Latest news with #VidyaPravesh
India Today
29-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
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
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Is NEP 2020 reforming education or reinforcing central control?
Five years after its launch, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is at once transforming classrooms and igniting a political standoff. While foundational learning outcomes have shown historic gains and enrolment has surged across marginalised groups, the policy's implementation has also triggered accusations of centralisation and ideological overreach—particularly from opposition-ruled states. At stake is not only the future of India's education system, but the very balance of power in a federal structure under pressure. Foundational gains on paper, and in practice At the primary level, NEP 2020 has catalysed notable improvements in learning outcomes. ASER 2024 reported that 23.4% of Class III students in government schools can now read a Grade II-level text, up from 16.3% in 2022—the highest since 2005. Arithmetic skills have also improved, with 27.6% of students able to do basic subtraction, compared to 20.2% two years prior. The rollout of the NIPUN Bharat Mission, the 12-week Vidya Pravesh programme, and the distribution of 'Jaadui Pitara' kits in 22 Indian languages have supported these improvements. Over 14 lakh teachers have been trained under the Nishtha foundational programme, marking one of the largest teacher development efforts in recent years. However, even as rural students now outperform urban peers, just half of government and aided schools offer preschool, revealing a systemic lag in infrastructure and access. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo Higher education access expands, but structural gaps persist In higher education, gross enrolment rose from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 to 4.46 crore in 2022-23—a 30.5% jump. Female enrolment increased by 38.4%, and PhD enrolment among women more than doubled. Enrolment among SC, ST, minority, and Northeastern students saw record growth, raising hopes for a more equitable academic future. Initiatives like the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)—with over 32 crore IDs generated—and the biannual admission cycle promise greater flexibility. Yet uptake remains minimal: just 31,000 undergraduates and 5,500 postgraduates have used the multiple entry-exit system. Even with Rs 100 crore each given to 35 institutions to become multidisciplinary, most remain in transition, weighed down by outdated curricula, rigid administrative frameworks, and faculty shortages. The language of policy—or policy of language? Despite measurable progress, the NEP has run into political headwinds. States like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal have opposed what they describe as an over-centralised, one-language-fits-all approach. The rollout of a national curriculum framework, the promotion of Hindi and Sanskrit, and the centralised design of assessments (like PARAKH) have been read as symptoms of deeper attempts to recentralise control over education—an area constitutionally shared between the Centre and states. For these governments, the question is not whether reform is needed, but who controls the direction of that reform. Their pushback is less about pedagogy and more about constitutional autonomy. Federalism under strain The NEP's top-down execution has exposed a widening rift between the Union government's vision and state governments' autonomy. With education on the Concurrent List, any major reform ideally requires collaborative federalism. Instead, critics argue, NEP 2020 has been operationalised through policy instruments, funding structures, and curricular frameworks that reduce states to implementers rather than partners. Some educationists warn that this model could create a two-speed education system—where compliance ensures funding and dissent leads to marginalisation, particularly in politically non-aligned states. Reform or reinvention of control? The central dilemma surrounding NEP 2020 is not about whether its goals are desirable, but whether its execution honours the diversity and decentralisation embedded in India's educational history. While the policy has undeniably set in motion long-needed changes—from early childhood integration to greater inclusion in higher education—its delivery model has raised questions about uniformity trumping local context, and reform being equated with central authority. As the Centre pushes ahead with further implementation and state resistance hardens, NEP 2020 may be remembered not just as an education reform, but as a test case for Indian federalism. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Time of India
28-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
NEP@5: More learners, more women, more languages - But can it deliver on its full promise?
NEW DELHI: Foundational reading and arithmetic skills among Class III students in govt schools have recorded their strongest gains in nearly two decades, with rural learners outperforming their urban peers - indicating grassroots-level progress. In higher education, enrolment has increased by over 30.5% since 2015, with female PhD enrolment more than doubling and significant gains among SC, ST, minority and Northeast students, as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 begins reshaping India's education system. However, five years on, the policy continues to face political resistance from some opposition-ruled states, which have raised concerns over centralisation and language. While 35 universities have begun transitioning into multidisciplinary institutions with central support, the uptake of reforms such as multiple entry-exit options remains limited - underlining both early momentum and implementation hurdles. In schools, the biggest shift has been the integration of pre-school into the '5+3+3+4 structure'. As of 2024, more than 1.1 crore children are enrolled in 'Balvatikas', up from 50 lakh in 2018. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Unwelcoming Countries in the World, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo Over 4.2 crore students across 8.9 lakh schools have participated in 'Vidya Pravesh', a 12-week play-based module for Grade 1 readiness. With 496 Kendriya Vidyalayas now offering 'Balvatikas' and 121 multilingual primers developed, early education has gained structured support. The Nipun Bharat Mission, launched in 2021 to improve foundational literacy and numeracy, is beginning to yield outcomes. ASER 2024 showed that 23.4% of Class III students in govt schools can now read a Grade II-level text - the highest since 2005 - up from 16.3% in 2022. Arithmetic scores have also improved - 27.6% of students can now perform basic subtraction, up from 20.2% in 2022. The Parakh national survey found rural students outperforming their urban counterparts in both reading and math. More than 14 lakh teachers have been trained under the Nishtha foundational programme. The 'Jaadui Pitara' - a multilingual play-based teaching kit - has been distributed in 22 Indian languages. However, just over half of govt and aided schools offer preschool, and aligning curriculum with infrastructure remains a challenge. In higher education, NEP's emphasis on flexibility is reflected in the rollout of the academic bank of credit (ABC), multiple entry-exit options and biannual admissions. As of July 2025, over 32 crore ABC IDs have been generated and 2,556 institutions onboarded. The new biannual admission cycle is expected to ease transitions and reduce dropouts. Between 2014-15 and 2022-23, higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore to 4.46 crore. Female enrolment increased 38.4%, from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore. Female PhD enrolment jumped 135.6%, from 48,000 to 1.12 lakh. SC student enrolment rose by 50% and ST enrolment by 75%. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) among SCs increased from 18.9 lakh to 27.3 lakh, and among STs from 13.5 lakh to 23.5 lakh. Access also improved among minorities. Muslim student enrolment grew by 46.3%, from 15.3 lakh to 22.4 lakh, and other minorities by 61%, from 6.5 lakh to 10.5 lakh. The Northeast saw a 36% increase, with female students now slightly outnumbering males. Still, the transformation of single-discipline institutions has lagged. Though 35 universities have received Rs 100 crore each under PM-Usha, many engineering and teacher education colleges are yet to realign. Gaps in faculty development, curriculum design and infrastructure persist. While 153 universities offer multiple entry and 74 allow early exit, only about 31,000 undergraduates and 5,500 postgraduates have used these options so far - suggesting structural reforms are outpacing student uptake.
Hindustan Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
From cosmos to classrooms, the Kasturirangan impact
With the many roles he played in India's space missions, including the success of Mangalyaan, K Kasturirangan will be remembered as the man who took India closer to the stars. What is less well known is that his quiet brilliance also shone in another direction. His most enduring legacy may lie not in the cosmos but in the classrooms of India, where his work through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 continues to shape the lives of millions. As chairperson of the NEP drafting committee, Kasturirangan recognised that the key to India's growth lay in empowering its youngest minds with the foundational skills necessary for a prosperous nation. NEP laid the groundwork for a future where foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) are not aspirational but guaranteed for every child. The impact of his work, particularly through initiatives like the National Initiative for Proficiency with Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Mission, is already being felt across India. He may have laid the foundation for a developed India built on the knowledge and capabilities of those who are children now. Kasturirangan's deep commitment to education was apparent long before his role as the chief architect of NEP 2020. In 2008 he was appointed chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission. In that role and as a board member of institutions such as IIT Roorkee, IIT Madras, and IISc Bangalore, Kasturirangan was instrumental in shaping curricula and guiding strategic decisions in India's higher education system. If students do not achieve the first milestone of reading and numeracy by Grade 3, they fall behind not just in school but in life. This would have profound implications for their ability to engage in higher-level learning and, ultimately, for their success in life. FLN eventually became a movement across the country. Over 15 states have launched FLN missions and programmes, and NISHTHA FLN (a programme that aims to improve teacher training and education quality) has been adopted by 90% of states and Union Territories. It even made it to the G20 Summit in 2023 where Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted NIPUN Bharat and G20 took up FLN as an international priority. Green shoots from the FLN drive are beginning to show in survey data. According to the latest Annual Status of Education (Rural) Report (ASER), literacy levels in government schools have gone up from 20.9% (2018) to 23.4% (2024) and numeracy from 20.9% (2018) to 27.6% (2024) at the national level -- the highest ever outcomes at a Grade 3 level. Another NEP breakthrough has been recognising the importance of strong early years and play-based learning for children in the 3-6 years age group. This has been institutionalised in the form of Balvatika (pre-primary) and Vidya Pravesh (transitioning from pre-primary to primary) programmes, a total of 72% of students were covered under Vidya Pravesh by 2023. Another cornerstone of NEP 2020 is the creation of large, integrated school complexes — a move away from fragmented, under-resourced institutions toward more cohesive, resource-efficient hubs. The PM SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) scheme, launched in 2022, represents a major step forward in implementation, where 14,500 schools are meant to be transformed into model institutions. These schools are meant not only to embody NEP's pedagogical ideals but also to serve as demonstration and anchor schools within their clusters. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) has also been revamped under Kasturirangan's leadership for a better fit with NEP 2020 goals. It restructures schooling into four stages — foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary — aligning curriculum and pedagogy with child development milestones. It also shifts focus from rote memorisation to building core skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and the application of knowledge; emphasises FLN, experiential learning, and a reform of assessment methods to measure conceptual understanding rather than just exam performance. Kasturirangan may no longer be with us. But his legacy lives on through the transformative changes he initiated in India's education system. His work continues to push Indian education toward greater inclusivity and innovation, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Ashish Dhawan is founder-CEO and Bikkrama Daulet Singh is operating partner, The Convergence Foundation. The views expressed are personal
