Adi Sanskriti: A NEP 2020–Aligned Digital Framework for the Preservation and Empowerment of India’s Tribal Knowledge Systems within the Bhartiya Gyan Parampara

Abstract

The Adi Sanskriti Digital Learning Platform, inaugurated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) on 10 September 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marks a historic milestone in the digital preservation and revitalization of India’s tribal heritage. Conceived as the world’s first “Digital University for Tribal Culture,” this initiative directly advances the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which calls for the integration of India’s indigenous knowledge systems, promotion of multilingualism, experiential learning, digital inclusion, and the preservation of endangered languages and cultural heritage. At a time when rapid globalization, technological disruption, and cultural homogenization threaten the continuity of traditional knowledge systems, Adi Sanskriti leverages artificial intelligence, digital repositories, and e-learning frameworks to not only safeguard tribal wisdom but also democratize access and participation, embodying NEP 2020’s emphasis on equitable, technology-enabled, and culturally rooted education. This study argues that Adi Sanskriti’s strength lies in its integrated design, structured around three core pillars: Adi Vishwavidyalaya (Digital Tribal Art Academy), Adi Sampada (Socio-Cultural Knowledge Repository), and Adi Haat (Digital E-Marketplace). Together, these components operationalize a holistic and multidisciplinary framework in which heritage-based education, systematic documentation, skill development, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods are interlinked. This model reflects NEP 2020’s focus on vocational education, experiential learning, community engagement, and linking education with employability and economic empowerment. The paper examines the platform’s technical and institutional architecture, the convergence of stakeholders—MoTA, tribal research institutes, artisans’ collectives, trade federations, and the Digital University of India—and the early socio-economic transformations observed through field-based interactions with tribal communities. This research is significant as it positions Adi Sanskriti not merely as a digital preservation initiative, but as a transformative model of digital decolonization, enabling indigenous communities to reclaim epistemic ownership of their knowledge systems, assert sovereignty over their cultural narratives, and access regional, national, and global markets through authentic self-representation. The study addresses critical scholarly and implementation gaps, including the absence of integrated models linking education, culture, and livelihood in tribal digitization projects; limited academic engagement with India’s AI-enabled linguistic preservation efforts such as Adi Vaani; the lack of field-based studies capturing community perceptions of digital cultural platforms; and insufficient documentation of the role of inter-institutional collaboration in ensuring long-term sustainability. By bridging these gaps, the paper establishes Adi Sanskriti as a pioneering, scalable, and NEP-aligned framework for inclusive cultural preservation, knowledge democratization, and community-centred development in the digital age.