A Boon to Indian Education System: National Education Policy of 2020

The author Urja Mishra is pursuing B.A.LL. B from D.E.S’s Shri Navalmal Firodia Law College under the Pune University. She is in her Second Year of Study. She is very much keen and interested to work on the following topics: Cyber Law, Social-Media, Psycho-Legal issues, and Commercial Laws.

The National Education Policy of 2020 is one of the most sought-after revolutionary reforms in the Education System of India. It is the first-ever Education Policy which allots 6% of GDP in Public Investment. It has been framed with a holistic perspective, keeping in mind the Sustainable Development Goal 4 which has inclusive and equitable education as its primary agenda followed by widening the scope of learning opportunities. The crust of the Policy is to incorporate critical and creative thinking, multi-disciplinary approaches, innovative and scientific education along with the existing theoretical learning. Thus, the objective is that the children not only learn but more importantly learn how to learn.

The Policy is a perfect mélange of the requirements and goals of the 21st Century along with being deeply rooted in India’s rich heritage of traditions and value systems. It is woven on the lines of Jnan (Pursuit of Knowledge), Pragyaa (Wisdom), Satya (Truth).

HISTORY OF EDUCATION POLICIES IN INDIA

The First Education Policy was in the year 1968, followed by the Policy in the year 1986 which focused on Access and Equity of Education. It was modified in 1992 and further in 2009 came the Right to Education Act providing Free and Compulsory Education to the children between 6 to 14 years of age. This laid the foundation for achieving universal elementary education. On July 29, 2020, came the National Education Policy which aimed at revamping and aligning the structural and functional aspects of the educational system. It was drafted in 2019 under the Chairmanship of Dr. K. Kasturirangan.

Following are the Key Changes and Reforms envisaged in the Policy:

1) Changes in the School Education

The Policy aims to restructure the academic structure with the 5+3+3+4 pattern to create a firm base of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) wherein the age of the group of 3-6 years will also be under the formal education unlike the present academic pattern of 10+2.

85% of cognitive brain development occurs before age of 6. Hence the primary reason behind the new academic structure is to stimulate and ensure healthy and balanced brain development. The Format is divided into 4 Stages-

• Foundational Stage- This comprises of Anganwadi and Balvatika followed by Class 1 and Class 2.
• Preparatory Stage- This will help establish a base of the students across different subjects for reading, writing, speaking, physical education, art, languages, sciences, mathematics, etc. in an interactive yet optimized manner.
• Middle Stage- This would incorporate experiential learning along with providing more scope for the exploration of specialized subjects.
• Secondary Stage- The emphasis in this stage is on the multidisciplinary study along the lines of the Middle Stage but with greater critical thinking, attention to life aspirations, flexibility, and student choice of subjects.

An important takeaway here is that the educational system is providing an equal footing to Vocational, Academic, Co and Extra curriculum Activities by giving preference to the interest of Child.

The Policy also enlists from Class 6, a Bagless period of 10 days which focuses on vocational education and experiential learning. The student here would be provided an internship opportunity with the various professional fields of their choice, (Carpentry, Music, Gardening, etc.) to give them a taste of the functioning of the outside world.

Sports integration is also envisaged in the FIT INDIA MOVEMENT.

According to the policy, the gap in speaking language and learning language must be bridged so as to foster a holistic approach for learning. Thus, comes into the picture the facility to avail education in Mother Tongue at least till Class 5. The Policy also appreciates multilingual culture and subsequently recognizes the importance of local language with activities on ‘EK BHARAT SHRESHTHA BHARAT’.

Owing to the rapid technological advancement, the students will be taught coding from Class 6.

Another fundamental change is with the system of REPORT CARD. It will be a 360-degree progressive card showing a combination of Skills and Capabilities rather than only depicting the academic achievements. Report Cards will also encompass a section of self-assessment by the student in addition to the existing teachers’ evaluation sheet. A New National Assessment Centre is planned to be set up as a standard-setting body under the name of PARAKH-Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development. It may also assist NCERT in assessment procedures and Data Analysis.

2) Changes in the Higher Education

The imperative change in the Higher Education System has been to disregard the system of 3 Fix Streams - Arts, Commerce, and Science and the fixed subjects under these streams. Instead, it has formulated a system to integrate the humanities (arts) with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics with the view of bringing positive learning outcomes, enhanced high order thinking capacities, problem-solving abilities. This is conversant to India’s Ancient literary works like Banabhatta’s KADAMBARI which describes good education as the knowledge of 64 ‘Kalas’ that is inclusive of subjects, such as painting, sculpting, chemistry, mathematics, vocational fields such as stitching, carpentry, and professional fields such as medicine and engineering, soft skills such as discussion, public speaking, debates.

The provision of MULTIPLE ENTRY AND EXIT for undergraduate programs has not only facilitated the learning process but is also a boon to the students taking a sabbatical or the ones who wish to change their field of study. This also throws light on the proposed system of ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDIT, i.e., the Credit System which is prevalent in the developed countries like the USA, Finland, etc. The duration of undergraduate courses will be either 3 or 4 years. A certificate will be issued for 1 year of Completion in a discipline or field, including vocational or professional areas, a Diploma after 2 years of Study, or a Bachelors’ Degree after 3 years of program and a Bachelors’ Research Degree after 4 years program. The Duration for Masters will also be in accordance with the Undergraduate program, i.e., a student who has undergone a 4 years undergraduate program can complete the Masters in 1 year.

The Practice of M.Phil. will be discontinued under the Policy.

The Policy also aims to set up MULTIDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES (MERU) at the level of IITs. With the objective of promoting Research Culture in Higher Education, a NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION will be established.

A significant step has also been taken to address the issue of BRAIN-DRAIN in India. The Policy allows the top 100 foreign Universities to set up their campuses in India. Additionally, it also aids Indian Universities in setting up their Campuses Outside India.

It also focuses on implanting a transparent Fee Structure and lays guidelines for setting up fee limits for institutions.

3) Teacher’s Qualification

Teachers are the most instrumental part of the teaching-learning process. Hence the Policy proposes to set the 4-year integrated B.Ed. as the minimum qualification for teachers before 2030.

It also plans to set up National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, (NCFTE), 2021.

4) Integration and Optimum Utilization of Technology

The accelerating pace of technological advancement brought together with the sheer creativity by both the teachers and students, proliferates a need to integrate technology with the education system. Therefore, an autonomous body, National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) is on the cards to create a medium for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, along with facilitating the decision-making process on the induction, deployment, and use of technology.

With the help of Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA), a national repository of high-quality resources for teaching and learning will be made available to students and teachers. It also inculcates special provisions for Divyang students. Online Platforms like SWAYAM – (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) provide a plethora of courses ranging into varied subjects which are taught at school, college, and university level. It provides online study material to students free of cost and that too in the remotest places as well, thus surpassing the physical barriers.

CONCLUSION

The implementation would be a key aspect in determining the success and effectiveness of the policy. Nevertheless, the Policy is giving the students the freedom to choose their destiny. The Policy is not perfect and there are flaws in it that need to be addressed. However, it is we who need to assess those as the future lies in our hands. After all, Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those, who prepare for it today.

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References:

1) National Education Policy 2020

2) Draft of National Education Policy 2019

3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isCOT99RsQU

4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIJBveGlgo0

5) https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/reading-new-education-policy-india-schools-colleges-6531603/

6) https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf

7) https://www.mindler.com/blog/national-education-policy/

8) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZnAjbB3e7E

9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tiQuiCdbkM

10) https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-education-policy-2020