Indigenous Knowledge Systems And Sustainable Learning: A Comprehensive Regional Analysis Of Northeast India

Abstract

Northeast India is home to over 200 indigenous communities constituting 68% of the country’s total tribal population. The current study explores how the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into formal education can address challenges of cultural erosion, environmental degradation and educational alienation among indigenous learners. Incorporating insights from policy shifts, empirical data from 2020-2024, and international comparative framework, the analysis reveals that students from these minority tribal community have 23% higher dropout rate than national average., largely because of cultural disconnects within mainstream curricula. Strikingly, pilot initiatives incorporating TEK have shown a 40% increase in student engagement and a 25% reduction in dropout rates, underscoring the transformative potential of culturally sensitive education. This paper concludes with data-based recommendations for integrating TEK across Northeast India’s educational landscape, aiming to encourage an educational environment that is inclusive, sustainable and culturally grounded.