By Prof. Vivek Singh
Everyone has the same question in mind, will the comprehensive National Education Policy 2020 make India self-reliant in the field of education? Will India become Vishwa Guru? Will schools, colleges, universities, regulatory authorities, students, teachers become self-reliant? I can say YES to all these questions after understanding National Education Policy 2020. The first comprehensive education policy of India was based on the recommendations given by the Kothari Commission in 1968. This was followed by a second National Education Policy in 1986. It continued till 2020 with amendments in it in 1992. After 34 years, the country got the first NEP of the 21st century in 2020. The Union Cabinet has approved the NEP 2020, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank informed the nation about this on 29 July 2020. The NEP 2020 has been formulated after receiving over 200,000 suggestions from teachers, parents, students, experts and educationists. The NEP 2020 has made extensive changes related to education. The Ministry of Education was renamed as Ministry of Human Resource Development by Rajiv Gandhi in 1985. The Ministry of Human Resource Development has been renamed again as Ministry of Education in 2020.
Education up to class 5 has been made mandatory in mother tongue and keeping it up to class 8 is optional. It is seen that children are able to understand things better in their mother tongue. Till now the emphasis was not on the subject but on language. The entire education system was based on Macaulay’s policy of education. Children spent more time and energy in understanding the language not the subject. It is a wecome move that education in the mother tongue has been made compulsory till class 5 and the decision to follow it upto class 8 has been left to the schools. There will be many factors behind success of Dr. A. P.J. Abdul Kalam but I believe that his early education was in his mother tongue, most important factor for his success. He read the subject, not the language.
Education will now be based on the framework of 5 + 3 + 3 + 4, changing from 10 + 2 framework. 3 years of pre primary, first and second grade (5), third, fourth and fifth grade (3), sixth, seventh and eighth grade (3), 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade (4). Semester system from class 9 to 12 will be implemented. There is a fundamental difference between 10 + 2 and 5 + 3 + 3 + 4. The 10 + 2 system did not include 3 years of nursery or pre primary education whereas the new framework also includes 3 years of nursery education in education system. After this, the student goes to the first class. Pre primary has been included in the education system to strengthen the foundation of the child. Till today what kind of education system was going on in the country in which the valuable first 3 years of the education of children, pre-primary was not considered to be the basic part of the education system. In my view its very important to include pre-primary education in the basic part of the education system. In Maharashtra, the stream has to be selected from class 11, while in Uttar Pradesh, students select stream from class 9 such as arts, science, commerce, agriculture etc. Now a student can take Physics with Commerce in 11th or can also study Chemistry with History.
The option of multiple entry and exit in higher education is offered to students for the first time. Till now if for some reason the student left school he/she would not get any degree. With the coming of the new education policy after completing 1 year students will get certificate, diploma after 2 years and degree after 3 years of completion of study. This arrangement has also been made in the NEP 2020, whereby a student can quit the studies whenever the student wants and can resume the studies whenever wants. The credit received by the student will be stored in Digital form in Digital Academic Bank of Credit which can be from one or several HEIs. The student can use these credits at any time to complete the degree.
Another major change in the NEP 2020 is that students who do not want to go for higher education will get a Bachelor degree in 3 years. For those who want to go for higher education, the degree will be of 4 years. Overall, there will be three types of Bachelor degrees in the country. The first type of Bachelor degree will be of 3 years. The second type of bachelor degree will be with 4 years with research and the third type of integrated bachelor and master degree will be of 5 years with 4 years of bachelor and 1 year of master degree. Similarly, master’s degree will also be of two types. The first 1-year master degree will be for those who have done a 4-year Bachelor degree with research. The 2-year master degree will also be for those who have a 3-year bachelor degree. The degree of M. Phil has been abolished. Admission to PhD can be taken directly after completion of master degree.
There are three types of universities in the country – Private, Public and Deemed Universities with different rules & regulations. As per NEP 2020 the same rules and standards will be set for all types of universities in the country. It will be mandatory for all higher education institutions to bring transparency in fees. For all higher educational institutions in the country except the medical and law colleges, the Higher Education Commission of India will be set-up which will act as a nationwide regulator. 4 Independent units under it will do four separate tasks. National Higher Education Regulatory Council – Higher Education Regulator, General Education Council – Standards, Higher Education Grants Commission – Funding and National Accreditation Council – will handle accreditation. UGC, NCTE, NAAC and AICTE will be abolished.
Within 15 years all single stream educational institutions having less than 3000 students will be identified and converted into multi stream educational institutions or will be closed. On the basis of evaluation and accreditation, more than 45000 colleges attached to universities in the country will be given economic, academic and administrative autonomy. Colleges will get autonomy to award degrees to their students. Till now less than 4.5% of GDP was spent on education sector whereas as per NEP 6% of GDP will be spent on education. Till now children from 6 years to 14 years were covered under Right to Education Act (RTE) whereas after the coming of this NEP 2020, children from 3 years to 18 years will come under Right to Education. The National Testing Agency will conduct entrance examination for admission to universities and colleges. Reputed universities of the world will be allowed to open their own campuses in India. Academic Bank of Credit will be established for students across the country. Research, innovative and technology oriented education will be promoted. Vocational education and internships will be linked to schools and colleges.
More facilities will be provided in schools and colleges for PwDs. There will be provision to provide more scholarship. Students of the school will be given a 360 degree score card which will contain information including academic performance, skills and extra-curricular activities. The target of gross enrollment ratio (GER) in schools is 100% by 2030 and 50% in higher education. Currently GER in higher education is 26.3 percent. Sanskrit will be promoted in schools and higher educational institutions. The NEP 2020 can be implemented from the next academic session 2021-22.
The NEP 2020 has been made keeping in mind interest of the students. NEP will bring revolutionary changes in the field of education. The NEP 2020 is the best education policy of all the education policies framed till date. I believe that students up to class 10 should be taught in their mother tongue and national language so that their all round development should takes place. Promotion of Sanskrit and Indian education system should be extended in HEIs. I consider the inclusion of children in the age group of 3 to 18 years in RTE, a revolutionary step. The goal of reaching GER 100% by 2035 in schools and 50% in colleges should be welcomed. Multiple entry exit option, promotion of vocational training, Single regulator for all higher education institutions, Transparent Fee, 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 framework, multiple stream educational institutions, focus on promotion of Indian languages, 360 degree score card, academic bank of credit, promotion of innovative teaching will definitely make the country self-reliant in the field of education and the country will be able to emerge again as Vishwa Guru.
(The author is columnist, professor of Commerce, Political and Economic Analyst. He can be reached at viveksinghmumbai@gmail.com)
