NEW EDUCATION POLICY

The Indian government replaced a 34-year-old National Policy on Education, framed in 1986, with the New Education Policy of 2020 on 29^th July 2020. The NEP, approved by the union cabinet, makes sweeping reforms in school and higher education including teaching. Some of the major highlights of the NEP 2020 are,

·a single regulator for higher education institutions,

·multiple entry and exit options in degree courses,

· four year of under graduation course, no M Phil,

· less importance to board exams,

· common entrance exams for all universities[CAT or Common Admission Test]

 

New Education Policy 2020: Important highlights

·        School Eduation-Schooling starts at the age of 3 years now

1. With an emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), the 10+2 structure of school curriculum is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. From age 3-6 in ECCE
2. Prior to the age of 5 every child will move to a “Preparatory Class” or “Balvatika” (that is, before Class 1)

Age 6 to 8, Grade 1-2: Foundational Stage

Age 8-11, Grades 3-5: Preparatory Stage, play, discovery, and activity based and interactive classroom learning.

Age 11-14, Grade 5-8: Middle Stage, experiential learning in the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities.

Age 14-18, Grade 9-12: Secondary Stage, multidisciplinary study, greater critical thinking, flexibility and student choice of subjects.

Medium of instruction upto grade 5, and preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be home language/ mother tongue/ local language.

The NEP puts focus on students’ mother tongue as the medium of instruction even as it sticks to the ‘three language formula’ but also mandates that no language would be imposed on anyone. The NEP only recommends the mother tongue as medium of instruction, and not make it compulsory.

The policy document states that children learn and grasp non-trivial concepts more quickly in their home language.

“Wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language, mother tongue, local language or the regional language. Thereafter, the home or local language shall continue to be taught as a language wherever possible. This will be followed by both public and private schools," the policy states.

·         Higher Education and College Entrance Exams

National Testing Agency will conduct a common college entrance exam twice a year. This will be implemented from the 2022 session.

Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single umbrella  for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.

Govt will phase out the affiliation of colleges in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges.

·          No streaming as Science, arts or commerce at 10+2 level

Under NEP 2020, there will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams. Students can select subjects of their liking across the streams. Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.

·         FYUP[Four Year Undergraduate Programme] Returns & No More Dropouts

Under the NEP, undergraduate degree will be of either 3 or 4-year duration with multiple exit options within this period. College will be mandated to give certificate after completing 1 year in a discipline or field including vocational and professional areas, a diploma after 2 years of study, or a Bachelor's degree after a 3-year programme.

See the below video also to have a comprehensive look on NEP: