INCLUSIVENESS OF SPIRITUAL AND MORAL LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION TO MEET INTERNATIONALIZATION THROUGH THE INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM (Author: Subramanyam B and Manisha B S)

In the Indian setting, education can be divided into two categories: ancient and contemporary. Before the current educational system, pupils were taught highly moral and sacred principles, which elevate and maximise their potential based on their aptitude. There were two renowned universities in the past called Nalanda and Takshashila. These universities made significant contributions to the advancement of education and cultural exchanges, dispersing knowledge throughout South Asia, i.e., from numerous scholars and students from China, Korea, Japan, and other countries. These two universities provided a wide range of courses in subjects like economics, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, and military literature. It is the only duty of each HEI to restore traditional, spiritual, and moral values as the cornerstone of the modern student body; if not, the loss of the influential youth will be the price the HEIs must pay. The student body must adopt moral principles that are thought-provoking and spiritual for society to avoid the many negative aspects of the current state of affairs. We have encountered these circumstances, for instance, in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. HEIs are dealing with the issue of “Nasha,” or high, as a result of foreign cultural influence. To recover from this, cultural enrichment must be improved. Indian higher education may provide students with a wider global perspective, promoting tolerance, empathy, and cross-cultural understanding, as well as ethical leadership, personal development, and the promotion of peace and harmony in society, by integrating spiritual and moral studies. Integrating spiritual and moral learning does not detract from academic rigor but enhances it. Students who develop a strong moral compass and spiritual grounding are often more resilient, creative, and innovative in their academic and professional pursuits.