Charu Malhotra, Co-founder & Managing Director, Primus Partners, shares her view on the need for a creative revolution in education. She highlights that educators and employers alike face the challenge of fostering creative problem-solving. With the rise of the digital and creative economies, India must transition from rote learning to a competency-based curriculum that prepares individuals for real-world complexities. The creative economy, projected to contribute $80 billion to India’s GDP by 2026, demands a workforce skilled in innovation, design, digital media, and entrepreneurship. However, only 9% of students currently demonstrate high readiness in essential creative economy skills like design thinking, research, and problem-solving. While the Union Budget 2025-26 prioritizes 21st-century skills, true transformation requires more than policy shifts—it demands a fundamental change in classroom learning to cultivate critical thinking and digital fluency.