Teachers Day India: Dr. Radhakrishnan & Education

India celebrates Teachers Day on September 5 every year. That date is the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan — philosopher, statesman, and the second President of India. The story behind this choice of date is itself worth knowing, because it says something true about how Radhakrishnan saw himself.

When Radhakrishnan became President in 1962, some of his students and friends asked if they could celebrate his birthday. He said: don't mark it as my birthday — celebrate it as Teachers Day instead. A day to honour teachers and the profession of teaching. The government accepted this, and September 5 has been Teachers Day ever since.

For UPSC, this topic appears in Current Affairs (September), Indian history and society, and questions on education policy. But Radhakrishnan as a figure is rich enough to appear in questions on modern Indian thought, India-Soviet relations, and the early Presidency.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Biography

Dr. Radhakrishnan's life is one of the most remarkable intellectual careers in modern India. He moved from a small town in Andhra Pradesh to the most prestigious academic chairs in the world — and then to the highest offices in the Indian republic.

Early Life and Education

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888 in Tiruttani, a small temple town in what is now Tamil Nadu (then part of Madras Presidency). His family was Brahmin, modestly placed. He studied at various Christian missionary schools — first in Tirupati, then at Voorhees College in Vellore, and finally at Madras Christian College, where he earned his BA and MA degrees.

His MA thesis was titled The Ethics of the Vedanta and Its Metaphysical Presuppositions — remarkable for a 20-year-old. It was a defence of the Vedantic philosophical tradition against the charge that Indian philosophy was otherworldly and impractical.

Academic Career: A Global Philosopher

Radhakrishnan taught at the University of Mysore from 1918, and at the University of Calcutta from 1921 as the King George V Chair in Mental and Moral Science — one of the most prestigious academic appointments in India at the time.

In 1936, he was appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics at Oxford University — a chair he held for over a decade. He was the first Indian to hold this position, and his lectures at Oxford drew large audiences. He also lectured extensively at the University of Chicago and at universities across Europe.

His major philosophical works include:

• Indian Philosophy (2 volumes, 1923–1927) — the landmark academic treatment of Indian philosophical traditions in English
• The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924)
• An Idealist View of Life (1932) — his most accessible philosophical statement
• Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939)
• The Bhagavadgita (1948) — commentary and translation

What distinguished Radhakrishnan was his project of presenting Indian philosophy as a living intellectual tradition fully capable of engaging Western philosophy — not as mysticism or superstition, but as rigorous systematic thought.

Political Career

Radhakrishnan's transition into public life came after independence. Nehru, who admired him greatly, brought him into the diplomatic service.

His tenure as Ambassador to the Soviet Union was diplomatically significant. He built a warm personal relationship with Stalin — unusual for a Western-educated Indian liberal — and helped establish the framework for India-Soviet friendship that would become a cornerstone of Indian foreign policy. He reportedly had multiple private meetings with Stalin, something few world leaders achieved.

As Vice President, he presided over the Rajya Sabha and was known as a firm, fair, and learned chairman. As President, his term coincided with the 1962 India-China War — a national humiliation that tested his composure and the institution of the Presidency.

He received the Bharat Ratna in 1954 — the same year as C. Rajagopalachari and C. V. Raman. He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature multiple times.

He died on April 17, 1975.

Radhakrishnan's Philosophy: Key Ideas

Radhakrishnan's philosophy is broadly called Neo-Vedantism — a modern reinterpretation of Advaita Vedanta, the non-dualist school associated with Adi Shankaracharya.

His key positions:

• Religious experience is universal. All religions, at their deepest level, point to the same ultimate reality. Differences are in expression, not essence.
• Intuition is the highest form of knowledge. Beyond sense perception and rational analysis lies direct intuitive insight — what the Upanishads call anubhava.
• Indian philosophy is not passive. Against the colonial criticism that India's focus on liberation (moksha) made it worldly-indifferent, Radhakrishnan argued that Vedanta's emphasis on the unity of existence was a basis for active ethical engagement.
• Education must produce whole persons. Not just technical competence but moral character, intellectual curiosity, and democratic sensibility.

That last point is directly relevant to Teachers Day.

The Significance of Teachers Day in India

Why September 5?

The date September 5 is entirely tied to Radhakrishnan. Unlike some national days that mark historical events, Teachers Day marks a living ideal — the teacher as philosopher, guide, and nation-builder.

Radhakrishnan's own statement about preferring to mark his birthday as Teachers Day rather than a personal celebration reflects something central to his worldview: the individual is significant only in relation to their contribution to others.

How It Is Observed

Teachers Day in India is observed across schools, colleges, and universities. Senior students often take classes in place of teachers for part of the day — one of those traditions that actually teaches something rather than just commemorating it. Students perform programmes, felicitate teachers, and prepare speeches. Government and state awards for outstanding teachers are also announced around this time.

The National Awards to Teachers — given by the Ministry of Education — are typically announced on or around September 5. These awards recognize teachers from across the country for exceptional contributions to education at the school level.

UPSC Relevance

For UPSC aspirants, Teachers Day matters because:

1. It appears in Current Affairs every September
2. Radhakrishnan appears in questions on modern Indian philosophy, education, and political history
3. Questions on education policy often use his legacy as a reference point

World Teachers Day: October 5

World Teachers Day is different from India's Teachers Day. It is observed on October 5 every year, globally.

It was established by UNESCO in 1994 to commemorate the signing of the UNESCO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers on October 5, 1966. That document set out standards for teacher education, employment conditions, rights, and responsibilities — a global framework for the teaching profession.

Over 100 countries observe World Teachers Day. It is coordinated by UNESCO in partnership with UNICEF, the ILO, and Education International.

Education Policy Context: Radhakrishnan's Contribution

The Radhakrishnan Commission (1948–49)

Radhakrishnan chaired the University Education Commission in 1948–49 — commonly known as the Radhakrishnan Commission. This was independent India's first major policy review of higher education.

Key recommendations:

• Universities must produce citizens capable of democratic participation, not just degree holders
• English should remain a medium of instruction at the university level while Indian languages are developed
• Teachers need better salaries, research support, and professional autonomy
• A residential university system (like Oxford and Cambridge) produces better outcomes than purely affiliating universities
• Agriculture, science, and technology must be given academic priority

Many of these recommendations directly influenced the development of central universities and later the IIT system.

National Education Policy 2020 and Radhakrishnan's Legacy

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) — India’s most comprehensive education overhaul in decades — echoes several Radhakrishnan-era themes:

• Holistic education over narrow examination-oriented learning
• Mother tongue/regional language as the medium of early instruction
• Critical thinking and creativity as explicit learning goals
• Multidisciplinary approach at the university level

NEP 2020 is a live UPSC topic, especially in GS Paper 2 (Governance). Connecting it to Radhakrishnan's philosophy adds depth to any answer.

Other Notable Indian Education Figures

For UPSC, Radhakrishnan is the most prominent educator-statesman, but the broader context includes:

• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad — India's first Education Minister, advocated for compulsory primary education and established IITs, the UGC, and the Sahitya Akademi
• Kothari Commission (1964–66) — D.S. Kothari chaired this commission; its key phrase was "education and national development"; recommended spending 6% of GDP on education (still not consistently achieved)
• Savitribai Phule — pioneering educator who opened the first school for girls in Pune in 1848, honoured as the "Mother of Indian Feminism"

Frequently Asked Questions About Teachers Day