By- Prof. N. Rajmuhon Singh
Department of Chemistry,
Manipnr University Canchipur-795003
Introduction
The National Educational Policy has come a long way from its first formulation in 1968 followed by its modified versions of 1986 and 1992, and now the National Educational Policy 2020(the NEP 2020).
On 29th July,2020, Union Cabinet had given approval to new education policy for the 21st century. The cabinet had also approved a proposal to rename the Ministry of Human Resource Development as the Ministry of Education.
The NEP 2020 is an outcome of the most exhaustive consultations carried out by Government of India under the leadership of die modern Chanakya Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modiji.
The NEP 2020 is a landmark document which proposes several structural changes in the early as well as the higher education system. The new policy will be the key to unlock the main gate to robust education system rooted in Indian ethos in the globalized education and knowledge era.
Some important new features found in the National Education Policy 2020 are highlighted as follows.
School Education
• NEP 2020 has set a target of achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
• The NEP 2020 has provisions to ensure universal access to school education at all levels-pre school to secondary.
• The 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to age 3-8, 8-11, 11-14 and 14-18 years respectively.
• The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st century skills, reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experimental learning.
• Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects (liberal arts). There will be no rigid separation between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra and co-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.
• For universal access to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), the Anganwadi Centers will be strengthened with high quality infrastructure, (with a well-ventilated, well-designed, child-friendly and well-constructed building), play equipment and well-trained Anganwadi workers/teachers. Funds for these programs will be provided by the central and stale governments.
• The NEP 2020 advocates for mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.
• A new examination system called Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge (PARAK) would be introduced for students upto class IX,
• Under NEP 2020, the center will also setup a ‘Gender-Inclusive Fund’ to build country’s capacity to provide equitable quality education to all girls and transgender students, etc., etc.
Higher education
• NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035, and there would be only one regulatory body for the higher education sector.
• Undergraduate education is to become more broad-based, multi-disciplinary, and holistic with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification. Students will get certificate after l year, advanced diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s with research after 4 years.
• Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) as par with IITs, IIMs, are going to be setup as models of best disciplinary education of global standards in the country.
• Under NEP 2020, National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering and strengthening a strong research culture and building research capacity across the country.
• Central Advisory Board of Education will be strengthened, remodeled and rejuvenated for developing, articulating, evaluating and revising the vision of education.
• The higher education system shall have multidisciplinary institutions of higher learning that offer undergraduate programs, with high-quality teaching, research and community engagement. As India moves towards becoming a knowledge society and economy and keeping in view of the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution, characterized by increasing proportion of employment opportunities for creative, multidisciplinary and highly skilled workforce-the higher education system under NEP 2020 must, at the earliest, be re-adjusted re-vamped, and re-energized to meet these requirements.
• Open and Distance Learning like Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) will be expanded to play a significant role in increasing GER.
• The National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) which is an autonomous body will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the uses of technology to improve/enhance classroom process, support teacher professional development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and streaming educational planning, administration and management.
• Under NEP 2020, Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI) to be established to ensure the preservation, growth and vibrancy of all Indian Languages including classical, tribal and endangered languages.
• All professional education will be integral part of the higher education system. Stand alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agriculture universities etc., will aim to become multidisciplinary institutions.
• Public and private higher education institutions (excluding medical and legal education) will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards which will be under the control of Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) to be set up under NEP 2020.
• Affiliation of college is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges. Over a period of time, it is envisaged that every college would develop into either an autonomous degree-granting, or a constituent college of the university.
• Under the NEP 2020 the world’s top 100 foreign universities will be facilitated to operate in India through a new law, etc., etc.
Conclusion
The NEP 2020 is a transformation step in the right direction on a number of fronts. However, any policy is only good as its implementation. Achieving successful implementation of this new NEP 2020 demands a long-term vision, availability of expertise on a sustained basis, and concerted actions from all concerned actors (stakeholders) encompassing national, state, institutional and individual levels. Many challenges are yet to be faced and then, make the vision a reality. If we could do so, NEP 2020 will help transform India into a ‘Global educational powerhouse’ as envisioned by the Prime Minister.
