EDUCATION POLICY IN INDIA

 EDUCATION POLICY IN INDIA

            India's education policy is currently defined by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which replaced the previous 1986 policy, aiming for a more holistic, multidisciplinary, and flexible system to prepare students for the 21st century and transform India into a knowledge-based society. Key aspects include restructuring the school system to a 5+3+3+4 model, emphasizing Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), promoting multilingualism and the mother tongue as a medium of instruction, and reforming higher education through multidisciplinary approaches and a new regulatory framework. The policy is built on the pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability, focusing on inclusivity and providing opportunities for all learners.  

Key Pillars of NEP 2020

• Access: Ensuring that all children, regardless of their background or location, have access to quality education. 

• Equity: Providing individualized support to students, particularly for marginalized groups, to ensure they can enter and excel in the education system. 

• Quality: Transforming education into a character-building experience with a focus on critical thinking, social skills, and ethical development. 

• Affordability: Making education affordable and accessible to all. 

• Accountability: Implementing robust and transparent processes for the recruitment and continuous professional development of teachers.

Major Reforms in NEP 2020

• New School Structure: The 10+2 structure is replaced by a 5+3+3+4 model, which incorporates a strong foundation in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). 

• Curricular Flexibility: No hard separation between subjects, arts, sciences, vocational education, and extracurricular activities, promoting multidisciplinary learning. 

• Mother Tongue as Medium of Instruction: The use of the mother tongue or local language as the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, and preferably beyond, is emphasized. 

• Assessment Reforms: Establishment of PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) to set new standards for assessment. 

• Higher Education: Focus on multidisciplinary programs, institutional autonomy, integrating technology, and establishing a unified regulatory body (Higher Education Commission of India) for higher education institutions. 

Implementation

        The successful implementation of NEP 2020 requires the collective effort of the Central government, State governments, universities, and all other stakeholders.