Understanding National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP 2020)

The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, released in July 2020, marks a significant milestone as India’s first education policy of the 21st century. It represents a pivotal shift, replacing the long-standing National Policy on Education (NPE) from 1986. This visionary policy is built upon five fundamental pillars: Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability. It stands in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aspires to propel India into a dynamic knowledge society and a global knowledge superpower. The NEP 2020 seeks to achieve this by revitalizing both school and college education, making them more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, tailored to 21st-century demands, and aimed at nurturing the unique potential of every student.

Here are the key highlights of the National Education Policy 2020:

1. Transforming School Education:
   • Universal Access: The NEP 2020 places significant emphasis on providing universal access to quality school education across all levels, from pre-school to secondary education.
   • Inclusive Approach: One of the most commendable objectives is to reintegrate approximately 2 crore out-of-school children into the mainstream educational system.
2. Early Childhood Care & Education:
   • New Curricular Structure: The policy introduces a progressive 5+3+3+4 curricular structure, corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years, respectively.
   • Inclusive Education: This innovative framework integrates the previously overlooked age group of 3-6 years into the formal schooling system, acknowledging the crucial role this stage plays in the cognitive development of children. Additionally, it incorporates three years of Anganwadi/pre-schooling.
3. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy:
   • National Mission: The NEP 2020 recognizes the critical importance of foundational literacy and numeracy and calls for the establishment of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
4. Reforms in School Curricula and Pedagogy:
   • Holistic Development: The policy encourages holistic development by equipping learners with essential 21st-century skills, reducing curricular content to emphasize essential learning and critical thinking, and fostering experiential learning.
   • Flexibility and Choice: Students are given greater flexibility and choice in selecting subjects. It blurs traditional boundaries between arts and sciences, curricular and extracurricular activities, and vocational and academic streams.
   • Early Introduction to Vocational Education: Vocational education will commence as early as the 6th grade, incorporating internships.
5. Multilingualism and Language Empowerment:
   • Medium of Instruction: NEP 2020 underscores the significance of mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction, at least until Grade 5 and preferably until Grade 8 and beyond.
   • Promotion of Sanskrit and Classical Languages: It promotes Sanskrit as an option for students at all school and higher education levels, alongside other classical languages and literatures of India.
   • No Imposition: Importantly, the policy ensures that no language is imposed on any student, respecting linguistic diversity.
6. Equitable and Inclusive Education:
   • Focus on Disadvantaged Groups: NEP 2020 is dedicated to ensuring that no child misses the opportunity to learn and excel due to their birth circumstances or background. Special attention is given to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs), including gender, socio-cultural, geographical identities, and disabilities.
7. Robust Teacher Recruitment and Career Progression:
   • Merit-Based Recruitment: Teachers will be recruited through transparent, merit-based processes.
   • Performance Appraisals: Promotions will be based on merit, incorporating multi-source periodic performance appraisals and clear progression paths towards becoming educational administrators or teacher educators.
   • National Professional Standards: The policy aims to develop a common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) by 2022, through collaboration with various educational stakeholders.
8. School Governance:
   • Cluster-Based Approach: Schools will be organized into complexes or clusters, serving as the basic unit of governance. This will ensure the availability of resources, including infrastructure, academic libraries, and a strong professional teacher community.
9. Standard-setting and Accreditation for School Education:
   • Clear Governance Structure: NEP 2020 envisions separate systems for policy-making, regulation, operations, and academic matters.
   • State-Level Oversight: States/Union Territories will establish independent State School Standards Authorities (SSSAs).
   • Public Accountability: Transparent public self-disclosure of regulatory information, as stipulated by the SSSA, will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability.
   • Quality Assessment: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will create a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) in consultation with all stakeholders.

Transforming Higher Education:

1. Increasing GER to 50% by 2035: The NEP 2020 sets an ambitious target of increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, including vocational education, from 26.3% in 2018 to 50% by 2035. This involves the addition of 3.5 crore new seats in higher education institutions.
2. Holistic Multidisciplinary Education: The policy envisions a holistic approach to undergraduate education with flexible curricula, creative subject combinations, integration of vocational education, and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification. Undergraduate programs can now span 3 or 4 years, allowing students to receive certificates at various stages, promoting continuous learning.
3. Regulation: The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will serve as an overarching body responsible for regulating higher education, excluding medical and legal education. HECI will consist of four independent verticals: the National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, the General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting, the Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, and the National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation. HECI will operate transparently and have the authority to penalize institutions that do not adhere to norms and standards.
4. Equity in Regulation: The policy promotes equity by applying the same regulatory, accreditation, and academic standards to both public and private higher education institutions.
5. Rationalized Institutional Architecture: Higher education institutions are to be transformed into large, well-resourced, multidisciplinary entities that prioritize quality teaching, research, and community engagement. This shift allows for a spectrum of institutions, from research-intensive universities to teaching-intensive universities and autonomous degree-granting colleges.
6. Faculty Development: NEP 2020 emphasizes faculty motivation, capacity-building, and recruitment transparency. Faculty members will have the freedom to design curricula and pedagogy, with incentives for excellence and career progression. Accountability mechanisms will be in place for faculty who do not meet established norms.
7. Teacher Education: A comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE 2021) will be developed in consultation with relevant organizations. By 2030, a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree will be the minimum qualification for teaching. Substandard Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) will face stringent action.
8. Mentoring Mission: A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, featuring senior/retired faculty who can provide mentoring and professional support to university and college teachers. This initiative will enhance the quality of education delivery.
9. Financial Support for Students: The policy aims to incentivize merit among students from marginalized communities, expand the National Scholarship Portal, and encourage private higher education institutions to offer scholarships.
10. Professional Education: All professional education will be integrated into the higher education system, and standalone technical, health science, legal, and agricultural universities will evolve into multidisciplinary institutions.
11. Adult Education: NEP 2020 seeks to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning.
12. Financing Education: The policy calls for an increase in public investment in the education sector to reach 6% of GDP. This collaboration between the Centre and States will ensure sustainable funding for educational development.
13. Open and Distance Learning: Expanding open and distance learning, including online courses and digital repositories, will play a significant role in increasing GER in higher education.
14. Quality Enhancement: Measures such as improved student services, credit-based recognition of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and funding for research will be implemented to ensure that open and distance learning programs are on par with in-class programs.

Significance of National Education Policy 2020:

1. Recognition of Formative Years: The policy acknowledges the importance of the early years (ages 3 to 8) in shaping a child’s future, adopting a 5+3+3+4 model for school education.
2. Multidisciplinary Approach: By breaking down rigid divisions between arts, commerce, and science streams, the policy fosters a multi-disciplinary approach in higher education.
3. Confluence of Education and Skills: The introduction of vocational courses with internships can bridge social gaps and contribute to the Skill India Mission.
4. Inclusivity: The NEP proposes extending the Right to Education (RTE) to all children up to the age of 18 and promotes online pedagogy to increase GER in higher education.
5. Light but Tight Oversight: The policy emphasizes maintaining quality standards and transparency through continuous institutional improvement.
6. International Perspective: Allowing top-ranked foreign universities to set up campuses in India enriches the education system and fosters competitiveness.
7. Language Empowerment: The policy prioritizes mother tongue, local language, or regional language as the medium of instruction till Grade 5, promoting effective teaching.

Issues with the NEP-2020:

1. Lack of Integration: The policy needs better integration of technology and pedagogy, attention to lifelong learning, and addressing language diversity challenges.
2. Language Barrier: The language debate remains unresolved, with potential implications for social and economic mobility.
3. Funding Challenges: Achieving the targeted 6% of GDP for public investment in education presents financial challenges.
4. Implementation Haste: The policy’s rapid implementation amid the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about adequate deliberation and planning.
5. Overambitious: The policy’s ambitious goals require substantial resources, which may strain the national budget.
6. Pedagogical Limitations: The prescribed flexibility in higher education may pose challenges in structuring curricula for institutions offering both short-term and long-term programs.
7. Institutional Limitations: The policy’s emphasis on multi-disciplinarity could lead to uniformity, limiting student choices and diversity.
8. Examination Challenges: Addressing unequal access to quality institutions and opportunities is vital to resolve the examination conundrum.
9. Skill Gap: The policy does not sufficiently address emerging technological fields, potentially contributing to a skills gap.
10. Legal Complexities: Coordinating the NEP with existing education laws, such as the Right to Education Act, poses legal complexities.

Steps by the Government:

1. Constitutional Amendments: The 86th Constitution Amendment established the Fundamental Right to Education, paving the way for a common education system.
2. Financial Support: Initiatives like Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan, Educational Institutions of Eminence, and Higher Education Financing Agency aim to enhance financial support for higher education.
3. Quality Enhancement: The National Institution Ranking Framework, GIAN Initiative, SWAYAM Portal, SWAYAM Prabha, and Sodhganga contribute to improving the quality of education.
4. Inclusion: Schemes like Samagra Shiksha aim to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education.
5. Online Learning: Platforms like Swayam offer online courses, making education accessible to a broader audience.
6. AI Integration: Artificial intelligence is utilized to provide personalized instruction and enhance educational delivery.
7. Digital Infrastructure: Improving digital infrastructure and ensuring access to technology for all students is a priority.

Way Forward for New Education Policy

The New Education Policy 2020 is poised to pave the way for a more inclusive, participatory, and comprehensive approach to education. Drawing upon field experiences, empirical research, stakeholder input, and valuable lessons gleaned from successful models, this policy represents a significant stride forward.

This transformation signifies a shift towards a more scientifically grounded approach to education, underpinned by a carefully prescribed structure. This structure is designed to align with the developmental stages of a child, encompassing cognitive growth as well as social and physical awareness.

When executed in its true spirit, this novel educational framework has the potential to elevate India to a position on par with leading nations across the globe. One of its fundamental objectives is to foster a harmonious relationship among different regions of the country by promoting the study of diverse languages.

The quality of education is a paramount focus of this policy. It aims not merely to impart basic literacy and numeracy but also to cultivate an analytical environment within the nation, nurturing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

In essence, the New Education Policy 2020 aspires to position India as a knowledge powerhouse, drawing inspiration from the best global educational practices. This aligns with the global education development agenda encapsulated in Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which India adopted in 2015. The SDG4 seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. Therefore, this Education Policy represents a promising step in the right direction, provided it is effectively implemented over the extended timeframe it envisions.