The Flipped Classroom Reimagined: A Critical Framework for 21st Century Indian Education—Bridging Equity, Pedagogy and Technological Access
Author : Dr. Mohammad Irshad Hussain
Abstract :
The flipped classroom (FC) model, which inverts traditional instruction by delivering direct content outside class and utilizing in-person time for active learning, has gained global traction as a potential solution to 21st-century educational challenges. However, its direct transplantation into the Indian educational landscape—marked by profound digital divides, heterogeneous teacher preparedness, rigid curricula, and socio-economic stratification—requires critical examination and significant adaptation. This paper presents a rigorous, context-sensitive analysis of the flipped classroom’s significance and proposes a revised, equity-centered framework tailored for India. Moving beyond techno-utopian discourse, the study argues that for the FC model to be relevant, it must be reconceptualized from a mere pedagogical tool into a socio-technical system that addresses three core Indian realities: infrastructural asymmetry, cultural pedagogies, and systemic inequality. Through a systematic review of empirical studies (2015-2023) on FC implementations in Indian settings and a synthesis of educational policy documents (NEP 2020, Digital India), this research identifies key barriers—including unreliable connectivity, vernacular language content scarcity, and assessment misalignment—and opportunities. The paper proposes the Flipped-Adaptive-Community-Technology (FACT) Framework, a holistic model emphasizing low-tech/no-tech flipping, community resource mobilization, teacher capacity building as co-designers, and alignment with India's foundational literacy and critical thinking goals. It concludes that a successfully indigenized flipped classroom can catalyze a shift towards student-centered, competency-based education, but only if implementation is preceded by honest infrastructure audits, sustained pedagogical training, and an unwavering commitment to reducing, rather than amplifying, existing educational disparities.
Keywords :
Flipped classroom, Indian education, digital divide, pedagogical innovation, educational technology, equity, NEP 2020, active learning, teacher professional development, socio-technical systems.
