RETHINKING MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION BEYOND CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS: PEDAGOGICAL BARRIERS IN INDIAN SCHOOLS

Grounded in Banks(2010) conceptualisation of multicultural education and the culturally relevant pedagogy of Ladson-Billings (1995), this review paper highlighted the urgent need to integrate multicultural education in schools beyond surface-level practices, such as celebrating different festivals, food habits, and traditional attire. The purpose of this paper is to foster transformative multicultural education by critically reviewing the challengesin the school and addressing the deeper social issues, inequities, and injustices. The study identified pedagogical barriers, namely, a superficial understanding of multicultural education and multiculturalism, limited representation in the curriculum, inadequate teacher preparation, pressure to complete the syllabus, and structural biases in assessment. These discussions align with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by fostering equity, inclusion, and Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs). Hence,this paper underscores the importance of integrating multicultural education in schools without limiting it to festivals and celebrations. Thus, the paper empowers the school environment inclusively.