At first appearance, the ancient Gurukul system appears to be a relic. It is residential, relationship-centred, and morally grounded. But take another look. Gurukul methodology was designed to address the very issues that contemporary education is finding difficult to resolve: disengaged pupils, meaningless tests, and a lack of values. This essay makes the case that there is no nostalgic coincidence between Gurukul values and modern progressive education. It's structural. The study compares five fundamental Gurukul characteristics to contemporary constructivist theory, NEP 2020 goals, and field survey data from 480 children and 64 instructors in eight northern Indian schools using historical, comparative, and empirical evidence. Results indicate a high degree of alignment (70–95%) between value education, experiential learning, mentorship, and holistic development. The study concludes with a framework for practical integration—a purposeful borrowing of what actually worked rather than a complete return to outdated methods.
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Pragati Sachan & Prof. Nand Kishor
580-590
10.5281/zenodo.20319092
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