NEP 2020: A New Structure for Exchange of Education and Technology

"I look with hope the way the new National Education Policy has been formulated with a lot of brainstorming, with the exchange of ideas from various people and is at the root of the country's education policy," the prime minister said at his address note from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Monday, August 15, 2022

Introduction

To improve the education sector, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken several significant steps in the past years. One among them is the National Education Policy 2020, which is central to these reforms. The new policy will give direction to India's massive education system of 15.5 lakh schools, about 50,000 higher educational institutions, 28.53 crore students and 108 lakh teachers.

The Need for a New Education Policy

The last education policy was framed in 1986. This policy was to be reviewed every five years; however, the policy was revised only once in 1992. The world has changed considerably since then in every field including science, technology and communication. Thus, to be at the same pace of the change, we needed an education system to match that level to prepare the students to meet the demands of the future generations, to be a job giver rather than job seeker, to give students the ability and the strength to work for their motherland and to establish India as a global knowledge super power.

Vision of NEP 2020

• Building India to be a vibrant knowledge hub and global superpower through an all-encompassing, flexible, multidisciplinary education appropriate to the needs of 21st century
• Discovering the unique potential of each student
• Promoting critical thinking instead of routine learning and focusing on scientific temperament
• Integration with global partners for knowledge exchange
• Inculcating among learners, a honour in being Indian, as well as making them a truly global citizen through knowledge, skills and values

Key Features of NEP 2020: School Education

• Emphasis on universal reach of school education by 2030 with 100% gross enrollment ratio.
• Focus on early childhood care and education.
• Establishing new curricular and pedagogical structure of 5+3+3+4 instead of 10+2.
• Initiating National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy to attain literacy and numeracy.
• No detachment between arts and sciences, curricular and extra-curricular activities and vocational and academic streams. There will be flexibility in the subject selection.
• Improved curriculum for school education and pedagogy for encouraging creative thinking.
• Promoting education for girls through Gender Inclusion Fund.
• Vocational education to start from class 6 including internship.
• A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework will be developed by NCERT.
• Promoting multilingualism and three-language formula.
• For improved evaluation, generating 360-degree holistic report card.
• Encouragment for the recruitment and professional growth of teachers.

Key Features of NEP 2020: Higher Education

• The new policy will increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education including vocational education to 50% per cent by 2035.
• In higher education institutions, a total of 3.50 crore new seats will added.
• The new policy will provide emphasis on flexible curriculum with creative combinations of subjects.
• It will integrate vocational education with mainstream education.
• Appropriate certification will allow multiple entry and exit.
• The policy will also allow the establishment of Academic Bank of Credit to digitally store academic credits, which will be finally counted and transferred towards final degree earned.
• For nurturing a strong research culture and building research capacity in higher education, the National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body.
• In coming 15 years, the affiliation of colleges to be phased out.
• The policy will set up Multidisciplinary Education & Research Universities (MERUs) at par with IITs and IIMs.
•A National Mission for Mentoring will be set up NCTE where in senior professionals will provide mentoring.
• The focus will be on internationalization of education.
• The policy will set up a National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation and strengthening of Sanskrit and all language departments in various higher education institutions.
• The new NEP will promote open and distance education and online and digital education.