Revamping Education: A Comprehensive Analysis of the New Education Policy (NEP)
Education is fundamental for achieving full human potential, developing an equitable and just society, and promoting national development. Education Policy lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities - both the ‘foundational capacities ’of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem-solving – but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions.
National Education Policy 2020, making way for large-scale, transformational reforms in both school and higher education sectors. This is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.
Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability, this policy is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and 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.
Some major lookouts from the NEP 2020 are:-
Ministry of Human Resource Department to be renamed as Ministry of Education.
With an emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education, the 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.
This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under the school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for the development of the mental faculties of a child.
The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre-schooling.
Holistic Multidisciplinary Education transforming higher education:
The policy envisages broad-based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education, and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification.
UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period.
For example, Certificate after 1 year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years, and Bachelor’s with Research after 4 years.
Reforms in school curricula and pedagogy:
Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects.
There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.
School students will have 10 bagless days in a year during which they are exposed to a vocation of their choice from the 6th grade, and will include internships.
3 language policy to continue with preference to local language medium of instructions up to class 8.
No language will be imposed on any student.
Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education.
Adult Education:
Policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
Financing Education:
The Centre and the States will work together to increase public investment in the Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
The New Education Policy 2020 is a progressive shift towards a more scientific approach to education. It aims to facilitate an inclusive, participatory, and holistic approach, which takes into consideration field experiences, empirical research, stakeholder feedback, as well as lessons learned from best practices.
