National Education Policy 2020 - Main features

 

Some of the key features and goals of the NEP 2020 are as follows:

• To achieve universal access and retention in school education, with 100% gross enrolment ratio from pre-primary to secondary level by 2030.
• To implement a new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure, based on the cognitive and developmental stages of the learners, with a flexible and holistic approach.
• To ensure foundational literacy and numeracy for all children by grade 3, with special attention to the socio-economically disadvantaged groups.
• To promote multilingualism and the power of language, with the mother tongue or local language as the medium of instruction up to grade 5, and preferably up to grade 8 and beyond.
• To integrate 21st century skills and competencies, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and digital literacy, across the curriculum and pedagogy.
• To introduce experiential learning, art-integrated education, and sports-integrated education, to foster the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the students.
• To reduce the curriculum load and make it more relevant and enjoyable, with more emphasis on the core concepts and skills, and less on the rote memorization and examination.
• To reform the assessment system, with a shift from summative to formative assessment, and from testing to learning outcomes.
• To establish a National Assessment Centre (PARAKH) to monitor the quality and standards of education, and to conduct a National Achievement Survey (NAS) to measure the learning outcomes of the students.
• To create a National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) and a National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) to guide the curriculum development and teacher education.
• To increase the public investment in education to 6% of the GDP, and to ensure adequate and equitable allocation of resources to all levels and types of education.
• To increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education to 50% by 2035, and to ensure universal access and inclusion for all sections of the society.
• To implement a new 4-year undergraduate programme, with multiple exit and entry options, and a choice-based credit system, to provide flexibility and diversity to the learners.
• To establish a multidisciplinary and holistic education system, with the integration of arts, humanities, sciences, and professional fields, and the elimination of rigid boundaries and hierarchies.
• To promote a culture of research and innovation, with the creation of a National Research Foundation (NRF) to fund and facilitate quality research in all disciplines.
• To ensure academic autonomy and accountability, with the establishment of a single regulator, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), to oversee the standards and accreditation of all higher education institutions, except medical and legal education.
• To encourage internationalization of education, with the facilitation of global student mobility, cross-border collaboration, and the entry of foreign universities in India.
• To revamp the teacher education system, with the introduction of a 4-year integrated B.Ed programme as the minimum qualification for teaching, and the establishment of a National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) as a professional standard-setting body.
• To create a National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices on the use of technology in education, and to foster digital literacy and online learning.
• To develop a National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and a National Higher Education Curriculum Framework (NHECF) to align the higher education system with the global standards and trends.
• To ensure quality and excellence in education, with the implementation of a National Accreditation System (NAS) and a Performance Grading Index (PGI) to assess and rank the higher education institutions.

The education sector in India is undergoing a major transformation, with the adoption of the NEP 2020, which is expected to bring about significant changes and improvements in the quality and outcomes of education.