Abstract

Life skills have been demonstrated to be a successful psychosocial intervention technique for encouraging students' good social and mental health. It plays a significant role in all aspects, including coping mechanism strengthening, emotional intelligence and self-confidence development, and critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. To make learning more engaging and meaningful, NEP-2020suggested revamping the curriculum and pedagogy and changing the paradigm from content-based to experience-based learning. It emphasizes the value of mathematics and mathematical reasoning in emerging research-focused domains including data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Thus, mathematics is more about making generalizations, recognizing correlations, and refining logical reasoning and thinking than it is about "number work" or "computation." The main components of inquiry-based teaching include activities that involve posing, solving, and modelling problems. NEP- 2020 recognized the value of mathematical reasoning and how it can assist the nation in becoming a Vishwa guru. NEP -2020 gives kids the nutrition they need by making mathematics fascinating and engaging from the very beginning. Furthermore, as coding fosters the development of computational skills and intuitive reasoning, middle schools should include coding curricula. The NEP-2020 emphasizes the value of combining life skills with mathematics education by emphasizing experiential learning and transdisciplinary learning. By illustrating how the development of vital life skills improves mathematical proficiency and, on the other hand, how mathematical education promotes the acquisition of crucial life skills, the study seeks to highlight the mutually beneficial relationship between life skills and mathematics education. The paper reviews the theoretical foundations of life skills, mathematics education, and NEP 2020,providing a thorough comprehension of the fundamental ideas. It delves into the practical implementation of life skills in the mathematics classroom, providing examples of how concepts such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration can be seamlessly integrated into mathematical curricula. It also discusses the challenges and barriers to implementing life skills in mathematics education, addressing issues related to teacher training, curriculum design, and assessment methodologies.