically transform the way we educate our young. For the first time in independent India’s history, a national policy has placed genuine emphasis on inquiry-based learning, creativity, and critical thinking right from early childhood. By making curiosity central to the learning process, NEP 2020 empowers children to question, explore, and understand the “why” behind the “what.”
This shift is not just a pedagogical adjustment—it is a foundational transformation that will influence the future of research in India. Because at its core, research is simply a formalized way of asking questions and searching for new answers. The word itself—re-search—implies a quest for something not yet known. It begins with curiosity. And if we sow this curiosity early in a child’s life, we will reap a generation of innovators, thinkers, and problem-solvers.
But research must also be meaningful. The ultimate value of research lies in its ability to solve real problems—those faced by our communities, our society, our environment, and our economy. If research is disconnected from the people, what is its true worth? The purpose of knowledge is not only to publish papers but to create impact. Such as the research that I came across – a very ‘simple yet important for the community’ Research paper- Trim the Trio- reducing fat, salt and sugar, published by Amna Alshehhi from the Public Health & Safety Department, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, as a part of the UAE Nutrition Strategy and Ras Al Khaimah’s vision to promote healthier lifestyles.
India is beginning to show encouraging signs on this front. Over the past decade, the country has significantly increased its research output. According to the National Science Foundation and Scopus databases, India is now the third-largest producer of scientific publications in the world, behind only China and the United States. From publishing around 60,000 scientific papers annually a decade ago, Indian researchers now publish over 160,000 papers every year. This sharp rise is a result of deliberate policy measures and sustained investments in research and development.
The Government of India has launched several initiatives to promote research, including the IMPRINT (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology) programme, SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration), and STRIDE (Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy). The creation of the National Research Foundation (NRF)—with a proposed outlay of Rs. 50,000 crore over five years—is another landmark step in making research accessible, inclusive, and high-quality.
At Symbiosis International University (SIU), we have aligned our vision with this national transformation. We believe that research should not be the exclusive domain of PhD scholars—it must be embedded in the entire academic journey. That’s why we inculcate the spirit of inquiry right from our school-level institutions. At Symbiosis schools, children are encouraged to ask questions, conduct basic investigations, and understand the joy of discovery. This lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
Our undergraduate programs are designed to blend classroom knowledge with hands-on research experience. Students engage in projects that solve real-world problems, often in collaboration with our adopted villages, NGOs, or industry partners. At the postgraduate and doctoral levels, we have developed a robust research ecosystem, complete with funding support, mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and access to national and international databases and journals.
Recognizing the importance of incentives in promoting research quality, we offer awards for high-impact publications, provide seed grants for novel ideas, and actively support patent filings and technology transfers. Our faculty members are encouraged to mentor students not just in academic subjects but also in the ethics and methodology of research.
The result has been a steadily growing research output. SIU researchers now contribute to Scopus-indexed journals in disciplines ranging from biomedical sciences to social innovation, from engineering to law and liberal arts. More importantly, many of these projects are designed to offer tangible benefits to society—whether it’s improving maternal health in rural communities, designing eco-friendly construction materials, or using AI to address urban mobility issues.
As we look ahead, India’s journey toward becoming a knowledge economy will depend not just on our ability to produce research, but on our capacity to nurture curiosity at every level of education. It is heartening that NEP 2020 recognizes this, and it is imperative that all stakeholders—schools, universities, policymakers, and parents—work together to sustain this momentum.
Let us remember: every groundbreaking discovery, every scientific breakthrough, and every social innovation began with a question. If we can foster a culture where children are not afraid to ask “why,” we will create a nation that is ready to find the answers that matter.