The New Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) has been approved by the government based on the recommendation of the Dr Kasturirangan Committee and shall replace the National Policy on Education 1986. The new policy is a paradigm shift in the educational sector as it creates a broader educational landscape and greater opportunities for all stakeholders in the sector. It paves way for vibrant, accessible, equitable and quality education.

Salient Features Of NEP 2020

1. Restructuring School Education: The existing 10+2 system will be divided into 5+3+3+4 format where the first five years of the school will constitute the foundation stage (3 years of pre-primary school, Class 1 and 2), next 3 years will be the preparatory stage from classes 3 to 5 and another 3 years of middle stage (classes 6 to 8), the final 4 years will be the second stage (classes 9 to 12).
2. Restructuring Exams: The class 10 and 12 exams to be held in two difficulty levels, students will be given a second chance at boards to improve their score. The National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct a common entrance examination for admissions to universities across the country.
3. Restructuring Institutions: Institutions like UGC, AICTE, NCTE to be replaced by the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). It will be set up as a single umbrella body for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education.
4. Restructuring Assessments: The policy aims to shift from summative assessment to a more competency-based regular assessment. A new assessment centre called PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) will be set up as a standard-setting body.
5. Leveraging Technology: The policy proposes AI-based software to track students’ growth, Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) shall be established to digitally store the academic credits earned. An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), to be created to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas on the use of tech. 6.
6. Focus On Mother Tongue: Policy states, the medium of instruction until at least class 5 should be in the mother tongue. Post that the mother tongue to be taught as a separate language.
7. Introduces Exit Options: Under the NEP, an undergraduate degree will be of either 3 or 4-year duration with multiple exit options within this period. Colleges will be mandated to give certificates after completing 1 year in a discipline.
8. Foreign Collaborations: High performing Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries, and similarly, selected universities from the top 100 universities in the world will be facilitated to operate in India.
9. Focus On R&D: The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education. Also, Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) will be set up.
10. Open And Distance Learning: Online courses and digital repositories, MOOCs will be initiated for distance learning.
11. Special Education Zones: In disadvantaged regions and for disadvantaged groups special education zones will be set up.

NEP 2020 Can Resolve Issues In Education

1. Universal Access: Education for All has always been a concern for the country, NEP 2020 with measures of innovative education centres to bring back dropouts, facilitating multiple pathways to learning involving both formal and informal modes universal access can be achieved.
2. Early Childhood Education: NEP solves the issue of ECE by introducing hitherto uncovered three years of pre-schooling (age group of 3-6 years) under the school curriculum.
3. Equitable And Inclusive Education: NEP provides for setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups. Children with disabilities will be enabled to participate in the regular schooling process from the foundational stage to higher education.
4. Improving Quality Of Education: NEP creates a new overarching body HECI to create standards in higher education, also plans to invite foreign colleges to set up campuses in India.
5. Brings Holistic Multidisciplinary Education: NEP introduces broad-based undergraduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entries and exit points with appropriate certification.
6. Impetus To R&D: India has a very low investment in R&D (0.6% GDP), this can be improved by The National Research Foundation created under the policy.

NEP 2020 Faces Challenges In Addressing The Issues

1. Budgetary Provisions: India spends about 3.5% of GDP on education, with a lower budget, the provisions in the policy would be difficult to achieve.
2. Education In Concurrent List: Centre needs co-operation from states to implement most of the measures as education is under the concurrent list, this can prove challenging as states would have their own policies.
3. Women In Stem: Measures to improve the representations of women in STEM education are missing.
4. Job Opportunities: Though NEP 2020 gives impetus to education in arts and sciences the job opportunities in the market is still limited for degree holders.
5. Brain Drain: In higher education even with the reforms suggested it would still be a challenge to address the issue of brain drain.
6. Examination Stress: The policy contains very limited provisions for psychological stress management of students during exams. Eg: 25 students committed suicide in Telangana after 10th and 12th results.

Way Forward

1. Increase the budgetary allocation to education to 6% of GDP as suggested by Kothari Commission and TSR Subramanian Commission.
2. Measures to increase the association of Industry with Academia to be encouraged so that more job opportunities are available.
3. Improve the conditions of Anganwadis across the country so that early childhood education becomes reality.
4. Roadmap for implementation of the policy should be designed in a short period of time.
5. Consultation with States on the implementation of the policy should be initiated.