“Framing of NEP 2020 will be remembered as a shining example of participative governance” stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Truly a democratic effort and highly aspirational. A much awaited education reform, that took six years of work and consultations with thousands of policymakers, educators, and members of civil society. National Education Policy 2020 replaced the 34 year old education policy.
It is based on four pillars which are Access, Equity, Quality and Accountability.
The policy proposes a move away from content-heavy curricula in order “to make space for critical thinking, more holistic, inquiry-based, discovery-based, discussion-based and analysis-based learning.” Giving equal importance to co-curricular activities (i.e., arts, sports, vocational skills), it mandates a shift toward multidisciplinary education, away from rigid silos of “arts,” “science,” and “commerce” streams, with renewed focus on 21st century skills. This is a welcome breath of fresh air, given that the current system is strongly driven by rote learning and content-based examinations, divorced from any real application to life.
Through the NEP 2020 Scheme more than 2 crore students will be brought into the mainstream, thus aiming to achieve 100% Gross enrollment ratio fro pre-school to secondary by the end of 2030. Aiming to have an education system by 2040, that is second to none, with equitable access to the highest quality education for all learners, regardless of social and economic background.
Major Reform in National Education Policy
Students now take a school examination which was conducted by the appropriate authority in grades 3, 5, and 8.
Board examination for 10th and 12th will be continued but will be redesigned with the aim of holistic development.
PARAKH (Performance assessment, review, and analysis of knowledge for holistic development) a new national assessment platform will be set up.
Mathematical thinking and scientific temper coding will start from class 6
Vocational education will start in school from 6th grade which also includes internships.
The 10+2 structure will be replaced by 5+3+3+4…
The new system will have 12 year of schooling and 3 years of pre-school/Anganwadi
Till grade 5th this policy will emphasize local language/regional language/mother-tongue as the medium of instruction.
At school and higher education, Sanskrit will also be included at all levels as an option for students which includes three language formulas.
As an option, literature of India and other classical languages will also be available.
No student would be forced for any Language.
Higher education will receive flexibility in subjects.
There will be multiple entries and exit points with appropriate certification for higher education.
UG programs can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options with appropriate certification in this period like certificate will be awarded after 1 year, advanced diploma after 2 years, degree after 3 years, and bachelor with research after 4 years.
Academic bank of credit (ABC) will be created in which digitally academic credit earned by students will be stored through different HEIs and it will be transferred and counted for final degree.
The curriculum in all subjects has been reduced to its core essentials.
Through this, they focus on critical thinking, discovery, inquiry, discussion, and teaching based on analysis and holistic learning methods for education.
The Regulator for higher education will be light but tight.
Focus on E-learning so that they can reduce the dependency on textbook
Under the new policy education will get 6% of GDP. Earlier it was 1.7% which will definitely boost the education system.
By the end of 2040, they aim that all HEIs will become multidisciplinary institutions and each of them will have 3000 or more students.
In the next 15 years, college affiliation will be phased out.
At least one large multidisciplinary HEI should be built-in or near every district by 2030.
Aim to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
NTA will offer a common entrance exam for admission in HEIs
As per the vision of #NEP2020, the Government has approved the #NewIndiaLiteracyProgram (NILP) aiming at providing Education for All, covering all aspects of education for non-literates of 15 years and above. Let’s take a glance at some of its major features. pic.twitter.com/dfZ3obIMHz
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) February 16, 2022
Information courtesy - www.nvshq.org
The Right to Education Act 2009 enacted by the Parliament of India describes modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children aged between 6-14 years in India under Article 21 (A) of the Constitution of India. This act came into effect on 1 April 2010 and made India one of the 135 countries to have made education a fundamental right for every child. NEP2020 is a giant step towards realising this noble goal.
As pointed out by the NEP Drafting Committee led by K. Kasturirangan, India’s education system is underfunded, heavily bureaucratised, and lacks capacity for innovation and scale up. The internal capacities within the education ministries (centre and states) and other regulatory bodies are grossly inadequate to steer the magnitude of transformations envisaged in the NEP.
India is the second largest education system in the world. The NEP has the most challenging task of addressing multiple crises in the education system for it to succeed.
Comment below, join the Jansuraj Movement
(Forum for intellectuals and youth to start the conversation)
What will it take for NEP2020 Mission to succeed?
Will the states give momentum by take ownership of the reforms?
Will technology play a major role?