The purpose of this article is to update you about the New Education Policy that has made headline along with the relief to the students glued to the textbook and homework. The educational committee did an excellent job in its 440 pages, explaining the drawbacks in the policy and how they improved early development to the adolescent stage of a child. The policy framework for ECCE has carefully taken into account all aspects development in a child. The new education policy has also had effect on online platforms like Exambazaar, a coaching and educational hub for students, where there has been an increase in student population looking for educational blogs for exam preparations, scholarships in India and a lot more. Therefore, in this blog, we would try to look at the future impacts that the new educational policy would have.
What is New Education Policy 2020?
The Union Cabinet approved the New Education System with which the ‘Ministry of Human Resource and Development’ became the ‘Ministry of the New Education’ system in higher education. This was India’s first new National Education Policy in at least 28 years, recommending primary education in local languages and facilitating possible entry of foreign universities in India.
The key declaration of the National Education Policy, NEP 2020 has been the breakdown into existing 10 + 2 structure and introduction of the 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 structure of education.
The basic outcomes of NEP 2020 are:
- Universalization from ECCE to Secondary Education by 2030
- Attaining foundational learning and numeracy skills through National Mission by 2025
- 100% GER in primary schools to secondary level by 2030.
- Teachers to be prepared for assessment later by 2023.
- Inclusive and equitable education system by 2030.
- Every child will come out with at least one skill.
- Common standards of learning in public and private schools.
Issues Associated to New Education Policy
NEP is a complete structure to develop education in the country. The New Education Policy suggests changes right from school education to higher education.
- In school education, it has changed the education pattern from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4 model.
- In higher education, there are various changes like multiple entry and exit at a degree level in the university system.
- In this system students can come out with certificate Diploma and degree after 1/2/3 years. Abolition of M.Phil. direct Ph.D. after 4 years’ bachelor degree are some of the revolutionary steps.
It has changed the working of the regulatory bodies. Instead of multiple regulatory bodies only four bodies will now be working with different aspects of education.
The policy also possesses all the instructions offering single streams and that all Universities and colleges must aim to become multi-disciplinary by 2040.
Will National Education Policy 2020 Transform the Future Generation?
This Reform is all set to change the face of the education ecosystem in the upcoming time. In the coming time we may also desire to see blazing young adults with ingenious approach towards work and life instead of pledge obsessing over marks and set upon bookish knowledge. Keeping in view the changing demands, the NEP 2020 now targets to offer skill oriented education. Change is attainable if all the major introduced in an NEP 2020 is implemented in a structured way.
This will lead to wide ranging education in the upcoming time. Our youth will save their unnecessary running towards inessential degrees. The modification of education will modify the site of the coming generation as we will have an educated population armed with innovative thinking, aware of the skills needed in the local market, research oriented with an ability to give potential output. Stressing on equity and in culture is the vital outcome of the NEP that would be realized when the children in poor and rural areas get access to education.
There is a hope that in the coming decade more students from the diminished section and minority community will find a way to an educational institute. Academic platforms have showered the policy as an important step to transform India into a knowledge hub. This is much needed for students to acquire skills that will prepare them for the unseen jobs for tomorrow. Increased focus on the application of a few important concepts rather than shallow memorization of a vast syllabus is much needed.
Implementation to this new policy
The new education policy provides board direction and is not at all mandatory to follow. The plan will list out actions to be taken by multiple bodies including the HRD Ministry, State Education Department, School Boards and NCERT. Planning will be followed by an early joint review of progress against targets set.
The national education policy 2020 wants to disaffect school children away from private tuition and coaching classes. Focusing on a regular format assessment for learning rather than a summative assessment that encourages today’s coaching classes is one of the objectives in the policy document. The NEP has also disclosed the government intention to make CBSE board exam easier, more flexible that will test a child’s capacities. Any student who has been going to and making a basic effort in a school class will be able to pass and do well in the corresponding subject board exam without much additional effort.
Making Students Future-ready in New Age Tech Such as AI:
Many educational institutes, even CBSE have realized the importance of introducing artificial intelligence into the curriculum. It recently partnered with IBM to merge AI curriculum in around 200 Indian schools. Students are applying for online coding classes which also cater to beginners, this goes on to show the evolving nature of education. With the NEP 2020, these AI enabled studies are labelled as a necessity. Inculcating new age technologies such as AI and analytics which are built on the assumption of logical thinking, critical thinking and problem solving skills have the capacity to provide a holistic background to students. The focus of new education policy is quite clearly on ensuring that students in India get an extensive education with an emphasis on skills in unruly technologies like AI. Skill based degrees will gain currency while plain vanilla, known outcomes providing B.Sc. or B. Com or BBA degrees will disappear over a period of time. The introduction of digital literacy, coding and computational thinking from an early age, true contemporary subjects such as artificial intelligence, big data analysis and machine learning will set a strong foundation. This will also boost one’s cognitive ability required to excel in the age of AI economy.
National Education Policy has addressed all the injustice of the education system pending for decades. This is a historical movement for all the teachers, parents and students. The national education policy has tried to address everyone’s concern in one go. It is interesting to see the responses of states who have major responsibility to implement the policy. The Indian educational system is increasingly realizing the importance of skill based learning and the need to educate the future generation with the new age text such as artificial intelligence and machine analytics. NEP will strengthen the fundamentals of moral and basic education and provide opportunities for equitable and qualitative development that is sensitive to local culture context and global possibilities. This in turn will lead to the development of an innovative, analytical, just and aware Indian consciousness expediting the development of a prosperous and self-reliant Nation.