New Education Policy 2021 - Ministry of Education

On 29th July 2020, the Union Cabinet gave approval to the new education policy India that was Long-awaited in the country. The aim of the new education system is to bring remarkable reforms in the education system of schools and new higher education policy. This policy has revamped the 34-year old education policy and aims to strengthen India as a global power. It is the new education policy of the Modi government

Highlights of the New Education Policy

Below are the main points of the new education policy

1. A particular regulator will regulate all higher education institutes, excluding the law and medical colleges.

2. Board exams will be knowledge and application-based.

3. Norms will be the same for both the public and private higher education institutes.

4. MPhil courses will be discontinued.

5.To emphasize and support the regional language/mother-tongue, the instructions medium up to class 5 will be in local/home languages.

6. Entrance exams for all higher education universities and institutes will be taken commonly.

7.The School curriculum needs to focus more on core concepts.

8.From 6th grade onwards, Vocational education will also be given.

10+2 study culture will be terminated, and a new structure of 5+3+3+4 will be introduced, leading to the respective age group of 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years.

Key Points of New Education Policy in India

The purpose of New education policy is to improve the quality of education fairly for all and help India to work as a global superpower.

1. Comprehensive Regulations For All Levels Of School Education:

• NEP is concentrating on implementing universal access to education at every level, from pre-school to higher education. It will include:
• Tracking the students and their learning levels.
• Infrastructure support.
• Adding counselors and trained social workers to schools
• Taking back the dropouts to the mainstream through innovative education centers.
• Facilitate various learning paths that include formal and non-formal education modes.
• Grade 3, 5, and 8 will be given open learning and open public schools through NIOS.
• Equivalent secondary education programs for 10 and 12 grades

2. Addition of vocational courses in the school curriculum

The above-mentioned goals can be achieved with the help of adult literacy and life-enrichment programs.

3.New Curriculum For Early Childhood Care And Education:

• NEP will replace the 10+2 curriculum structure with a 5+3+3+4 structure. The new system has aimed at 12 years of school education with 3 years of pre-schooling/Anganwadi. Three to six years of age is globally recognized as the critical age for the child's mental development.
• Keep in mind, the new curriculum structure has been formed, corresponding to 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years of age, respectively. The key points are:
• NCERT will form a national Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to 8 years old. 
• Extended educational systems like Anganwadis and Kindergartens will concentrate on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
• Trained Anganwadi workers and kindergarten teachers in ECCE pedagogy and programs. 
• Ministries of HRD, Health and Family Welfare (HFW), Women and Child Development (WCD), and Tribal Affairs will collectively govern the ECCE.

4. Pivot On Base Literacy:

As per the HRD ministry's new education policy, they need to set up a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.

States need to develop and execute a program by 2025 to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy for students till class 3 in every primary school.

5. Changes In School Curriculum And Pedagogy:

• The School curriculum and pedagogy will be improved, keeping in mind the overall improvement of students. The new curriculum will involve providing the students with21st Century key skills.
• Improve critical thinking, essential learning, practical and experiential thinking.
• Reduction in earlier curriculum content.
• More flexibility in determining the subjects.
• No differentiating between commerce, science, and maths.
• All the streams, be it Co-curricular activities and vocational activities, and academics will be considered the same.
• Vocational education will involve internships and will be implemented from class 6th onwards.
•  (National Curricular Framework For School Education) NCFSE 2020-21 will be created by NCERT.

6. Promoting Regional/Local Language:

NEP allows the advancement of regional languages by making it the medium of instruction until the 5th or 8th classes. To promote Sanskrit in the new education policy, Sanskrit will be a third language subject at all levels of the school.

Secondary level education will cover the training of other foreign languages as well. Indian Sign Language) ISL will be developing standards countrywide, and teaching material for students with hearing impairments will be developed for national and state schools.

7. Assessment Reforms:

The NEP replaced the summative assessment and recommended regular and formative assessments. The new assessment system is more competency-based. It will improve the student's development and learning skills.

The main purpose is to improve the student's critical, analytical, and conceptual thinking. An accountable authority will conduct exams of 3rd, 5th, and 8th-year students, which. 10th and 12th classes will be appearing for the board exams, but the pattern will be restructured to aim at the child's integrated development.

A new National Assessment Center, PAREKH (Performance, Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standard-setting body.

8. Equitable and Inclusive Education:

• The education policy will concentrate on supporting equality among all. Special attention will be provided to the SEDG (Socially and Economically Disadvantaged) group. SEDG covers gender, geographical, cultural, and social disabilities. This norm of the policy will act on Gender Inclusion Fund.
• Disadvantaged regions will have specialized education zones.
• Disabled students will be enabled for regular schooling with the aid of teachers specialized in disabled students.
• Proper Training, accommodations, appropriate technology, etc., will be given to disabled students taking up regular schooling.
• States/districts are recommended to set up day-boarding schools – "Bal Bhavans" for assistance in extra activities that will be career and play-related.

9. Modification in The Process Of Teacher's Recruitment:

Teachers will now be selected with more authentic processes, and promotions will be based on merit. The Common National Professional Standards will be built by NCTE by 2022, in deliberation with NCERT, teachers and expert organizations, and SCERT at all levels and regions.

10. Standard Setting And Accreditation Program:

As per the new education policy, 2020, there must be a transparent and distinct system for university policy, regulation, operations, and formulation. States/UTs will form an Independent Public School Standards Authority (SSSA).

A new body called the School Quality Assessment, and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) will be organized by SCERT for public accountability and oversight. This will support clear public self-disclosure.

I hope this blog may have helped you to understand India’s new education policy.