The Government of India released draft National Education Policy 2020 of about 66 page document. You can download this document from the internet (Link).
Most of the parents, teachers and students may not be able to read the entire document until and unless it is very much necessary.
But it is very much important for every parent, teacher and student to know about this policy.
In this post, TG made an effort to pick some of the most important highlights of the National Education Policy 2020. It is my humble request to everyone to read at least the highlights so that you can ask the government, educational institutions, teachers to provide the right kind of education to your students, children so that they can be useful to the world.
TG also feels that this is one of the best education policies released by the government ever as its vision is to preserve rich and powerful ancient Indian education.
Why because Indian culture and philosophy have had a strong influence on the world. These rich legacies to world heritage must not only be nurtured and preserved for posterity but also researched, enhanced, and put to new uses through our education system.
NEP 2020
Highlights of National Education Policy 2020
Education Policy lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities – both the ‘foundational capacities ’of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem solving – but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions.
The aim of education in ancient India
The aim of education in ancient India was, for the complete realization and liberation of the self.
World-class institutions of ancient India such as Takshashila, Nalanda,Vikramshila, Vallabhi, set the highest standards of multidisciplinary teaching and research and hosted scholars and students from across backgrounds and countries.
The Indian education system produced great scholars such as Charaka, Susruta, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya, Brahmagupta, Chanakya, Chakrapani Datta, Madhava, Panini, Patanjali, Nagarjuna, Gautama, Pingala, Sankardev, Maitreyi, Gargi and Thiruvalluvar, etc.
Among numerous others, who made seminal contributions to world knowledge in diverse fields such as mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, medical science and surgery, civil engineering, architecture, shipbuilding and navigation, yoga, fine arts, chess, and more.
Indian culture and philosophy have had a strong influence on the world. These rich legacies to world heritage must not only be nurtured and preserved for posterity but also researched, enhanced, and put to new uses through our education system.
Previous Policies
The implementation of previous policies on education has focused largely on issues of access and equity. The unfinished agenda of the National Policy on Education 1986, modified in 1992 (NPE 1986/92), is appropriately dealt with in this Policy. A major development since the last Policy of 1986/92 has been the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 which laid down legal underpinnings for achieving universal elementary education.
Principles of this Policy
The purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by our Constitution.
The Vision of this Policy
This National Education Policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high-quality education to all, and thereby making India a global knowledge superpower.
Major Problems faced by the Higher Education system.
Major problems currently faced by the higher education system in India include:
(a) a severely fragmented higher educational ecosystem;
(b) less emphasis on the development of cognitive skills and learning outcomes;
(c) a rigid separation of disciplines, with early specialisation and streaming of students into narrow areas of study;
(d) limited access particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged areas, with few HEIs that teach in local languages
(e) limited teacher and institutional autonomy;
(f) inadequate mechanisms for merit-based career management and progression of faculty and institutional leaders;
(g) lesser emphasis on research at most universities and colleges, and lack of competitive peer-reviewed research funding across disciplines;
(h) suboptimal governance and leadership of HEIs (Higher Education Institutions);
(i) an ineffective regulatory system; and
(j) large affiliating universities resulting in low standards of undergraduate education.
The new Policy’s Vision
This policy envisions a complete overhaul and re-energising of the higher education system. The policy’s vision includes the following key changes to the current system:
(a) moving towards a higher educational system consisting of large, multidisciplinary
universities and colleges, with at least one in or near every district, and with more HEIs (Higher Education Institutions)
across India that offer medium of instruction or programmes in local/Indian languages;
(b) moving towards a more multidisciplinary undergraduate education;
(c) moving towards faculty and institutional autonomy;
(d) revamping curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and student support for enhanced student experiences;
(e) reaffirming the integrity of faculty and institutional leadership positions through merit-
appointments and career progression based on teaching, research, and service;
(f) establishment of a National Research Foundation to fund outstanding peer-reviewed research and to actively seed research in universities and colleges;
(g) governance of HEIs by high qualified independent boards having academic and administrative autonomy;
(h) “light but tight” regulation by a single regulator for higher education;
(i) increased access, equity, and inclusion through a range of measures, including greater opportunities for outstanding public education; scholarships by private/philanthropic universities for disadvantaged and underprivileged students; online education, and Open Distance Learning (ODL); and all infrastructure and learning materials accessible and available to learners with disabilities.
Steps to be taken by Governments
(a) Earmark suitable Government funds for the education of SEDGs (Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Group)
(b) Set clear targets for higher GER (Gross Enrolment Ratio) for SEDGs
(c) Enhance gender balance in admissions to HEIs
(d) Enhance access by establishing more high-quality HEIs in aspirational districts and Special Education Zones containing larger numbers of SEDGs
(e) Develop and support high-quality HEIs that teach in local/Indian languages or bilingually
(f) Provide more financial assistance and scholarships to SEDGs in both public and private HEIs
(g) Conduct outreach programmes on higher education opportunities and scholarships among SEDGs
(h) Develop and support technology tools for better participation and learning outcomes.
Steps to be taken by all HEIs
(a) Mitigate opportunity costs and fees for pursuing higher education
(b)Provide more financial assistance and scholarships to socio-economically disadvantaged students
(c) Conduct outreach on higher education opportunities and scholarships
(d) Make admissions processes more inclusive
(e) Make curriculum more inclusive
(f) Increase employability potential of higher education programmes
(g) Develop more degree courses taught in Indian languages and bilingually
(h) Ensure all buildings and facilities are wheelchair-accessible and disabled-friendly
(i) Develop bridge courses for students that come from disadvantaged educational backgrounds
(j) Provide socio-emotional and academic support and mentoring for all such students through suitable counselling and mentoring programmes
(k) Ensure sensitization of faculty, counsellor, and students on gender-identity issue and its inclusion in all aspects of the HEI, including curricula
(l) Strictly enforce all no-discrimination and anti-harassment rules
(m) Develop Institutional Development Plans that contain specific plans for action on increasing participation from SEDGs, including but not limited to the above items.
National Research Foundation (NRF)
To build on these various elements in a synergistic manner, and to thereby truly grow and catalyze quality research in the nation, this policy envisions the establishment of a National Research Foundation (NRF).
The primary activities of the NRF will be to:
(a) fund competitive, peer-reviewed grant proposals of all types and across all disciplines;
(b) seed, grow, and facilitate research at academic institutions, particularly at universities and colleges where research is currently in a nascent stage, through mentoring of such institutions;
(c) act as a liaison between researchers and relevant branches of government as well as industry, so that research scholars are constantly made aware of the most urgent national research issues, and so that policymakers are constantly made aware of the latest research breakthroughs; so as to allow breakthroughs to be optimally brought into policy and/or implementation; and
(d) recognise outstanding research and progress
Hope you liked this post. For more details visit the Ministry of Human Resource Development website and click on the links provided at the bottom of page, available in English and Hindi languages.
