Restructured National Education Policy announced after 34 years

On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet unveiled the new National Education Policy (NEP) which will practically restructure the Indian education system. The cabinet has renamed the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) as the Ministry of Education (MoE). For the first time in 34 years, all stages of education—from preparatory to higher —will see substantial reforms as per this policy.

The main aim of the policy is to achieve ‘inclusive, equitable, and quality education’. It will also work on increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. This will be done by making learning more holistic and enjoyable with reduced focus on rote memorization. The public spending on education is also proposed to be raised to 6% of GDP.

The current 10+2 structure in schools will be modified with a new curricular and pedagogical design of 5+3+3+4 for preparatory, foundational, middle, and secondary stages respectively. The policy envisages ‘universalisation of early education’ beginning at the age of 3. There is also emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills along with a push for vocational learning. New age skills like coding, critical thinking will be integrated into the curriculum from class 6 onwards.

One of the major changes introduced is increased focus on language. One’s mother tongue will be the medium of education up to grade 5 wherever possible, followed by bilingual lectures and textbooks in subsequent classes. Ancient languages like Sanskrit and Pali will see a revival through this policy.

For higher education, a new umbrella regulator will be constituted, excluding medical and legal courses. Graduation will become multidisciplinary in nature with multiple entry and exit points. M.Phil. has been pulled off completely and college affiliation system will be phased out in 15 years.

The role of technology, throughout these reforms, was also acknowledged. As there is something for every stakeholder, teachers too will see a significant change in their recruitment and deployment process like B.Ed. becoming a 4-year integrated course, tests at various levels, and models for continuous professional development.

NEP 2020 | What the policy means for teachers?

While reforms in the education sector have been much asked for, it will only be worthwhile to see if the policy is implemented.

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