A theoretical model for equitable digital lifelong learning in India: Bridging inclusive pedagogy and SDG 4

Abstract

India's commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) is operationalised through flagship initiatives such as the National Education Policy 2020, Digital India, and Samagra Shiksha. However, persistent educational inequities across caste, tribe, gender, geography, and disability status continue to challenge the goals of inclusive and equitable quality education. This theoretical paper proposes an India-contextualised Equitable Digital Lifelong Learning (EDLL-India) model, synthesising Amartya Sen's capability approach, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and critical digital pedagogy adapted to Indian sociocultural realities. Unlike prior India-focused models that address digital access or digital literacy training in isolation (e.g., Bansal & Choudhary, 2024), EDLL-India integrates equity, lifelong learning, digital access, and assessment epistemology as four co-equal, formally linked constructs, treating access, adaptive pathways, metacognitive disposition, and assessment as related through an explicit integration logic rather than by co-mention. The model identifies four core constructs: (1) digital access as a positional good mediated by infrastructure and social capital, (2) adaptive learning pathways responsive to multilingual and multigrade classrooms, (3) metacognitive lifelong dispositions cultivated through community-based learning ecologies, and (4) culturally sustaining assessment that respects India's diverse epistemologies including oral traditions and indigenous knowledge systems. The EDLL-India model offers four testable propositions specifying moderation, boundary conditions, and mediation among these constructs. Theoretical implications for SDG 4 targets 4.1 (universal completion), 4.3 (technical/vocational skills), 4.4 (digital skills), 4.5 (gender and disability equity), and 4.6 (adult literacy) are discussed within India's federal governance structure. The paper concludes with a research agenda for empirical validation across Indian states with varying development indices.