Learning the NEP way

Sukanta Majumdar

What should be the true objective of education? Is it merely to equip students for jobs, or should it aim for something higher? In a country like India—with its rich tradition of knowledge and a young population seeking a sustainable future—this question takes on special significance.

India’s iconic thinkers—Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, and Mahatma Gandhi—saw education as the foundation for holistic human development. Tagore called for education that brings “life in harmony with all existence,” while Swami Vivekananda emphasised character-building and self-reliance. Gandhi described education as drawing out the best in “body, mind, and spirit”. Their vision resonates in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which now completes five years.

Unveiled on July 29, 2020, NEP 2020 is India’s first education policy of the 21st century. Replacing the 1986 policy, it is grounded in the principles of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability. It aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and aims to transform India into a knowledge society and global education leader.

The policy was developed through one of the most extensive consultations in Indian policymaking, involving over two lakh recommendations across districts, blocks, and panchayats. Since its adoption, most states have begun implementing it, adapting its flexible framework to local contexts.

NEP 2020 has ushered in a wave of reforms. In school education, initiatives like PM SHRI, NIPUN Bharat (for foundational literacy and numeracy), Vidya-Pravesh (pre-primary preparation), and PM e-VIDYA (multi-modal digital learning) have expanded access and improved quality. Tools like DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) and NCF FS (National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage), ‘Jadui Pitara’ learning kits, and teacher training programmes like NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement) have supported pedagogy reforms.

In higher education, reforms include multiple entry and exit options, a lifelong student ID (APAAR), a unified National Credit Framework (NCrF), and a push for multidisciplinary learning. Students can now pursue two academic programmes simultaneously, and online learning through SWAYAM and SWAYAM Plus has been expanded. Global collaboration is growing—Indian institutions are opening campuses abroad, while top foreign universities are entering India. Indian higher education institutions have also improved their standing in global rankings, and Indian knowledge systems are being integrated into curricula.

Initiatives like the PM Vidyalakshmi loan scheme, “Professor of Practice” guidelines, and increased supernumerary seats for international students have made the system more inclusive and future-ready.

The NEP has made India’s educational system less bureaucratic and more innovative, self-reliant, and vibrant. Students and teachers now feel part of the decision-making process rather than passive recipients. The policy has broken down barriers between academia and industry, technology and tradition, teachers and students, and disciplines like science and humanities.

NEP 2020 encourages glocalisation—integrating Indian knowledge systems while embracing global best practices. It promotes education in mother tongues, competency-based assessments, and skilling from early years to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Importantly, NEP is expanding access for marginalised sections of society—women, Dalits, and Adivasis. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education rose from 23.7% in 2014–2015 to 28.4% in 2021–2022, with the target of 50% by 2035.

As the world embraces technologies like AI, bioengineering, and green tech, India must build an education system that prepares students not just to cope but to lead. To become a Vishvaguru, we must cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a risk-taking mindset in students.

NEP 2020 addresses persistent challenges in Indian education: outdated curricula, dropouts, reliance on Western pedagogy, Eurocentric knowledge, and unequal access to quality education. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised that education should produce truly educated individuals—students who combine knowledge with ethics. He has called the NEP a “nation’s intellectual renaissance paving the way for a self-reliant, globally competitive nation through education and innovation.”

(The writer is Ministerof State for Education, GoI)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.