New Education Policy, 2020: Here are the key highlights of NEP approved by Modi Cabinet

The Modi Cabinet on Wednesday approved the much-awaited National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which aims to revamp all aspects of India's education system and bring it closer to the best global standards. A committee led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Dr. K Kasturirangan formed the Draft National Education Policy 2019 on the foundational pillars of 'Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability.' The new NEP replaces the one formulated in 1986.

Here are some of the key highlights of NEP, 2020:

According to the government, the National Education Policy aims to enable an individual to study one or more specialized areas of interest at a deep level, and also develop character, scientific temper, creativity, the spirit of service, and 21st-century capabilities across a range of disciplines including sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, among others.

Pre-primary education:

The NEP aims to universalise the pre-primary education (age range of 3-6 years) by 2025 and provide foundational literacy and numeracy for all by 2025. A special National Fund will be created for providing scholarships and developing resources and facilities for students from underrepresented groups.

Universal access to education:

To reintegrating dropouts and ensure universal access to education, the NEP has set an objective to achieve access and participation in free and compulsory school education for all children in the age group of 3-18 years by 2030. 

New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure: 

The NEP proposes changing the existing 10+2 Curricular and Pedagogical Structure with 5+3+3+4 design covering the children in the age group 3-18 years. Under this — 

• Five years of the Foundational Stage: 3 years of pre-primary school and Grades 1, 2;
• Three years of the Preparatory (or Latter Primary) Stage: Grades 3, 4, 5;
• Three years of the Middle (or Upper Primary) Stage: Grades 6, 7, 8; 
• Four years of the High (or Secondary) Stage: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12.

Making India a global study destination

The NEP aims to promote India as a global study destination providing premium education at affordable costs. An International Students Office at each institution hosting foreign students will be set up. High performing Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries. Selected universities like those from among the top 100 universities in the world will be facilitated to operate in India.

No hard separation of arts and sciences:

The new education policy aims to give students increased flexibility and choice of subjects to study across the arts, humanities, sciences, sports, and vocational subjects. Departments in Languages, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Indology, Art, Dance, Theatre, Education, Mathematics, Statistics, Pure and Applied Sciences, Sociology, Economics, Sports, Translation and Interpretation, etc. will be established and strengthened at all higher education institutions (HEIs).

Education in local language:

Since children learn languages most quickly between 2-8 years, and multilingualism has great cognitive benefits for students, children will be immersed in three languages early on, from the Foundational Stage. The three-language formula, followed since the adoption of the National Policy on Education 1968, and endorsed in the National Policy on Education 1986/1992 as well as the NCF 2005, will be continued, keeping in mind the Constitutional provisions and aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union.

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National Research Foundation:

A National Research Foundation will be established to grant competitive funding for outstanding research proposals across all disciplines. The primary activity of the NRF will be to seed, grow, and facilitate research at academic institutions, particularly at universities and colleges where research is currently in a nascent stage, through mentoring of such institutions by eminent research scholars across the country, hiring excellent young research students and faculty, and strengthening and recognising existing high-quality programmes at such institutions

Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

The NEP aims to create a new apex body, the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog or National Education Commission, headed by the Prime Minister of India. The Aayog will be responsible for developing, articulating, implementing, evaluating and revising the vision of education in the country. States may set up apex State-level bodies called the Rajya Shiksha Aayog or the State Education Commission.

(With inputs from agencies)

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