On July 29th, NEP 2020 will be celebrating the 3rd year of implementation. Since its implementation, NEP identified the big gaps in our previous educational systems and is continuously trying to attend the same through quality education. From preschool education to sixth standard. NEP is in the opinion that mother tongue should be the medium of instruction to reach the students as well as parents, similarly, the amendments done under Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate programs like pursuing two full-time academic programs simultaneously, pursue education in hybrid mode including physical and online mode, promoting 4-year undergraduate curriculum, etc. are a new architecture of higher education. NEP 2020 focuses on skill development, and hands-on experience along with dealing with family and financial problems of the students, relief from parental and peer pressure, and creating a holistic and stress-free environment of education through multiple entry and exit options that ensures flexibility of time framework for student dropouts as well students can shift from one institution to another and one course to another as per convenience.
NEP as a promoter of skill education is directly creating academia-industry linkages through the vocationalization of curriculum and empowering youth through teaching income-generating skills and entrepreneurship like training them in carpentry, black smithery, mechanics, repairing workshops, etc. These are beneficial for the enrichment of students’ inherent skills. Further, large-scale job growth is expected in education, agriculture, digital commerce, data science, and trades with the notion of developing analytical skills, talent management, service orientation and customer service, leadership, and social influence in the upcoming times which are being also focused on NEP for promoting futuristic skills for futuristic jobs.
NEP in these three years of implementation is catalyzing the quality of the academia. To reduce the burden of rote learning it has focused on the rationalization of theory content. It is also changing teaching methodologies through open and digital learning. Platforms like SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha, Mission Mode Drive, and other MOOC courses are already being popularized vastly. The development of digital structure also includes identifying gaps in digital resources and allocating them as per the need. Apart from, shifting to practical–driven studies, elimination of redundancy in the curriculum to avoid overloading of content, etc. are especially focused on NEP 2020.
Comprehensive capacity-building programs to familiarize teachers, school leaders, and administrators with NEP, provide training on innovative teaching methodologies, the proliferated use of ICT tools, etc. are also important aspects of NEP. NEP focuses on advanced curriculum and pedagogy that emphasis on conceptual understanding and critical thinking of the students. It includes revamping and integrating curriculum with yoga, physical education, performing, and visual arts as well student-centric curriculum which they “learn by doing” like going and living in a tribal village to understand tribal lifestyle. To develop the underlying needs of the students under NEP 2020 various programs have been initiated like the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF) which envisages increased flexibility and a wider choice of courses and subjects of study by students, particularly at the undergraduate level. Similarly, National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) focuses on enhancing qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills, and aptitude.
NEP 2020 is based on the ideologies of equity and inclusion as well participatory governance. Hence empowering Divyangs, Women, LGBTQs, and SEDGs like SC/ST, PVTGs, DNTs, NTs, and SNTs, and providing them with equal access and opportunities is a very important aspect of NEP. To ensure this, many steps have been taken by the government under NEP. Some of them include Strengthening Eklavya Model Residential Schools for Tribals, Prioritizing appointment of new teachers, opening of new EMRS, Re-Structuring ‘One School Complex’ connecting 10-15 such small schools, etc. To strengthen internationalization, collaboration, and partnerships schemes have been made for foreign universities to establish off-shore campuses as well establishment of digital e-universities in the country. One such example is Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (Digital University Kerala).
NEP Promotes Lab to Land and Land to Lab which was previously exercised in Indian Gurukula systems. It focuses on subjects of ethos, ethics, and the Indian value system based on the concept of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. To do so it is creating a pool of motivated faculty from diverse regions who are ready for life-long learning along with life-long teaching. To promote the Indian knowledge system, it mainly focuses on the development of regional languages. For instance, AICTE developed technical books in fourteen regional languages whereas Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology is also being constituted for developing terminologies in regional languages. Various ministries like the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Ministry of Corporate Affairs have signed MoEs for Atma Nirbhar Bharat. Similarly, the establishment of Atal Incubation Centres through the Atal Innovation Mission which is a flagship initiative to promote the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India, is a major step in this regard.
Further, a new height in the development sector can be reached through the promotion of research and Development (R &D). To ensure it National Research Foundation (NRF) has also been formed along with establishing R & D Cells at HEIs. NEP 2020 aims to strengthen research and development to showcase the soft power of Bharat in front of the world. To ensure so focus has been shifted to research areas based on Indian folk culture and orality. Recognition of the Indian Knowledge System as an NTA-NET subject is a major step toward it. Along with the establishment of yoga studies as Centres for Excellence at HEIs, the induction of AYUSH doctors in the Government healthcare system to boost ayurveda education, enhanced budget to ICCR for conducting India’s soft power and cultural diplomacy internationally is a major step taken under NEP in these three years of its implementation.
To make India Vishwaguru, admission and supernumerary seats of international students in UG and PG have been reserved from the year 2022. Similarly, indian knowledge in higher education curricula has been incorporated as a major subject from 2023 onwards. To implement it, the training of faculty on the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is being initiated in 2023. Promotion of physical, psychological, and emotional well-being is also regarded as a major concern under NEP from the year 2023. It is expected that it will help in the growth of the Gross Enrollment Ratio in HEIs from 26.3% to 50% by 2035.
NEP has especially emphasized bridging the gap between school and higher education. to ensure it many provisions have been considered like cent percent Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) by 2030, testing and assessment at 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades, equitable and inclusive education through ‘Gender Inclusion Fund’ where NEP has proposed hostel facilities for female students in addition to toilets. This might be beneficial in locations where female students would travel a considerable distance to school along with setting up Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas in aspirational districts. Besides to fulfill its five objectives i.e., Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability under NEP 2020 some other initiatives have also been taken. For example, SARTHAQ (Students’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement through Quality), NIPUN(National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding & Numeracy) to attain foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by the end of Grade 3, VIDYA PRAVESH (A School Preparation Module) to promote three-month foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), DIKSHA which is a national digital infrastructure for teachers, National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE), etc. are some of the major initiatives. Further, programs like NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) which focuses on covering 25 lakh teachers at the primary level across all states and UTs and under which 12 courses initiated in 10 languages are some exceptional steps taken in regard to NEP.
To ease the portability of students many norms have been formulated under National Credit Framework (NCrF) which is initiated under NEP 2020. Under this scheme, transfer of credits from one program to another, Transfer of credits from one institution to another, etc. Has become easier never than before. Further, during the Celebration of two years of NEP 2020 in 2022, 200 virtual labs along with Vidya Amrit Portal have been inaugurated by the Government. National Book Promotion Policy in India was also formed under it which will avail greater resources at a faster time to the students. It has been also decided that daytime boarding schools “Bal Bhavans” will be established in every district in India.
UGC as a statutory body for higher education in the country has implemented many policies as well as portals for smooth running of the visions of NEP 2020. Some of them include provision of Professor of Practice which aims to bring practitioners, policymakers, and skilled professionals together in HEIs. Till now 142 HEIs are registered with 4826 professionals under it. Further portals like the E-Samarth portal (for automation engine for universities and HEIs), VIDWAN portal (database of profiles of teaching members at HEI’s & R & D organizations), Karmayogi portal (online platform on uniform standardized training material), etc. are also launched by UGC for smooth conduct of NEP 2020.
Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi himself is an ambassador of NEP 2020. To promote it the PM has actively addressed Kashi Conclave Organized by Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam. Simultaneously conclave on “School Education in the 21st Century” was also addressed by PM Shri Narendra Modi to disseminate the ideas behind NEP 2020.