Reimagining Indigenous Knowledge Through Appropriate Technology Development: A Conceptual Framework for Policy Alignment With NEP 2020

The present study develops a conceptual Appropriate Technology Development Framework (ATDF) for adapting Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) within the policy context of India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Drawing on Appropriate Technology theory, IKS, and Indigenous data sovereignty literature, the study proposes five components—Knowledge Management Systems, Educational Integration, Technology Infrastructure, Community Engagement, and Sustainability Measures—organised around explicit criteria for technological appropriateness and grounded in community authority as a foundational principle. The framework is illustrated through an example from agricultural knowledge, and an implementation structure specifying activities, outputs, stakeholders, and indicators across three phases (Preparatory, Implementation, Consolidation) is proposed. The recommendations include frameworks for technology selection, adaptation strategies, and evaluation methods to promote meaningful integration of IKS in line with the NEP 2020, although it is recognised that the effectiveness of these recommendations has not been empirically assessed. The study concludes by acknowledging its limitations as a literature-based conceptual contribution and by proposing pathways, expert review, the Delphi methodology, participatory design, and pilot implementation for future empirical validation.