FROM CLASSROOM TO NATIONHOOD: TEACHERS’ ROLE IN ADVANCING INDIA’S HUMAN DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Abstract

Teachers have always been the cornerstone of a nation’s development acting as both transmitters of knowledge and architects of social transformation. In modern India, their role extends far beyond the classroom to shaping human capital, fostering civic responsibility, and guiding the moral, intellectual, and emotional development of learners. With rapid technological advancement, socio-economic changes, and the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, teachers are now expected to be innovators, mentors, and nation-builders capable of integrating traditional Indian values with 21st-century skills. This chapter examines the multifaceted role of teachers in contemporary India as agents of nation-building and human development. It explores how teachers contribute to inclusive growth, social cohesion, and human capital formation through education that integrates equity, ethics, and innovation. A case study on Teacher Leadership in Rural India demonstrates how empowered teachers can drive social transformation at the grassroots level.