India’s education system through the lens of PISA: Governance, curriculum, and teacher-learner development

In this study, I analyze India’s education system through the PISA prism of governance structure, curriculum design, and teacher-student development. By examining India in the context of PISA 2021 and comparing education systems across the globe, this research shows systemic assets while pointing to systemic challenges. Governance structures such as the ShaGun portal and the Shaala Siddhi framework show attempts to measure educational quality, but the resource inequity and regional differences remain disproportionately huge. The Indian curriculum is top of its category in theoretical oomph, especially in mathematics and science, but fails abysmally at instilling critical thinking ability as well as practical input that is in high demand as per the PISA framework. Teacher professional development emerges as a key barrier in that, in the absence of adequate training and a competitive student-teacher ratio, despite programs such as the Professional Development Program on Assessment and Emerging Literacy Teacher. Results are clear —competency-based assessments have led to curriculum reforms across nations like Germany and Finland in the aftermath of "PISA shock." Policy implications include a learned need for equity funding models, a 21st-century-aligned curriculum, and intensive teacher support. India can use this to improve its global competitiveness, bridge socioeconomic divides, and promote holistic development of all students—with the present roadmap for how Indian policymakers must balance national policies against international benchmarks.