Ministry of Human Resource and Development, now, Education Ministry
The Government of India approved the New Education Policy on 29th July, 2020. Earlier , the draft New Education Policy, 2019 was made public in June, 2019. The government demanded suggestions from public and around 2.25 lakh people of India gave their precious suggestions for appropriate amendments in the policy.
The biggest change is the change in the name of MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource and Development) to Education Ministry. It is a move to put the word “Education” into forefront. The foundation pillars of this policy are access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability.It aims at producing engaged, productive and contributing citizens. The citizens who can build an equitable, inclusive and plural society as envisaged by Indian Constitution.
School Education
Flexibility for learners to choose their educational trajectory,no hard separations between Arts and Sciences, Multi disciplinary and holistic education are the core points for school education. Emphasis is on conceptual understanding, creative and critical thinking, and Life skills.
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
An excellent curricular and pedagogical framework for early childhood education for children up to the age of 8 will be developed by NCERT. It will be divided into two parts a sub framework for 0-3 years olds and another sub framework for 3-8 years olds.Quality ECCE to be provided to all children , particularly children from economically weaker section.
For universal access to Early Childhood Care and Education, the Anganwadi centres will be strengthened with high quality infrastructure, play equipments and well trained Angan-wadi workers.
How school children will learn?
Multiple pathways will be provided to children.Formal and non-formal education modes will be implemented in unison to achieve the principles overlayed by NEP. Alternative and innovative education centers will be made and developed. Peer tutoring will be provided so as to make suitable environment for business and personal presentation.Focus will be on achieving desired learning outcomes at all levels. Universal access to Education at all levels.
Expected Outcomes
- Equity and Inclusion- Equality and inclusion of each and every children will be ensured. Access will be made easy and Universalized so that no one becomes a drop out.
2. Sustainable Development Goals– The children will be retained in schools until completion of secondary education.
3. Foundational literacy and Numeracy- The quality of and achievement of learning outcomes will be enhanced.
4. 21st Century Skills– Focus will be on development of 21st century skills in teaching, learning as well as assessment.
5. School complexes will be made resource sharing centers.
6. Effective Governance – Separation of power and common norms will be made. Common standards for Public and private schools will be maintained.
7. Language Barrier will be overcome by teaching students in their regional or local language upto class 5th.
The Pedagogical Structure
The biggest change or impact is in the pedagogical structure of the present day schools of India. The new academic structure of school eductaion is 5+3+3+4. It include 3 years in Anganwadi/ Playschool and 12 years in school.
5- It is the Foundational Stage. Multilevel play/activity- based teaching and learning is included in it with emphasis on local language.
3- It is the Preparatory stage. It includes discovery, plays, activity based and interactive classroom learning.
3- It is the middle stage, It includes Experiential learning in the Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.
4- It is the Secondary Stage.It includes Multi disciplinary study, greater critical thinking, flexibility and student choice of subjects.
The Curriculum
- Reduction of school bag’s weight to be incorporated with proper planning without the loss of content and quality.Curriculum in all subjects to be reduced to its core essentials.
- Text books to be served with local content and flavor. Essential core material, affordable, high quality content are a must for textbooks. Supplementary material as per local contexts may be added. States to prepare their own material (textbooks) on basis of NCERT curriculum incorporating local flavor of state.
- Increased emphasis on Mathematical skills and problem solving to be given throughout the school years. Variety of innovative methods may be included viz. puzzles, games, magic etc.
- Computational thinking, Artificial Intelligence, Holistic Health, Global Citizenship like subjects to be introduced to students at Middle and secondary stages.
- Knowledge of India to be imparted in accurate and Scientific Manner. Specific courses in tribal, ethnology-medical practices, forest management , crop cultivation, farming etc. to be made available for students.
- Census assessments to be carried out at key stages in classes 3rd, 5th 8th to track achievement.
- Assessment to be done in such a way so as to assess the higher order thinking skills and application of knowledge in real life situations. The concept of rote learning to be eliminated. Result of school exams up to 8th to be used only for developmental purposes and or continuous monitoring and improvement of school system.
Examinations
1. Board exams will primarily test the core capacities and competencies of the learner. It will be made easier.
2. Viable model to be adopted for exams.The exam may be divided into two parts, Objective type and descriptive type.
3. All subjects in Board classes to be offered in two levels based on difficulty.
4. Each board state or central will ensure equivalence of academic standards in learner’s attainment.
5. Standard norms and guidelines for school Boards through PARAKH National center.
6. Teachers to be prepared for a transformation in the assessment system by the session 2022-23.
Assessment
The assessment of child should include these main points:
1. Continuous tracking of learning outcomes.
2. Focus on core concepts, higher order and functional skills.
3. Self assessment and peer assessment.
4. The National Testing Agency will work to offer a high quality common aptitude test to eliminate the need of taking coaching for these exams.
5. The National Assessment center will help in bringing greater synergy in board exams conducted by various boards of assessment.
The Holistic Progress Card
Progress cards to be developed in such a way that they give a 360 degree, multidimensional report of a child. It should include self assessment, peer assessment and teacher assessment. AI based software to be developed to help track growth through school years and to help students make optimal career choices.The progress card involve results of project based activities, results, group work, portfolios, etc.
Schools complexes as clusters
1.Effective governance of schools will be ensured. Sharing of Human and Infrastructural resources will be enabled.
2.Bal Bhavans to be set up for children of all ages.These will serve as centers for career related and play related activities.
3. The schools to be used as Samajik Chetna Kendra for promoting social intellectual and voluntary activities.
4. Twinning of one Government and one private school to be done across the country. It will enhance the qualities of schools.
Standard- setting and Accrediation
- State Schools Standard Authorities (SSSA) will be set up to govern the education system of states. Basic regulatory information to be disclosed by each school to SSSA and school website.
- Minimal Professional and quality standard to be maintained by each and every school.
- School Quality Assessment and Accrediation Framework (SQAAF) to be developed by SCERT and NCERT.
- Periodic Health checkup of the overall system through a sample based National achievement Survey (NAS)
- Private / Philanthropic schools to be encouraged and enabled to play a beneficial role . Public and Private schols to be assessed and accrediated periodically under a common minimum criteria.
Teachers
Education
4 years integrated B.Ed. will be the minimum degree qualification for teaching in schools by 2030. For applicants with an existing Bachelor’s Degree in specialized subjects, the applicants will need to possess degree of 2 years B.Ed. For those who have completed 4 years multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree, or a Master’s degree, 1 year B.Ed. will suffice to be a school teacher in local schools of India.
Deployment and Recruitment
Teacher eligibility tests for all teachers across foundational ,Preparatory, Middle and Secondary stages in both private and public sector schools.Technology based planning for teacher recruitment to be carried out for next 2 decades.Transparent transfer system for teacher transfers. Demonstration and test score to be taken into account for recruitment of subject teachers. National Council of Teacher’s Education(NCTE) to be restructured under General Education Council.
Empowerment
Empowering teachers to be done. Improving Service environment through better infrastructure at school to be done. National Professional Standards for Teachers(NPST) by 2022. Academic leadership positions to be made available for teachers. Minimum 50 hours of continuous Professional Development (CPD) to be provide to all teachers based on their own interests and professional areas.
Key points
1. Focus on Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
2. Ensuring equity by setting up additional JNVs and KVs in aspirational Special Education Zones(SEZs)
3. Supporting children with special needs (CWSN).
4. Integrating Vocational Education at all Levels.
5. Setting up National center for Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic development (PARAKH). Competency based assessment will be emphasized. Monitoring of achievement of learning outcomes will be administered on National scale.
6. NCERT and NCTE will develop guidelines for education of Gifted students and students with special talents.
7. Online and digital Education to be optimized and expanded. Content creation, disseminating Technology in Education and digital repository to be developed.
8. Innovative initiatives for learning and education of adults.Online education and well equipped libraries to be provided or adult literacy.
Time line for implementation of NEP 2020
Following timeline has been kept for the fulfillment of targets and goals suggested by NEP 2020.
2020: Adoption of National Education Policy 2020.
2021-22: National Curriculum framework for Teacher Education, National Curriculum For Student Education(NCFSE) to be formulated.
2022-23: A common guiding set of National Professional Standards for Teachers(NPST).
Teachers to be prepared for transformation in the assessment system.
2025-26: Attaining Universal Foundational Literacy and numeracy in all schools for learners by grade 3.
Optimize resources through mechanisms to rationalize schools such as school complexes.
At least 50% of learners to be exposed to vocational education in the school and higher education system.
2029-30: Universal provisioning of quality early childhood development care.
Teacher education to be multidisciplinary, and minimum degree qualification for being a teacher to be 4 years of integrated program. Teacher educational Institutes to be converted into multidisciplinary institutes and only educationally sound , teacher educational programs to be in force.
2040: Policy is fully operational with comprehensive review of it to be made on the year.