National Education Policy 2020
Posted On: 15 DEC 2021 17:55 PM
Committed To Transformative Reforms in Education
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY (NEP, 2020)
(Ministry of Education)
December 15, 2021
“The National Education Policy 2020 focuses on the education and skills needed for the youth of 21st century India. We have to equip our students with the skills of the 21st century. What will these 21st century skill be? These will be Critical thinking-Creativity- Collaboration- Curiosity and Communication.”
-Prime Minister Narendra Modi
1. Introduction
Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has taken several significant steps in the past years to improve the education sector.The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP)is central to these reforms. It can give a new direction to India’s vast education system of 15.5 lakh schools, about 50,000 higher educational institutions, 28.53 crore students and 108 lakh teachers.
2. Need for a New Education Policy
The last education policy was formulated in 1986. It was called for a review in every five years. However, the policy was reviewed only once in 1992. Since then,the world has changed drastically in every field including science, technology, communication etc. To keep pace with this change, we needed an education system that:
- Could prepare the students to meet the demands of the 21st century
- Could enable them to become job giver rather than job seeker
- To give them the ability and the strength to work for their country and the world
- To once again establish India as global knowledge super power
3. Vision of the Policy
- Transforming India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower through broad-based, flexible, multidisciplinary education suited to 21st century needs
- Bringing out the unique capabilities of each student
- Promote critical thinking rather than rote learning, focus on learning instead of studying, encouragement to scientific temperament
- Integration of global with local
- Instilling among learners, a deep-rooted pride in being Indian, as well as developing knowledge, skills and values that make them truly global citizens
4. Key Features of NEP 2020[1]: School Education
- Focuses on universal reach of school education by 2030 with 100 per cent Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER).
- Emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education.
- New curricular structure 5+3+3+4 instead of 10+2.
- National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy to achieve literacy and numeracy.
- Flexibility in the selection of subjects- No hard separation among the disciplines of Art, Science and Vocational education.
- Improvement in the curriculum for school education and pedagogy for promoting creative thinking and 21st Century skills among learners.
- Gender Inclusion Fund for promoting education for girls[2].
- Beginning of vocational education from class 6th including internship.
- NCERT will develop a new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework.
- Recommendation for Multilingualism and Three Language Formula.
- 360 degree holistic report card for an improved evaluation.
- Provision for equal and inclusive education.
- Provision for the recruitment and professional growth of teachers.
5. Key Features of NEP 2020: Higher Education
- Gross Enrolment ratio in higher education including vocational education to be increased to 50 per cent by 2035.
- 3.50crore new seats will added to Higher Education Institutions.
- Emphasis on Flexible Curriculum with creative combinations of subjects
- Vocational Education to be integrated with mainstream education.
- Multiple entry and exit will be allowed with appropriate certification.
- Setting up of Academic Bank of Credit for digitally storing academic credits so that these can be counted and transferred towards final degree earned.
- The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity in higher education.
- Affiliation of colleges to be phased out in 15 years.
- Multidisciplinary Education & Research Universities (MERUs) at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up.
- National Mission for Mentoring to be set up.
- Focus on Internationalization of education.
- Setting up an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation, National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit language, strengthening of Sanskrit and all language departments in the higher education institutions.
- Open and distance education, online and digital education to be promoted.
- Provision for professional growth of faculties.
- Focus on internationalization of education.
6. Benefits of the Policy for All
Students
Development of functional literacy and numeracy skills:
- Students can study subjects of their choice, and can studyaccording to their convenience
- Maximum global opportunities, better pathway for research
- Prepared for the needs of the 21st century
Teachers
- Better professional career progress
- More global opportunities
- New areas for research
- More autonomy
Educational Institutions
- Quality of Institutions will be enhanced
- Professional management, enhancement in autonomy
- More global cooperation
- More dimensions for research
- Opportunities for better rankings
Nation
- India will emerge as a major knowledge power in the world
- Empowering youth for 21st century
- Encouragement to economy
7. Changes at glance after NEP,2020
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Education before Reform
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Education after Reform
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- Emphasis on marks obtained in examination rather than on learning.
- Not much focus on vocational courses.
- No provision for multiple entry and exit- if a learner had to leave studies before completion of course, there was no credit for the studies he had done.
- No focus on individual/personal creative & holistic development of the learner; lack of in depth thinking and self-confidence.
- Unsatisfactory international image of Indian Institutions.
- Mismanagement of institutions of higher education.
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- Improvement in School Curriculum for emphasis on creative thinking.
- Emphasis on Vocational courses.
- Permission for multiple entry and exit for learners-they will be able to continue their studies as per their convenience and will be provided certificate accordingly.
- Special education zones for disadvantaged areas.
- Opening of Foreign Institutes in India and more educational cooperation.
- Integration of professional, teacher and vocational education.
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Source:PIB e-booklet on Transformative Reforms in Education
AG/HP/SA/IS