The New Education Policy 2020: Addressing The Challenges Of Education In Modern India

The New Education Policy 2020: Addressing The Challenges Of Education In Modern India

Seema Rani Sethi
Lecturer in Political Science, Nilgiri College, Nilgiri, Balasore

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.7475

 Received: 10 March 2023; Revised: 05 April 2023; Accepted: 12 April 2023; Published: 11 May 2023

ABSTRACT

The National Educational Policy (NEP-2020) of India is the first education policy of the twenty-first century. Its challenge and goal are to make India a developed nation by advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4’s objectives to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. With fair access to high-quality education for everyone, regardless of social or economic background, India believes that this new national education strategy, which will be implemented in 2020, may reach this aim by at least 2040. The new policy, NEP-2020, is anticipated to be an extensive revamp with less content but more problem-solving abilities, inventiveness, and multidisciplinary and holistic thinking for unity and integrity. Based on an overview of NEP-2020, we have identified and analysed potential generic methods for NEP-2020 implementation to achieve its goals using focus group talks. We have also evaluated the strengths and shortcomings of the policy in the higher education and research section. Along with enhancing educational quality, the new education strategy seeks to widen the purview of education in India. This study aims to identify weaknesses in the current educational system and recommend solutions.

Keywords: National Education Policy, Implementation, Challenges, India

INTRODUCTION

The National Education Policy 2020 was approved by the Federal Cabinet, which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on July 29, 2020. The policy is based on the Draft National Education Policy 2019, which Dr. K. Kasturirangan’s Committee for Draft National Education Policy submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Development on December 15, 2018. In January 2015, a group under the direction of former Cabinet Secretary T. S. R. Subramanian started the consultation process for the New Education Policy. A group led by former Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) director Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan submitted the draught NEP in 2019 based on the committee’s report from June 2017. Following that, the Draft New Education Policy (DNEP) 2019 was created by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and was the focus of extensive public discussions. The Draft NEP was lengthy at 484 pages. The Ministry went through an exhaustive consultation process to create the draught policy: “Over two lakh suggestions from 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), 676 districts were received.” The vision of the National Education Policy is: “National Education Policy 2020 envisions an India-centric education system that contributes directly to transforming our nation sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high-quality education to all.”

In order to actively contribute to the transformation of the country into a fair, sustainable, and vibrant knowledge society, the National Education Policy 2020 intends to develop an education system that is specifically centred on India by taking into account its tradition, culture, values, and ethos. The foundation and design of the entire Indian educational system was inspired by the country’s rich and extensive historical past and the contributions made by numerous academics to the world in a variety of fields, including mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, medical science and surgery, civil engineering and architecture, shipbuilding and navigation, yoga, fine arts, chess, etc. The current NEP 2020 proposal intends to provide every aspirant with a transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary liberal education in order to raise the gross enrolment ratio (GER) to 50% by 2035. NEP 2020 states that there are several educational phases. The foundation stage aims to provide children between the ages of 3 and 8 with elementary education while promoting cognitive, mental, and emotional development through play-based and activity-based learning. The preparation stage aims to teach kids between the ages of 9 and 11 through activity- and discovery-based learning by introducing several subjects in a structured classroom environment and using textbooks to facilitate deeper understandings. The goal of middle school education is to introduce students to more abstract ideas in a variety of areas utilising a liberal education approach that emphasises experiential learning. Every year, there will be two class-level exams (semester-based system). To prepare students for the next level of specialised undergraduate programmes, secondary school education places a strong emphasis on trans disciplinary topics with numerous departure alternatives. This phase’s course pedagogy will be more in-depth and accommodating of student choices.

While providing the subject groups, consideration will be given to life goals. Standard board exams will be held after the 10th and 12th standards, and the semester system will be used at this point with 5 to 6 topics every semester. A certificate after a year, a diploma after two years, a bachelor’s degree after three years, and an honours degree after four years, with possibilities for a major, a minor, and research projects, are the four alternative exits from the undergraduate higher education stage.

The master’s degree is now described as (i) a one-year programme for students with a four-year honours bachelor’s degree, (ii) a two-year programme for students with a three-year bachelor’s degree, and (iii) a five-year integrated degree programme for students who have passed the 12th grade. The master’s degree will have a research emphasis to boost students’ professional domain competency, particularly in the last year of high-quality research, to prepare them for the following research degree. The research scholars at the research degree stage can pursue high-quality research leading to a Ph.D. in any core, multidisciplinary, or interdisciplinary area for a minimum period of 3 years for full-time and 4 years for part-time, respectively, even though research is an essential component of the final year undergraduate and postgraduate stages. They should take at least eight credits of coursework in teaching, education, and pedagogy relating to their chosen Ph.D. subject during their doctoral programme. There will not be any MPhil programmes available as research degrees. The NEP 2020 also suggests lifelong learning and research prevent the obsolesce of human beings in society regarding knowledge, skills, and experience leading to a self-assured, comfortable living. This is because lifelong learning is necessary for every human being in society. Education and research produce different maturities for happiness and enlightenment at any stage of life (Aithal, P.S. & Aithal; S., 2020).

To find out various issues which is important for implementation NEP 2020  is the main research question for this paper apart from that Researcher also looks upon strength of NEP.

THIS NEP 2020 IS A WELL-FURNISHED DOCUMENT, BUT THERE ARE SOME IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO POINT OUT.

After a 34-year gap and a year of stakeholder engagements, the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020, is a move in the right direction for Indian education. Although replacing the current educational structure of 10+2+3+2 with 5+3+3+4 and offering numerous entry and departure options are all novel and ambitious steps, so are adjustments to the 10+2+3+2 educational model. However, several things could be improved with their curriculum, procedure, and other aspects. The real issue is in putting it into practice because many prior policies could not change anything despite their best efforts. Most higher education institutions in India continue to produce a large percentage of unemployed youth.

Moreover, adding value through their degrees does not aid in their productivity. A competency-based credit system and liberal education focused on STEAM were purported to be the policy. Our nation is very large and has a wide range of regional, social, economic, cultural, and geographic diversity. Hence, creating an inclusive system where each student has access to the same resources and instruction is challenging. The NEP will therefore be difficult to execute in this situation. The policy’s focus is more on developing skills than it is on creating informed, enlightened citizens. Teaching begins in class eight at a young age. A distinct shift from the previous emphasis on exposing young minds to general education until Class 10, the emphasis on vocational education is uneven and disproportionate. Society does need skilled individuals, but they also need to be well-educated. The contrast between education and skill reinforces the division between manual and mental labour. The policy also highlights the importance of the forces of the market. Ignoring Social Justice Issues: In India, the disadvantage begins at birth, which is an issue.

Caste has historically been a factor in many governmental decisions, so eliminating or omitting it from the discussion contradicts caste’s reality. At this point, affirmative action is caste-based, and for a good reason. The merit standard is introduced in this document, especially for underrepresented categories. As a result, the current policy completely changes the focus on what is purported to be a question of rights under the disadvantage of birth. While the Mandal Commission’s recommendations caused tremendous unrest, sparking numerous conversations, debates, movements, and counter-movements across India, the NEP has not sparked a similar response from underrepresented caste groups. Adopting a foreign educational model while disregarding the Indian System: The suggestion in the current paper to create the 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 system includes a return to a four-year degree programme. Pushing for the four-year degree programme is done so that Indian graduates may compete with American pupils. If American institutions opened campuses in India, three-year grads would not be allowed to enrol because it would cause issues for them at home. Otherwise, a four-year graduation programme was never brought up in India. A more fundamental question might be whether foreign universities should be established on Indian territory during a political era of Atmanir Bhart (self-reliance) and ultra nationalism. The policy’s emphasis on rationalization and indigenization of education and the economy’s globalisation and corporatization result in an unavoidable conflict.

Making the surroundings cosy will make pupils more reliant on their native tongue and less motivated to study English. People from the same community may speak their mother tongue, but it is not permitted internationally. The combination of Indian needs and multinational style in this approach is uncomfortable. The mother tongue differs from the local language in a tribally populated area. Hence, it requires local educators, but finding them everywhere cannot be easy (Jami, A. M. & Keturah. L. 2022). In rural India, most schools offer a minimal range of topic options, and the teaching and learning process is standard. So, they could not arrive at the new location indicated in this policy. The policy suggested a one-year social internship, which is challenging for several professional degrees.

CONCLUSION

It is evident from the study mentioned above that for human development and long-term social progress. The education system needs to be systematically improved. Reforms to the educational system that consider diverse triumphs in industrialised nations and tailor them to meet local demands are necessary for a nation to have a prosperous society and educational system. India is a rapidly developing nation with 130 crores of people. The nation can grow and surpass other developing nations by devising and implementing a suitable education policy. In this regard, the current National Education Policy 2020 is a comprehensive model of NPE 2019, combining numerous innovations to provide liberal yet specialised and tailored both school and college education by incorporating research components at school and college levels. In the discussion above, the writers attempt to give a realistic viewpoint suitable for current policy. Of course, this policy has many positive aspects, but for NEP to function well, three significant issues must be resolved.

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