Explore Courses
Top University
Jagpreet
17 September, 2024
Table of Contents
The National Education Policy (NEP) aims to establish a uniform educational framework that actively contributes to the nation’s transformation. It delivers top-tier education to all citizens and positions India as a global knowledge leader.
The policy seeks to provide all students with a high-quality education system regardless of location. It emphasises support for historically marginalised, disadvantaged, and under-represented communities. NEP 2024, is a successor of NEP 2020, which has proposed several significant changes in the Indian education system across various levels from pre-school to higher education. You will get to the depths and latest updates of this policy in this blog.
The National Education Policy seeks to revise and revamp all aspects of the education system which includes its regulation and governance. It aims to establish a new framework aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st-century education. For instance, SDG4 draws on India’s rich traditions and values. This NEP policy places a strong emphasis on nurturing the creative potential of every individual. It is founded on the belief that education should foster cognitive abilities from foundational skills like literacy and numeracy to advanced skills like critical thinking and problem-solving and social, ethical, and emotional capacities.
We’ll provide you with a quick overview of the New Education System, including the Scheme Benefits and key Features.
The Indian government’s New Education Policy is referred to as NEP. In July 2020, the Union Cabinet of India approved the New National Education Policy (NEP) to bring modern reforms to the Indian education system from the school to the college level. This policy stands on the ideology to make India a ‘global knowledge superpower.’ In addition to this, it was with the introduction of NEP in 2020 that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was renamed to the Ministry of Education.
The new National Education Policy is based on the pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability. It aims to make both school and college education more holistic, multidisciplinary, and flexible, which aligns with the 2020 agenda for sustainable development.
Up until the introduction of the New National Education Policy in 2020, there were many pitfalls in the Indian education system. Memorisation was prioritised more over the understanding of concepts. In addition to this, the presence of multiple boards was a big issue. Each board had different learning methods for different skills, and then every student had to take the same standardised board exam.
Furthermore, in the past years, more emphasis was laid on learning or mastering traditional subjects and less on developing vocational skills. In the new education policy, all the pitfalls and limitations of the Indian education system are taken care of. Moreover, the policy intends to bridge the gap between vocational and formal education.
You can find below the timeline of developments in the Indian education system.
| Year | Event |
| 1948 | The 1st commission, University Education Commission, was set up |
| 1952 | The Secondary Education Commission was established |
| 1964-1966 | The Indian Education Commission was introduced |
| 1968 | 1st National Education Policy was introduced |
| 1986 | A new education policy was formulated |
| 1992 | The previous education policy was modified |
| 2005 | The 1986 education policy was modified again |
| 2020 | The new National Education Policy (NEP) was passed by the cabinet |
| 2023-2024 | The New Education Policy was implemented in this academic year |
Focus on recognising and nurturing each student’s unique abilities for holistic development.
Prioritisation of foundational literacy and numeracy by grade 3.
Flexible learning pathways allow students to choose their own educational and career trajectories.
Eliminating barriers between arts, sciences, curricular, and extracurricular activities for a seamless learning experience.
Multidisciplinary and holistic education across subjects to foster knowledge uniformity.
Emphasis on conceptual learning over rote memorisation and evaluation based on a single exam.
Promotion of creativity, critical thinking, ethics, and human values.
Encouraging the incorporation of multilingualism and communication skills.
Regular formative assessments to support learning rather than high-stakes exams.
Use of technology to enhance access, especially for students with disabilities, and improve educational planning.
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all educational policies.
Synergy in curriculum across all levels of education from early childhood to higher education.
Teachers are central to learning so there should be equal focus on recruitment, professional development, and positive work environments.
A regulatory framework that ensures transparency and innovation while encouraging autonomy and governance.
Promotion of research as a fundamental element of education and progress.
Continuous review and assessment by experts to ensure educational progress.
Fostering pride in India’s diverse cultural heritage and knowledge systems.
Education is a public service, with quality education as a basic right for every child.
Significant investment in public education and promotion of philanthropic private participation.
Focus on regular student assessments.
You can read some salient features of the New Education Policy below.
The New Education Policy extends compulsory schooling from the age bracket of 6-14 years to 3-18 years. The NEP includes three years of previously unrecognised pre-schooling for children aged 3-6 years in the school curriculum. The new system will include 12 years of formal education and three years of Anganwadi/pre-school education.
The 10+2 school curriculum framework will be replaced with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years, respectively, with an emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
The NEP emphasises pupils’ native language as the medium of teaching while adhering to the “three-language formula” and ensuring that no language is imposed on anyone. The NEP simply suggests using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction rather than making it mandatory.
The home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language will be used as the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably until Grade 8 and beyond. Following that, wherever practicable, the home or local language will be taught as a language.
On 17th Sep, Home Minister Amit Shah again stated, “I want to make it clear that our government believes no country can develop by eliminating its local languages. Local languages are part of our history, culture, and traditions. Therefore, the new education policy emphasises primary education in local languages.”– IANS (source)
The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) would be established as a single umbrella body for all higher education in India, excluding medical and legal education. Regulation, accreditation, and academic standards will all be governed by the same set of rules for public and private higher education institutions.
In 15 years, the government will phase down college affiliation, and a stage-by-stage procedure for providing colleges with graded autonomy will be formed.
There would be no formal distinctions between arts and sciences, curricular and extracurricular activities, or vocational and academic programmes under NEP 2020. Students can choose from a variety of disciplines throughout the streams. Internships will be included in vocational education, which will begin in sixth grade.
Under the NEP, undergraduate degrees will span three or four years, offering multiple exit options. Students can earn a certificate after one year, a diploma after two years, or a Bachelor’s degree after three years. An Academic Bank of Credit will store academic credits digitally, allowing them to be transferred between institutions. This policy introduces essential reforms, ensuring uniformity, transparency, and oversight by a single national agency across the education system.
NEP 2020 focuses on bringing universal access to school education to ensure the holistic development of students right from the beginning. According to this policy, students’ progress and their learning capacity will be tracked timely. Students will be given access to different learning modes, like formal and informal teaching methods. The policy also states that vocational education courses are to be included in the curriculum from preschool to 12th standard. The policy is not just limited to knowledge or skills; it also emphasises the inclusion of trained counsellors and social workers in the schooling system.
FLN is a broad concept that refers to a child’s capability to read basic texts and solve basic numerical problems such as addition and subtraction. It is considered an urgent and vital prerequisite to learning. Keeping this in mind, the NEP has directed the states to prepare a plan on how to implement and achieve this in the curriculum for all primary school students by 2025.
The policy states that the school curriculum and pedagogy should aim for the holistic development of students by designing the coursework that would equip them with 21st-century skills. Students will have to study a reduced course content, which will emphasise experiential learning and critical thinking and give students the choice of subjects they wish to study. Moreover, vocational education will be made available in class 6th-8th, along with internship opportunities.
In the past years, very few students opted for higher education. So given this concern, the policy aims to incorporate a maximum number of students in higher education, including vocational education. The graduate enrolment ratio is expected to increase up to 50% by 2035 from 26.3% in 2018. Also, with the multiple exit options in higher education, it is expected that the student dropout rate will reduce.
The government has already taken initiatives to bring the standards of distance learning programmes at par with regular courses. Measures like online courses, digital repositories, funding for improved student services and research, and credit-based recognition of MOOCs, among others are to be taken.
National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), an autonomous body, will be started to offer a free exchange of ideas related to the usage of technology in enhancing the academic experience. This integration of technology is expected to improve the classroom processes, contribute to teacher professional development, and streamline the management of education planning.
An important aspect of the NEP 2020 is that it promotes the internationalisation of education by encouraging institutions to forge global collaborations with universities and research institutes. This will not be limited to students, faculty exchange programmes will also be encouraged. Meanwhile, the policy aims to allow the top world universities to open their campuses in India.
In line with the objective of the New Education Policy, the Centre and State governments will be working in collaboration to increase investment in education. The collaboration of both houses is expected to reach 6% of GDP regarding the education sector as soon as possible to improve the educational infrastructure.
It is the refurbished structure of the educational framework which was introduced in the New Education Policy 2020. It categorises learning into four stages, explained below:
Foundational Stage: It consists of the initial years of a child’s education i.e. till 5 years. The first three years of primary education are based on interactive learning through activities and playful games. This is followed by grades 1 and 2 where the child will gain basic literacy and numbers.
Preparatory Stage: It spans three years from class 3rd to 5th. A multi-faceted approach is to be adopted for a comprehensive learning experience at this stage. The curriculum emphasises understanding and the application of concepts instead of rote memorisation.
Middle Stage: The stage between classes 6th to 8th is the middle stage and it takes your child deeper into the subject matter. It is the first time that students are introduced to project-based learning and they learn about the subjects in detail.
Secondary Stage: It is the final segment of school education which includes grades 9 to 12, also known as higher secondary education. Students get the chance to choose the subjects of their choice and prepare them for future career paths. The child will learn real-world skills and competencies.
The implementation of NEP 2020 needs coordinated efforts by different groups working together in an organised way. The policy outlines timelines, guiding principles, and methods for its execution. Therefore, its implementation will be managed by various organisations. This includes Union and State Governments, Ministry of Education, State Education Departments, different boards, NTA, regulatory bodies for school and higher education, schools, and higher education institutions (HEIs). These groups will follow set timelines. They will also review plans to make sure the policy is implemented as intended. It is taking proper coordination and cooperation among all involved in education.
The article in The Hindu stated that a review implementation meeting of NEO 2020 in July 2024 led to a 5-year action plan. The Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan noted that the NEP has made significant progress in just four years. He emphasised the importance of learning in the mother tongue and all Indian languages and encouraged the States and the Centre to work together as a team to adopt the best practices everywhere.
The review meeting for NEP implementation discussed the NEP 100-day action plan. The plan includes progress in infrastructure, civil works, and ICT-enabled smart classrooms under Samagra Shiksha. NEP also focuses on setting up Vidya Samiksha Kendras and 200 educational channels.
The framework designed by NEP will bring a revolutionary change in the entire higher education ecosystem of India, but it has a few limitations, as studied by a few researchers. These are:
As the policy aims to double the gross enrollment ratio by 2035, this requires the creation of a new university every week for the next 15 years, which is a huge challenge.
To deliver the upgraded curriculum effectively, India needs a sizable pool of competent teachers who are familiar with the new pedagogical approach.
Adequate funding and resources are required for proper implementation.
As teachers generally share a disciplinary anchoring culture, it is difficult to have educators with exceptional skills who are experts in one area and lean in other subjects as well.
NEPs multiple entry and exit options may face challenges in India because of the large student population. It could lead to a high annual intake in higher education. It can become difficult for universities to predict how many students would join and exit.
The New Education Policy (NEP) came into existence in 2020 and was implemented in the 2023-2024 academic year. It included syllabus updates and restructuring of the grade system. It focuses on covering the pitfalls of the Indian educational system, removing the concept of rote learning. Moreover, it addressed the issue of multiple boards which existed in the old system.
As per the New Education Policy 2024 from the 2025-26 session, the students can appear for their 10th and 12th board exams twice a year. This is done to reduce the academic pressure among students. Furthermore, students will get 10 bagless days in school every year.
The new education policy 2024 focuses on various key areas, among them access to education and promoting equity in education. For this, it has prioritised the use of technology and promotion of skill-based learning. This will expand the scope of education to remote areas with online education and increase access to education.
The various features outlined by NEP intend to double the GER percentage in higher education till 2035 which will position India as a global education hub. The new education policy will bring flexibility to the curriculum through an interdisciplinary approach, multiple exit options, and encouraging internationalisation.
At the school level, teachers have to create a fun and activity-based learning environment which slowly will take the shape of project-based learning. Regular faculty training and evaluation will also be done. Teachers have to contribute to curriculum development and policy-making as per NEP 2020.
The New Education Policies long-term goal is to make India a global hub for education and skilled manpower in the next 25 years of ‘Amrit Kaal’. It provides valuable insights and changes to the drawbacks in the existing education system of India. This will enhance the quality of education and bring the education at par with the world.
In the new education policy of 2023, there is a huge focus on online and distance education to remove all the barriers and increase student participation in higher education. It will include pilot studies in online education, strengthen the digital infrastructure, and boost online learning platforms.
