<![CDATA[The challenges of 21st-century education require curriculum transformation that not only emphasizes knowledge acquisition but also focuses on the development of character and essential competencies. The Merdeka Curriculum, introduced in 2022, presents the Pancasila Student Profile as the primary framework for fostering the character and competencies of Indonesian students. This article aims to critically analyze the development of an elementary education curriculum based on the Pancasila Student Profile and its contribution to enhancing students’ 21st-century competencies. This study employed a library research approach by reviewing various scholarly sources, including accredited journal articles, academic books, policy documents, and relevant conference proceedings published within the last ten years. Data analysis was conducted using qualitative content analysis with a thematic synthesis approach. The findings indicate that curriculum development based on the Pancasila Student Profile is strongly aligned with the demands of 21st-century competencies, particularly through its six key dimensions: faith and noble character, global diversity, collaboration, independence, critical reasoning, and creativity. The implementation of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project (Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila—P5) through project-based learning has proven effective in enhancing students’ critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity skills. However, several implementation challenges remain, particularly regarding teacher readiness, time constraints, and assessment consistency. This study contributes theoretically by proposing a conceptual model that integrates the dimensions of the Pancasila Student Profile with the framework of 21st-century competencies. It also offers practical implications for curriculum policy development at the school level. ]]>
