New Education Policy 2020: Key Highlights

The New Education Policy 2020 has come up as a revolution in the education sector as it aims at creating an equitable and vibrant knowledge for the society by providing high-quality education to all. Also it encourages to develop a deep sense of respect towards the fundamental rights, duties and Constitutional values, bonding with one’s country, and a conscious awareness of one’s role and responsibilities in a changing world. The New Education Policy believes in instilling skills, values, and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable development and living, and global well-being, thereby reflecting a truly global citizen.

Key Principles of NEP 

1. Respect for Diversity & Local Context 
2. Equity & Inclusion 
3. Community Participation 
4. Use of Technology
5. Emphasize Conceptual Understanding 
6. Unique Capabilities 
7. Critical thinking and Creativity 
8. Continuous Review 

Ensuring Universal Access to Education at all levels

The New Education Policy promotes the spread of Quality Education in the society using Multiple Pathways to learning which involves both formal and non-formal education modes. NEP stresses on Building Schools by promoting both governments and non-governmental philanthropic organizations. The entire education system will now focus on achieving Learning Outcomes at all levels. Along with that an effort will be made to Bring Back Drop-outs children to school. Alternative Centers will be initiated for vocational and innovative learning .Peer Tutoring will be introduced which is suitable for all categories business and personal presentation.

Expected Outcomes

With Universal Access to Education at all Levels following outcomes are expected:

• Universalization of Access – from ECCE to Secondary
• Ensure equity and inclusion 
• Bring back 2 crores out-of-school children 
• Attain SDG goals of retaining all children in schools until completion of secondary education 
• Improve Quality and achievement of learning outcomes – Foundational Literacy & Numeracy (FLN) 
• Focus on 21 st century skills in teaching, learning and assessment
• Resource sharing- School complexes 
• Effective Governance -separation of powers and common norms
• Overcoming the language barrier in learning 
• Common standards for public and private school education

Transforming Curricular & Pedagogical Structure

To make the NEP effective certain modifications in current education system needs to made. These improvisations start from the very beginning in the education journey of a student, starting from the age of admission to ways of teaching and learning. 

The New pedagogical and curricular structure of school education (5+3+3+4): 3 years in Anganwadi/pre-school and 12 years in school

Secondary Stage(4)multidisciplinary study, greater critical thinking, flexibility and student choice of subjects

Middle Stage (3) experiential learning in the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities

Preparatory Stage (3) play, discovery, and activity-based and interactive classroom learning

Foundational stage (5)multilevel, play/activity-based learning

Reduction in Curriculum

To make the learning more meaningful the course has been reduced to a level where only essential values and skills will be taught in schools in India that are going to help students in developing a skillful and responsible citizen of the nation. Highlights of the new curriculum are:

Core Essentials – Curriculum in all subjects to be reduced to its core essentials

Critical Thinking – Focus on critical thinking, inquiry, discovery, discussion and analysis based teaching and learning methods for holistic education

Interactive Classes – Interactive teaching with reduced dependency on textbook learning; Questions from students will be promoted

Experiential Learning – Fun, creative, collaborative, and exploratory activities in classroom for experiential learning and deeper student learning

Innovative Pedagogy: Transforming teaching learning process

Imparting and learning the concepts in a new way requires to include innovative and experiential methodologies in the process of teaching. Replacing the rote learning with experiential and project based learning is the first step towards it. To make the teaching learning constructive following pedagogy is going to be encouraged now:

1. Experiential Learning 
2. Integrated Pedagogy 
3. Promotion of peer tutoring
4. Equal Weightage 
5. Bagless Days 
6. Use and integration of technology 

Standard-setting and Accreditation

To bring the education system at par in both government and private institutions, all higher education will be governed by only one authority. For authenticating the same UGC AICTE will be merged. All University government, private, Open, Deemed, Vocational etc will have the same grading and other rules. 

Teacher Education

Teachers are the pillars of the education system. For creating a robust education system, the teachers need to be equipped with strong skills and knowledge. Teachers should be trained with innovative pedagogy and skills to implement in the classrooms. Professional courses like B.Ed. programme will now include training in time-tested techniques in pedagogy, multi-level teaching and evaluation, teaching children with disabilities, teaching children with special interests or talents, use of educational technology, and learner-centered and collaborative learning. 

Further Shorter local teacher education programs will be made available at BITEs, DIETs, or at school complexes for eminent local persons who can be hired to teach at schools as ‘master instructors’, for promoting local professions, knowledge, and skills, e.g., local art, music, agriculture, business, sports, carpentry, and other vocational crafts.