The National Policy on Education was framed in 1986 and modified in 1992. Since then several changes have taken place in the socio-economic-political context of India that calls for a revision of the Policy. There was a need to align the Education policy with the quickly changing employment landscape and global ecosystem.
The New policy has been built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability, aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs and aimed at bringing out the unique capabilities of each student.
Key Features of the NEP 2020
School Education
Universal Access to Education at all Levels of School Education: It aims to achieve100 % Gross Enrollment Ration in school education by 2030.
New Curriculum: A new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure will be implemented. It includes 5 years in the Foundational stage, 3 years in the Preparatory stage, 3 years in the Middle stage, and 4 years in the Secondary stage.
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy will be setup to attain this objective. It will develop cognitive abilities of children in language and mathematics.
Vocational Education and 21st Century Skills: Students will be equipped with the key 21st century skills, enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning. Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.
Vernacular Language: Emphasis will be placed on mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8.
Equitable and Inclusive Education: Special emphasis will be given on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups. Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones will be setup for backward classes.
Reforms in School Governance: Schools can be organized into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including infrastructure, academic libraries and a strong professional teacher community.
Higher Education
Increase GER: Increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. Also, the Policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
Vocational Education: Integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification. An Academic Bank of Credit is to be established for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned.
MERUs: Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.
Regulation: Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up an umbrella body for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education.
Teacher Education: It aims to improve teacher education for better teaching outcomes. It will ensure a Motivated, Energized, and Capable Faculty.A National Mission for Mentoring will also be established, which will include senior/retired faculty who are willing to provide short and long-term professional support to college teachers.
Online Education and Digital Education: Online and digital education will be expanded, along with distance learning. It will ensure preparedness with alternative modes of quality education whenever and wherever traditional and in-person modes of education are not possible.
Technology in Education: An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
Promotion of Indian Languages: To ensure the preservation, growth, and vibrancy of all Indian languages, NEP recommends setting an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI), National Institute (or Institutes) for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, strengthening of Sanskrit and all language departments in HEIs, and use mother tongue/local language as a medium of instruction in more HEI programmes.
Professional Education: All professional education will be an integral part of the higher education system. Stand-alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities, etc. will aim to become multi-disciplinary institutions.
Financing Education: The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
