THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF ART INTEGRATED LEARNING IN INDIA: FROM INDIGENOUS VISUAL TRADITIONS TO CONTEMPORARY CLASSROOM PEDAGOGY

Abstract

This paper examines Art-Integrated Learning (AIL) as a decolonial and epistemological framework in contemporary Indian education. Using qualitative analysis of policy documents, including NCF (2005), NEP (2020), NCF-SE (2023), CBSE guidelines, and relevant literature, it traces AIL from colonial educational practices to postcolonial reforms. Drawing on the educational philosophies of Plato, Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi, and constructivist theories, the study argues that AIL integrates indigenous visual traditions, experiential learning, and cultural knowledge into pedagogy. It concludes that AIL promotes creativity, holistic development, cultural identity, and knowledge construction while challenging colonial educational hierarchies.