Abstract

Guided by the mandates of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, contemporary Indian educational institutions are undergoing a significant structural and pedagogical shift to integrate the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) into mainstream curricula (Badlakkanavar, 2026; Pathak, n.d.). This sociological study examines the institutional relevance, modes of systemic integration, and the socio-cultural challenges encountered during the operationalization of IKS within highly rationalized, modern academic frameworks. From a functionalist perspective, reviving indigenous frameworks—spanning classical sciences, epistemology (Gnyan, Vignyan, Jeevan Darshan), and traditional arts—is vital for constructing an India-centric educational ecosystem that fosters epistemic pluralism, cultural resilience, and sustainable development (Barbhuiya, 2025; Srivastava, 2026). However, a critical sociological evaluation reveals sharp institutional contradictions and systemic barriers. Utilizing secondary qualitative and empirical literature, this paper identifies severe administrative and operational hurdles. These include a widespread deficit in formal faculty training, a lack of standardized, age-appropriate curricular models, an acute scarcity of peer-reviewed, translated academic resources, and the persistent marginalization of IKS as an “auxiliary” elective rather than a core discipline (Bhunia, 2026; Patel, 2022, as cited in Shanwal, 2025). Furthermore, applying a critical sociological lens uncovers underlying structural tensions regarding epistemic equity. Skeptics point out the risk of ideological distortions, such as high-caste, localized hegemony, which may inadvertently marginalize subaltern and diverse multicultural knowledge traditions, while potentially validating pseudoscience within rigorous secular spaces (Dey, 2026). Ultimately, this study suggests comprehensive structural reforms: resolving tensions between modern regulatory frameworks and oral traditions, establishing robust cross-disciplinary research methodologies, and executing inclusive teacher-training frameworks (Sharma, 2024). Such balanced measures are essential to ensure that IKS serves as an democratic, progressive tool for national decolonization rather than an instrument of social stratification.