How Education Can Shape a Sustainable Future: The Indian Perspective

Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow – This blog explores how India’s higher education system can become a catalyst for sustainability by nurturing responsible, values-driven future leaders.

Dr. Manmohan Vyas

In today’s world, sustainability is no longer a distant ideal—it's a necessity. Governments, businesses, and communities are waking up to the fact that growth must be inclusive, equitable, and environmentally conscious. But to achieve a truly sustainable future, one key element stands out: education.

Education has always been a tool for empowerment. But in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a global framework set by the United Nations—education takes on an even greater responsibility. Among the 17 SDGs, Goal 4 specifically calls for “inclusive and quality education for all and lifelong learning.” It emphasizes the need for education systems to equip learners with the knowledge and values required to build sustainable societies.

So where does India stand in this journey? And how can our higher education system become a real force for sustainable development?

Education Beyond Economics: Why Quality Matters

For decades, education in India has largely focused on building a workforce that fuels economic growth. While this has contributed to the country’s development, it's time to ask a deeper question: What kind of citizens are we shaping through our education system?

True quality education is not just about passing exams or landing jobs. It’s about developing responsible global citizens who are aware of the social, environmental, and ethical implications of their choices. According to UNESCO, quality education must foster cognitive development, promote values like empathy and justice, and nurture creativity and emotional intelligence.

This broader vision is particularly important in a country as diverse and complex as India, where education must help break cycles of inequality, caste discrimination, and gender bias.

Sustainable Education in India: A Long but Promising Journey

India isn’t new to the concept of sustainability in education. As early as the 1990s, premier business schools like IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta introduced courses on environmental management. Later, regulatory bodies like UGC and AICTE began mandating environment-related modules in the curriculum.

Despite these efforts, however, there is still a long way to go. Sustainability education in India remains fragmented, often limited to standalone electives rather than being integrated into core academic programs. To truly prepare future leaders, sustainability must become part of the DNA of Indian higher education.

This means reimagining what we teach, how we teach it, and why it matters.

Challenges in Mainstreaming Sustainability in Higher Education

Implementing sustainable development in education is not easy. It demands a complete shift in mindset, institutional culture, and curriculum design. Here are some key challenges India faces:

1. Lack of Collaboration : Many Indian institutions work in isolation. There’s a need for inter-institutional partnerships—sharing best practices, research, and resources to build a collective ecosystem for sustainable learning.

2. Fragmented Curriculum : Teaching sustainability as a separate subject isn’t enough. It must be integrated across disciplines—finance, marketing, operations, and more. As expert Terry F. Yosie points out, business students should learn how sustainability influences every function of a company.

3. Limited Faculty Engagement : Many faculty members are either not trained in sustainability or lack real-world experience. As Prof. P.D. Jose notes, the gap between academia and industry in this space is huge. Those who teach rarely practice sustainability, and those in the field seldom return to teach.

4. Student Perception : For many students, sustainability is seen as “soft” or non-essential. Business schools must change this perception by showing how sustainability drives innovation, resilience, and long-term profitability.

5. Community Involvement : No educational reform can succeed in isolation. The local community must be actively engaged, especially when it comes to solving real-world problems through student projects and outreach.

A Way Forward: What Needs to Change

Despite the obstacles, the path to integrating sustainability in education is achievable and necessary. Here's what India can focus on:

• Redesign the Curriculum : Embed sustainability concepts into every core subject. From finance to strategy, students should see how environmental and social responsibility impact business decisions.

• Train the Trainers : Invest in faculty development. Encourage research, field exposure, and collaboration with industries that are already leading the way in sustainability.

• Promote Career Pathways : Show students that careers in sustainability are growing. From ESG consulting to green finance, these are not just “noble” jobs—they are high-impact and high-demand.

• Leverage Government Policies : India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes multidisciplinary education and experiential learning both of which align perfectly with sustainability goals. Institutions should actively align their strategies with NEP to drive reforms.

• Encourage Campus Action : Campuses themselves can be models of sustainability adopting green infrastructure, reducing waste, and involving students in campus audits and action plans.

Impact That Goes Beyond the Classroom

When B-schools and universities embrace sustainability, the ripple effects are powerful. Students take their values and knowledge into the workforce, influencing companies, communities, and policies. Some may even choose to return as faculty, further expanding the pool of sustainability-conscious educators.

More importantly, students learn to think beyond personal success. They begin to ask, How can my work improve lives? How can I reduce harm and build long-term value?

These questions are at the heart of the SDGs. And education is the most effective way to nurture them.

Conclusion: From Awareness to Action

As the United Nations rightly puts it, “Quality education is the foundation for sustainable development.” In India, we need more than infrastructure or digital tools we need a cultural shift in how we view the purpose of education.

Education must empower students not just to survive in a competitive world, but to transform it. It must help them become changemakers who can develop innovative solutions to real-world problems poverty, climate change, inequality, and more.

If we can build an education system that does this starting in our business schools and universities we won't just be meeting SDG targets. We’ll be creating a better, fairer, and more sustainable India for generations to come.

Dr. Manmohan Vyas

Dean - ISBS