New Education Policy 2020

On July 29, 2020, the much-awaited and much needed National Education Policy (NEP) was announced by Human Resource Development Minister, Mr. Ramesh Nishank and I&B Minister, Mr. Prakash Javadekar. Union Cabinet under Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi approved the new policy for reforms in the education system as a whole. This policy is developed by an expert committee headed by K Kasturirangan in thorough consultation with various stakeholders, for about 5 years. This policy brings about changes in the education system after about 34 years. The NEP will replace the National Education Policy 1986 which was then modified in 1992. This policy brings changes and restructuring right from school level to higher education.

Overview:

Scheme Objectives:

• The main objective of the scheme is to bring the much-needed changes in the education policy and system after about 34 years.
• It aims at making India Global Knowledge Superpower
• This policy aims at focusing on non-academic and vocational skills
• It aims to provide course flexibility and takes into consideration that no year of a student is wasted even in case of dropouts
• It aims to increase the GDP, the public investment in the education sector from 4.3% to 6% at the earliest.
• It majorly aims at 100 % enrollment and literacy in India, in the long run.

Benefits:

• This policy brings about the much-needed changes in the education policy and system thus enabling a good balance of theoretical as well as practical, skill-based knowledge to students.
• This scheme will benefit the students to come out of the stressful situations due to boards, academic structure, etc
• It will enable to shape students in the right direction from basic school level to higher education.
• It will lead to maximum enrollment and flexibility of multiple entry exits

Reforms under New Education Policy:

School Education and System:

• The current schooling system, 10+2 system will be changed to 5+3+3+4 system spread across 15 years
• Kids In the age bracket of 3-6 years will be brought pre schooling system. These 3 initial years will be followed by 2 more years in grade 1 and 2 making it a total of 5 years. Experts recommended this as maximum brain development age of kids
• It will be followed by class 3,4,5. Medium of instruction will be regional language or mother tongue
• Third group is class 6,7,8. Vocational training, skill development, coding etc will introduced from class 6.
• Fourth group will include class 9-12. Here there won’t be any distinction between streams like science, arts, vocational, etc
• NCERT will develop a National Curricular Framework for school education to reduce the unnecessary content and focus on the much-needed concepts
• A national assessment centre PARAKH will be set up to make standard for state boards
• This policy seeks to equip the students passing out from class 12 with at least 1 core skill.
• In this new system there will self-assessment, peer assessment and teacher assessment for results
• Board exams will continue to exist but with no much taboo, it will be a low stake affair as the exams will be divided into modules every year and students will take the exams as per subjects in the modules
• These new reforms will imbibe a scientific attitude and mathematical thinking compatible to the demand of 21^st century
• AI based assessment will be enabled and for that teachers will be given proper training by 2023
• Now, the exams will test knowledge and applications and not just routine theory and e -Learning.
• E- content will be available at all levels
• Focus will be given to regional languages till class 5 along with English, thus focusing on Multi- lingual system

Higher Education:

• For higher studies National Testing Agency will now conduct only 1 entrance examination for courses after class 12. This exam will be optional and not mandatory
• Multiple entry and exit options will be given to the students
• UG can be completed in 3 or 4 years as per course chosen
• After one year the student will get a Basic Certificate, after two years students will be given Advanced diploma, bachelor’s degree after 3 years and Bachelors with research after 4 years.
• In case of dropouts, the UG student can use his/her Academic credits accumulated over time.
• MPhil degree will be discontinued
• Multidisciplinary education and research universities/ MERUs will be set up in each district. It will be a part of IITs and IIMs
• Oner single regulatory framework will be present for all higher educational streams except legal and medicine
• Grading and Autonomy will be given as per the performance of the institute.
• There will be common norms on fee for private and public higher educational institutions
• High performing universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries.
• Vocational training and skill development will be of core importance
• Lok Vidya an important vocational knowledge course will be made available to students

Key Points:

• One can go through the official details of this policy, draft, current news and relevant tweets, by visiting the mhrd website – mhrd.gov.in

• This initiative is announced by the Union HRD Minister-Ramesh Nishank, Union Minister Smriti Irani, I&B Minister – Prakash Javadekar and Higher Education secretary – Amit Khare
• The HRD ministry will be renamed as Education Ministry and would constitute National Committee for the Integration of Vocational Education (NCIVE)
• Institutions such as National Research Foundation (NRF) and Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be created as a part of this policy
• This policy will blur science, arts and commerce division.
• Mandatory Schooling will expand from 6-14 to 3-18 years of age
• Mother tongue will be emphasized as a medium of instructions at least till class 5 but preferably even after that. This will be followed by public and private schools
• No UGC, AICTE, NCTE separation, now there will be one body governing the higher education department except medical and legal streams
• The draft of this policy was put forth by former ISRO chief, K. Kasturirangan. In consultation with stakeholders and public representatives
• Implementation of this Policy will be led by various bodies including Education Ministry, State departments of education, NTA, NCERT, SCERTs, Schools, Regulatory bodies of school and higher education and HEIs