India's National Education Policy Changed After 34 Years|Homegrown

A whopping 34 years later, the education system of India is experiencing a substantial change in its aims, prospects, and procedures. The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposes vast changes in various aspects of education in India.

These changes in the education policy mark a great shift in how India will perceive and treat education at all levels. The new policy seems to have opened up possibilities of growth in various aspects for students.

The following are some of the reforms that have been given a green-light by the government, according to their press conference as covered in The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Times Of India and Outlook India.

I. The long-standing curricula of 10+2 will be replaced by 5+3+3+4. This includes 12 years of schooling and three years of Anganwadi or pre-school.

II. A Gender Inclusion Fund, as well as Special Education Zones, will be set up for the disadvantaged.

III. To promote and amplify digital learning, a National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) will be put in place. E-courses will be developed in eight regional languages to begin with.

IV. Vocational learning, including, but not limited to internships will begin from the sixth grade for a more holistic approach to education.

V. There will now be flexibility in terms of streams, i.e, students will be allowed to choose from various subjects. The rigid rule of ‘streams’ such as science, arts and commerce is now non-existent.

VI. The dreaded board exams will now be diluted and will test only core concepts. They will also be offered twice a year.

VII. Introducing an SAT-like standardised test, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will introduce a common aptitude test along with specialised tests in science, arts, vocational subjects and the like for university entrance tests, at least twice a year.

VIII. Changing the definition of a ‘college dropout’, the new policy will now award appropriate certifications at multiple exit points throughout the course of a Bachelor degree, such as “a certificate after completing one year in a discipline or field including vocational and professional areas, or a diploma after two years of study, or a Bachelor’s degree after a three-year programme.”

IX. The three-language policy will continue, but it is now preferred to have the regional language as the medium of instruction till Class 8th.

X. The policy encourages ‘bagless days’ where students will get to focus on extracurricular activities such as sports, arts and crafts, performing arts and the like.

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