Cultivating Good Citizens: Integrating Character Education into the Indian Curriculum

According to a report by, “The National Crime Records Bureau”, crimes committed by minors in the city escalated to 7.6% in 2021. We may try to justify this, calling them out as minors and juveniles who only made a little mistake. But the fact is, juvenile crime in India is a grim reality. They have been proven to be part of crimes such as murders and rapes as well, and we should be fighting against them. Though these issues are all law-related, we can begin learning from the moral ends. On the lighter side there are acts of “Bullying”, an article titled “Bullies on the Rise” that was published in the “Atlanta Journal and Constitution” states that “Bullying is one of the insidious and fastest growing forms of workplace violence is on the rise worldwide”. All these reports are proof that cultivating good citizens should be our priority and one way could be integrating character education into the Indian curriculum.

Character Education can be defined as a broad term inclusive of a child's personal and overall growth.It is way beyond the academic curriculum offered at school.It provides students with the way towards character building and instilling values such as honesty and resilient attitude.This teaching philosophy makes a human full of positive attitude and make them responsible citizens.

There are multiple facets of character education, they are:

Honesty: We have all been hearing this one quote, “Honesty is the best policy”. Honesty is hailed as a cornerstone of moral character and that signifies one’s integrity, sincerity, and truthfulness in having all thoughts, words, and most importantly, actions. It entails transparency towards ethical principles even when faced with adversity. Becoming someone who acknowledges their mistakes, has genuine intentions, and cultivates a level of authenticity.

Courtesy: Simple acts of politeness, such as saying “thank you” or “please” or holding the door open for someone are some of the acts of courtesy. It is a timeless virtue revered across cultures and societies that fosters and is rooted in empathy, compassion, understanding, and mutual respect toward each other. The small gestures of courtesy create a welcoming and positive environment for all.

Respect: Respect is a fundamental principle of human interaction that recognizes admiration, esteem, tolerance, empathy, and consideration for others’ feelings and boundaries. It involves listening to people, valuing their different perspectives, and not judging them. Through various acts of kindness, individuals affirm each other’s autonomy and inherent worth. Respecting people works as a catalyst for building a society that survives on cooperation within the community and an inclusive society.

Dedication: An individual’s unwavering commitment toward achieving a certain goal or responsibility is known as dedication. It is one of the characteristics that is hugely admirable. The relentless pursuit of betterment combined with resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges makes a dedicated goal more aligned with their endeavors. Whether it is an individual’s academic pursuits or professional, dedication is the key to success.

Compassion: The ability of human beings to experience the emotions of others, which is more than just sympathizing.It includes the task of motivating others to become positive towards a situation and help them get out of difficult situations.People with compassion mostly have a good listening ear that helps people with sheer genuineness and support.

These qualities have been a part of Indian culture since the beginning.Our cultural values teach us to connect with people with kindness.The legend of Eklavya is well known to each one of us, who had examplied his respect and love for his guru.

Then why do we need to include character education?

Despite the fact that we are taught these values since childhood, we struggle to have a strong character that should be un-wavered by our self-centeredness.Therefore it is pivotal that we include character education in our curriculum re enforcing the vital ethical values.The enforcement of character education will guide to give back to the society.We need to build in a strong foundation for our future generations to further become a socially responsible beings who would deal with problems in their lives with utmost sincerity.