From Awareness to Action: Strategies for Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through Education in India

Abstract

The SDGs demand more than policies and technologies; they require people and organisations that can understand the specificities of sustainability issues, make the right decisions, and translate theory into practice. For this reason, education matters not only as a goal but also as a tool for achieving the 2030 Agenda objectives. This paper analyses how education can help achieve sustainable development in India and what kind of Education-to-action framework could promote it. This review is based on an integrative literature review. The data were obtained from recent systematic reviews and articles, as well as UN/UNESCO literature on education and NEP policy, covering information published in 2024-2026. The information gathered during the review indicates that effective sustainable education includes consideration of the curriculum, pedagogy, readiness of teachers and learners, engagement of the whole institution, community involvement, and measurement of learning outcomes. In addition, the findings state that when SDG-related activities such as teaching, research, university management, operational processes, and community engagement are carried out one by one, this leads to fragmented efforts rather than effective action. The analysis results in a 6-component Education-to-action SDG framework model that includes curriculum alignment, pedagogical transformation, readiness of teachers and learners, engagement of the whole institution, community involvement, and behavioural monitoring. In conclusion, the analysis shows that education is crucial not only for informing about sustainability, but also for creating the atmosphere in which sustainability knowledge is translated into action.