The Union Cabinet's approval of the "New National Education Policy (NEP)" is anticipated to bring about a slew of reforms, from school curricula cutbacks to the elimination of MPhil programs.
The National Education Policy (NEP) aims to establish an education system that directly supports the nation's transformation by providing all people with a top-notch education and making India a global knowledge powerhouse.
New Education System
The Modi administration has implemented a new education strategy. The new education policy has eliminated the 10 + 2 system. The educational curriculum in our nation is currently centered on 10 + 2, but it will shortly shift to 5+ 3+ 3+ 4. This indicates that the first part is from grades primary through two, while the second part is from grades three through five.
What is the New Education Policy(NEP)?
The New Education Policy (NEP) of the Indian government is known as such. Created in 1986, the last revision was made in 1992. In its election promise, the Modi-led BJP government promised to completely remake the education system by developing a new education policy, or NEP.
To implement modern innovations in the Indian education system from the school to the college level, the Union Cabinet of India approved the New National Education Policy (NEP) in July 2020. This approach is based on the idea that India may become a "global knowledge superpower." The Ministry of Human Resource Development was also renamed the Ministry of Education in 2020 under the launch of NEP.
The Need for a New National Education Policy (NEP)
The Indian educational system had many weaknesses before the New National Education Policy's adoption in 2020. Concept comprehension was not given as much weight as memory. Also, the existence of several boards presented a significant problem. Every student was required to take the same standard board exam, although each board had various methods of instruction for certain skills.
Who Created NEP?
The challenges and necessary changes to the Indian education system, including school, college, and recruitment, were discussed by a group of experts led by the previous head of ISRO, K Kasturirangan. Following the collection of these suggestions, the Ministry gave them approval.
Important Highlights of New Education Policy 2023
1. Education now begins at age three
The New Education Policy raises the age range at which children must attend school from 6 to 14 to 3 to 18 years old. For kids ages three to six, the NEP incorporates three years of previously acknowledged pre-schooling into the academic program. Twelve years of formal education and three years of Anganwadi/preschool education would be part of the new system.
2. Teaching in one's mother tongue
The NEP maintains the "three-language formula" and makes sure that no one is forced to speak a language, emphasizing using students' native tongue as the medium of instruction. Rather than requiring it, the NEP just recommends using the mother tongue as a medium of education.
The policy document claims that kids pick up non-trivial subjects and understand them more quickly in their national language.
3. NO NCTE, AICTE, or UGC
Except for legal and medical education, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) would be the single organization regulating all higher education in the country. Both public and private higher education institutions will be subject to the same set of regulations on approval, regulation, and academic requirements.
The government will phase out college affiliation in 15 years and develop a step-by-step process for giving colleges varying degrees of autonomy.
4. A merging of commerce, science, and the arts
Under NEP 2020, there would be no official divisions made between academic and professional degrees, extracurricular activities, or the arts and sciences. Throughout the streams, students have a wide range of disciplines to select from. Career training will involve internships, which will start in 60 grade.
5. Return of the FYUP Program and No More Dropouts
Undergraduate degrees will be offered under the NEP for three or four years, with some exit options accessible during that time. Colleges must grant a certificate after one year of study in a subject or discipline, including professional and vocational fields, a diploma after two years, or a bachelor's degree after three years of study.
To preserve academic credits obtained at different HEIs digitally and enable them to be transferred and applied toward a final degree, the government will also establish an Academic Bank of Credit.
6. Universal availability throughout all school-level learning
To ensure that children develop completely from the start, NEP 2020 is focused on bringing universal access to education in schools. Student development and learning ability shall be immediately monitored under this policy. Both formal and informal teaching methods will be available to students as well as other learning modalities. The policy further specifies that courses in vocational education must be incorporated into the curriculum from preschool through the twelfth grade. The policy prioritizes the integration of qualified social workers and counselors within the educational system in addition to knowledge and skill development.
7. Reaching the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) standard by 2025, beginning in grade 3.
The term "fluency in reading" (FLN) refers to a child's ability to read simple texts and do simple math operations like addition and subtraction. It is seen as an essential and critical condition for learning. That being said, the NEP mandates that by 2025, the states develop a strategy describing how to include and complete this in the curriculum for every elementary school student.
8. The integration of experiential learning into the curriculum
According to the policy, curriculum creation and methodology in schools should aim for students' overall development by creating coursework that will give them 21st-century abilities. Less course material will need to be studied by students, which will give students the freedom to choose the courses they want to study and place an emphasis on practical learning and logical thinking.
9. Raise the proportion of grad students enrolled.
Very few students choose to pursue higher education in previous years. The policy therefore attempts to include a maximum number of students in higher education, including vocational education, in light of this concern. From 26.3% in 2018, the graduate enrollment ratio is predicted to rise to 50% by 2035. It is also anticipated that the student dropout rate will decline as a result of the numerous exit choices available in higher education.
10. Improving Open and Distance Education Standards
The government has already started taking steps to raise the bar for remote learning programs so they are on par with traditional classroom courses. Online courses, digital archives, financing for better research and student services, credit-based acknowledgment of MOOCs, and more are some of the measures that will be taken.
How are the Top Institutions Implementing the New Education Policy
Numerous Indian educational institutions have followed the new National Education Policy's format since it was introduced in 2020. Several scholars from famous Indian universities, such as IITs, NITs, and IISERs, have evaluated the policy's implementation after three years of adoption. They have released a roadmap detailing the enhancements and modifications they have made to the educational system.
Prof. B.S. Murthy, the Director of IIT Hyderabad, stated that the students were offered a semester break with six credits to pursue creative endeavors, as reported by the Deccan Chronicle. Their university encouraged students to work on BUILD (Bold & Unique Ideas Leading Development) projects to foster entrepreneurship. However, Professor B. Jagdeeshwar Rao, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad, said that students can now study two programs at once because of NEP measures.
Challenges of NEP
1. The policy calls for the establishment of a new university every week for the next fifteen years to double the total number of students enrolled by 2035, which presents an important challenge.
2. India requires a large pool of qualified educators who are conversant with the new instructional method to properly implement the updated curriculum.
3. Proper implementation necessitates sufficient financing and resources.
4. Being great teachers who are experts in one field and have a leaning toward other disciplines is challenging because teachers typically share a disciplinary driving culture.
Conclusion
India's educational system is currently in a crisis where the way forward is not entirely visible. With a population of more than 1.4 billion, the progressive Indian society has demanded that the educational system must meet. India's educational system has undoubtedly changed over the past few years, but there are still specific challenges to overcome.
The recently implemented National Educational Policy presents an integrated strategy that will improve the standard of education and alleviate differences in socioeconomic status in Indian society. It requires strong cooperation between the public and commercial sectors to succeed. Thus, NEP 2020 has the power to influence India's educational system if it is implemented well.
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