National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 GS:2 "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• The Union Cabinet has approved the National Education Policy 2020, making way for large scale, transformational reforms in both school and higher education sectors.

 

Background

• In May 2016, ‘Committee for Evolution of the New Education Policy’ under the Chairmanship of Shri T.S.R. Subramanian, Former Cabinet Secretary, submitted its report. 
• Based on this report, the Ministry prepared ‘Some Inputs for the Draft National Education Policy, 2016’.  
• In June 2017 a ‘Committee for the Draft National Education Policy’  was constituted under the Chairmanship of Dr. K. Kasturirangan, which submitted the Draft National Education Policy, 2019 
• This draft was made public and opened for feedback after the Lok Sabha election in May 2019.
• NEP 2020 has been formulated after the process of consultation that involved nearly over 2 lakh suggestions from 2.5 lakhs Gram Panchayats, 6600 Blocks, 6000 ULBs, 676 Districts.

 

Key highlights of the policy

School Education 

• New Policy aims for universalization of education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 % Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
• NEP 2020 will bring 2 crores out of school children back into the mainstream through the open schooling system.
• The current 10+2 system to be replaced by a new 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 mental faculties of a child.
• The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre-schooling.
• Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, no rigid separation between academic streams, extracurricular, vocational streams in schools; Vocational Education to start  from Class 6 with Internships
• Teaching up to at least Grade 5 to be in mother tongue/ regional language. No language will be imposed on any student.
• Assessment reforms with 360-degree Holistic Progress Card, tracking Student Progress for achieving Learning Outcomes
• A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT.
• By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.

 

Higher Education

• Increase GER to 50 % by 2035
  • NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. 
• Holistic Multidisciplinary Education
  • The policy envisages holistic under- graduate education with flexible curriculum, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education, and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification.
  • Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of the best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.
  • The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.
• Regulation
  • 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. 
  • HECI will have four independent verticals- 
    • National Higher education regulatory council (NHERC) for regulation, 
    • General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting, 
    • Higher education Grants council for funding and 
    • National Accreditation Council for accreditation.
  • Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges.
• Rationalised Institutional Architecture
  • The definition of University will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from Research-intensive universities to Teaching intensive Universities and Autonomous degree granting colleges.
• Teacher Education
  • A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education,NCFTE, 2021 will be formed by NCERT. Also, by 2030 the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4- year integrated B.Ed degree.
• Open and distance learning
  • This will be expanded to play a significant role in increasing gross enrollment ratio. 
  • Measures such as online courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student services etc will be taken.
• Online and digital education
  • A comprehensive set of recommendations for promoting online education consequent to the pandemic in order to ensure preparedness has been covered.
• Technology in Education
  • An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for free exchange of ideas on the use of technology.
• Adult Education
  • The policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
• Financing education
  • The central government and state governments will work together to increase the public investment in the education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.

Others

• An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
• NEP 2020 emphasizes setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund, Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups
• New Policy promotes Multilingualism in both schools and higher education. National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation to be set up
• The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in the Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.

 

Implementation of the new policy

• Education is a concurrent list subject, also most states have their own school boards.
• Therefore, the state governments would have to be brought on board for the actual implementation of this decision.

 

Significance of the new policy

• This is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.
• The policy is based on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability.
• It is also aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• The policy 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.