29-07-2025
NEP 2020 turns five: A look at India's journey of education transformation
The National Education Policy 2020 has marked a turning point for India's schools and universities, laying out a vision to transform the entire learning experience for generations to come. Celebrated as 'a defining moment in India's journey towards revitalising its higher education landscape,' the policy has infused equity, quality, and flexibility into every stratum of Indian new policy has replaced the rigid, one-size-fits-all approach with a learner-centric, multidisciplinary structure. For schools, the traditional 10+2 model has given way to a 5+3+3+4 system, focusing on early childhood care, foundational literacy and numeracy, and holistic development. Initiatives like the NIPUN Bharat Mission, Vidya Pravesh, and Bal Vatikas have prioritised building strong foundations for children between ages 3 and reforms have also included an activity-based curriculum in 22 Indian languages, upgraded infrastructure, and inclusive classrooms powered by technology. The DIKSHA platform now hosts digital content in 133 languages, and the PM eVidya initiative has made lessons accessible nationwide through TV and internet channels. Tools like PRASHAST and 'Vidyanjali' invite community involvement and early identification of disabilities, boosting inclusion for children who need extra EDUCATION MODERNISED
The policy's influence is profound in higher education, driving a shift from siloed institutions to flexible, globally competitive universities. The government aims to reach a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education by 2035. New schemes, such as the Vidya Lakshmi Scheme, promise collateral-free loans for students, while PM-USHA and the Higher Education Financing Agency anchor major funding drives for research and are evolving into multidisciplinary hubs, with reforms like the Academic Bank of Credit, multiple entry and exit options, and biannual admissions. The UGC (Open & Distance Learning and Online Programmes) Regulations have enabled 116 institutions to offer a plethora of online and distance courses, benefiting nearly 2 million ON INCLUSION AND TECHNOLOGYInclusion is at the core of these changes. From hostels for the disadvantaged and digital tools for children with disabilities at school level, to the promotion of Indian languages, more accessible research funding, and gender parity in higher education, NEP 2020 is reaching the most under-served groups. Female Ph.D. enrolment has risen by over 135% since infuses every aspect, from the NCRF and National Higher Education Qualification Framework ensuring academic and vocational mobility, to platforms like SWAYAM Plus and the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme providing skills for emerging INNOVATION, AND GLOBALISATIONAs India aims for a USD 35 trillion economy by 2047, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation has been endowed with Rs 50,000 crore to boost research output. Patent filings have climbed steeply, and India now ranks third globally for research publications. More than 16,000 institutional innovation councils have been set up, helping transform universities into epicentres of innovation and institutions are also strengthening their global presence collaborating with foreign universities, establishing campuses abroad, and climbing the QS World Rankings in both the university and subject categories. The Study in India programme, now with a dedicated portal, is increasing international student enrolments and global new regulatory frameworks, revamped accreditations, autonomous colleges, and smart funding models, the NEP 2020 is steadily guiding Indian education to be more inclusive, multidisciplinary, and future-ready than ever before.- EndsMust Watch
