Rohit Gupta
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
–Nelson Mandela
It is heartening to watch the cabinet approval of NEP 2020 being celebrated with much fervour and euphoria similar to that of a festival.This policy is the outcome of dedication and discussions among a wide range of stakeholders including academicians, politicians, scientists, industry representatives, NGOs and local Governments. The main credit for this visionary policy goes to Dr K Kasturirangan ,an eminent scientist and Padma Vibhushan awardee, who chaired the committee that drafted the New Education Policy. This is the third policy on Education since independence. The first education policy came in 1968 and the second one came in1986 which went through minor amendments in 1992. This new policy came after a gap of almost 34 years and has laid the platform for drastic changes.
NEP 2020 aims to prepare India for the new skills of the 21st Century, that comprises of 4 Cs- Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking and Creativity. We faulted behind during the 1st Industrial revolution as we were under the rule of foreign power. But now we cannot afford to miss the opportunities being created by the 4th Industrial revolution and put the future of 1.3 billion population at stake. NEP 2020 will prepare India for this challenge.
NEP 2020 recommended sweeping changes for both the School Education and Higher Education systems. It seeks to holistically resolve the chronic challenges that our education system is ridden with – Accessibility, Equity, Affordability, Quality and Accountability. This policy also recommends to reverse the nomenclature from Human resource Development Department to Education Department. It seeks to increase spending on Education from the current level of 4.4 % of GDP to 6% of GDP.
School Education
The most welcome change is the shift from the present 10+2 system to the 5+3+3+4 scheme. This restructuring is based on the scientific premise that an individual goes through different stages, each with varying needs, during his/her course of cognitive development. The new system expands the ambit of formal education from 6-16 years to 3-18 years age group. Since 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs by 6 years, bringing Early Childhood Care and Education(ECCE) under formal structure is bound to have a huge impact on overall development and wellbeing of a child, resulting in overall improvement in learning outcomes.
Another much appreciated initiative is the setting up of the National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. The Annual Survey on Education Report (ASER) by Pratham Foundation regularly highlights the poor learning outcomes on 3 R’s – Arithmetic, Reading and Writing at primary education. The mission seeks to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school by 2025.
Revamping of assessment system with the adoption of 360 degree holistic report- that includes 3 dimensions viz- self assessment, peer reviews and assessment by teacher. The main objective is to discourage rote learning. The importance of board exams will also take a hit, a much needed change. In this regard, National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) will be set up that will help setting norms, standards and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation.
It also seeks to make the education system more flexible by blurring the distinction between science, arts and humanities and allowing students to choose any combination of subjects of their own choice. The new policy also focused on learning through activity and vocational education to enhance the skill set in general.
Higher Education
NEP envisages to improve GER(Gross Enrolment Ratio) from current level of 26% to 50% by 2035. NEP 2020 revamped the HE structure by making it more flexible through multiple entry and multiple exit options and removing the hard distinction between different streams. It has buried the stigma of “Drop Outs”. An Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) will be established which would digitally store the academic credits earned from various recognised HEIs and degrees to be awarded based on number of credits earned
To promote quality and exposure, top Indian Universities can now open their campuses outside and top 100 foreign Universities will now be allowed to set up campuses in India. To improve research, National Research Foundation will be set up and will competitively fund research in all disciplines.
Regulatory framework will undergo a complete overhaul in a progressive manner. The numerous regulatory bodies UGC, AICTE and NCTE(National Council for Teachers Education) will be merged into a single umbrella body- Higher Education Commission of India(HECI). The objective is to ensure adequate checks-and-balances and minimise conflicts of interest among the different bodies. The distinct functions of regulation, accreditation, funding, and academic standard setting will be performed by four distinct, independent, and empowered bodies that will be overlooked by HECI.
NEP is a futuristic and ambitious document that has the potential to completely revamp the archaic education system of India and help India transition from a developing country tag to a developed one .We are in a critical phase now, where India being a young nation, a progressive education system can help us reap the benefits of Demographic Dividend, which if left untapped will become a perfect recipe for Demographic Disaster. The policy has the potential to act as a model for other countries as well. We have taken a leap forward with a visionary policy and now the onus lies on its effective and efficient implementation. Let’s hope the Government shows urgency and the right will to take it forward in the right direction and help India glide onto the path of glory.
(The author is Assistant Professor Computer Applications)
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