
Manguirish Pai Raiker explains the new National Educational Policy 2020 which aims to propel India on the path of growth
The New Education Policy approved and announced by the Government is being appreciated by academicians, visionary thinkers and the teaching fraternity. The Prime Minister while launching the policy said, “The focus needs to be shifted from ‘what to think’ to ‘how to think’ and the National Education Policy will enable this transition”. He further added that there is a flood of information in today’s age. The need is about the ability to accept the information and study that will be undertaken. The new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 has stressed that inquiry-based, discussion-based and analysis-based thinking be encouraged which will lay 21st century India’s foundation and will propel India on the path of growth. The focus of this education policy would be to provide the kind of skills and education that our youth need and will propel India on the growth path and empower the people of the country.
NEP 2020 is presented with an aim to usher in several changes in the Indian education system – from the school to college level. The NEP 2020 aims at making India a global knowledge superpower. The Cabinet has also approved the renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Education. The NEP 2020 cleared by the Cabinet is only the third major revamp of the framework of education in India since independence. The two earlier education policies were brought in 1968 and 1986.
The NEP 2020 outlines the vision of India’s new education system. The new policy replaces the previous National Policy on Education; The Policy envisages a new curricular and pedagogical structure for school education that is responsive and relevant to the needs and interests of learners at different stages of their development. This Policy aims to shape an education system that benefits all of India’s children. Some of the major highlights of the NEP 2020 include schooling to begin from the age of 3 years: The revised policy expands the age group of mandatory schooling from 6-14 years to 3-18 years. This new system will include twelve years of schooling with three years of pre-schooling.
Important benefits of the NEP 2020 are to give impetus to students’ practical knowledge instead of just pushing them towards rote learning. It will help students to develop a scientific temper from a young age. In a much needed overhaul of India’s educational system, NEP 2020 aims to encourage higher standards for students in schools and colleges through sweeping reforms, seen as the most ambitious since the introduction of the 10+2+3 system. The Indian education system, helpless at the hands of over-population, has a ratio of 1 teacher for 50 students, where it is practically impossible for them to pay attention to each and every child. While the curriculum is equal for all sections of society, children with special needs suffer. Most rural schools lack good infrastructure, including well-trained teachers. This leads to poor quality of education being imparted. Various studies have demonstrated a wide gap between rural and urban education.
Demographic dividend could be a nightmare if we do not take proper care to see that the training is imparted in the desired areas and not just to produce trained manpower with no specific job requirements. Inculcation of work culture, hard work, sincerity and loyalty which are the hallmarks in today’s era when we are chasing the global arena. Rapid changes on the knowledge landscape are happening around the universe. With new innovative changes happening and artificial intelligence taking over the reins; it is likely that many jobs would be taken over by machines in the near future. But at the same time the need for well-trained multi skilled personnel particularly involving mathematics, computer science and data science, in addition to abilities to handle social sciences, humanities will be required.
Heavy pollution resulting in climate change and depleting natural resources will divert attention to conservation of energy, water, food and with focus on sanitation; will generate requirements for skilled manpower trained particularly in biology, chemistry, physics, agriculture, climate science, and social sciences. The growing emergence of epidemics and pandemics will demand collaborative research in disease management, development of vaccines and the resultant management of social issues would create requirements of multidisciplinary skilled and trained manpower.
This New Education Policy will replace the 34 year old National Policy on Education and is expected to bring in transformational reforms in school and higher education systems in the country. The committee formed under the Chairmanship of Late Shri T.S.R. Subramanian, former Cabinet Secretary, had submitted the report to the Government which was deliberated right from the village level onwards. Later, another committee was formed under eminent scientist Dr. K. Kasturirangan. They submitted their report on 31st May 2019. These reports were uploaded on Government websites for suggestions and comments of the stakeholders as well as the public. The NEP has been formulated after completing six years of consultative process for an inclusive, participatory, and holistic approach.
The new policy aims for all-inclusiveness of education from pre-school to secondary level with 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio in school education by 2030 and to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26% to 50% by 2035. At least 3.5 crore new seats will be added to higher education institutions. As per the new policy, there will be 12 years of schooling with three years of pre-schooling. This policy lays emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy. There will be no rigid separation between academic streams, extra-curricular, vocational streams in schools. More stress will be on practical training and from class six internships will be compulsory in vocational education. It is suggested that the teaching up to at least Grade five will be in mother tongue or regional language and that no language will be imposed on any student.
The new policy has several new concepts incorporated in it to make it suitable for promoting learning amongst the students. Progress of the students will be tracked by a round-the-year-performance. The new assessment reforms with Holistic Progress Card (360 degree) will be introduced for collating the learning outcomes. The Higher Education curriculum will provide the students flexibility of subjects to enable them to choose subjects of their liking and interest. There shall also be provision for exit and entry at various levels with relevant certification and in order to facilitate the transfer of credits, the Academic Bank of Credits will be established.
This long awaited New Education Policy has gone through various stages of deliberation and has been drafted taking views of all the segments of society, as well as diverse opinions that came up during the process. This policy is envisaged to be student friendly and to make learning a pleasure. There is a stress on vocational education with practical training in order to prepare the students with a career and rewarding future. It is expected to arrest the dropout rate significantly and create skilled manpower for the future. It is also expected to motivate academically oriented students to be innovative and take up research projects. The present herd mentality admission pattern does not yield positive results but only creates a pool of educated unemployed. Hoping that this policy will help placate employment opportunities in the country and will radically transform our educational ecosystem at par with global standards