India's education system is undergoing a major transition from an exam-driven structure to one focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and adaptability, Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, said at the NDTV LearnNXT Conclave 2026.
Speaking on the topic "Viksit Bharat 2047: Is the Future of Indian Education Entrepreneurship?", Bagla said India's education system has historically produced individuals capable of excelling globally. Responding to a question on whether Indian classrooms are ready for this transformation, he referred to discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos and said Indian-origin global CEOs are often recognised for two key strengths, "the ability to get a job done" and "the ability to work without a playbook in completely uncharted territory."
According to Bagla, these qualities emerged from certain strengths within India's education system, but the world is now changing rapidly. Referring to the book Future Shock, he said, "The future will not belong to the one who has all the answers, but the one who knows how to ask the right question." He added that the idea has become increasingly relevant in today's knowledge-driven world.
Bagla said the National Education Policy is attempting to create a learning ecosystem that prepares students for future uncertainties rather than only traditional industrial-era work structures. "Our entire educational and training system was created during and after the industrial revolution. Waking up early, reporting to schools at fixed timings, all of this was designed to prepare people for factory-style jobs. But the world has now changed completely," he said.
Describing today's youth as the "anxiety generation", Bagla said the rapid pace of information and knowledge flow has made it increasingly difficult for older generations to guide young people in conventional ways. He said the focus now is on preparing students to navigate the unknown and adapt to changing situations.
Highlighting the government's innovation push, Bagla said the Atal Tinkering Labs initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2016 to build the foundation of a society driven by innovation and entrepreneurship. He noted that Startup India was launched around the same period and pointed to the rapid growth of India's startup ecosystem over the past nearly 3,700 days.
"Today, India is number three in the world in terms of unicorns, number two in startups, and number one in the number of new startups being added every day," he said. Calling the growth "phenomenal", Bagla said he could not think of another example globally where so much had been achieved in such a short period. He added that the progress reflects strong policymaking, fast implementation and positive public response.
Bagla further said nearly two lakh startups have now been registered with the government, creating what he described as an "army" of entrepreneurs for the future. He added that more than 1.1 crore young entrepreneurs have passed through Atal Tinkering Labs over the past 3,700 days.
