New Education Policy 2020 take off

Ravindra Kumar Mishra

(The writer is former Chief Consultant, MHRD, GOI. He can be reached at rkmishrajee@gmail.com)

The much-awaited New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 got the nod of Union Cabinet last week. This policy replaces 1986 policy which was in place for past 34 years.The first education policy of 21st century shows a relentlessness for change and innovation in a number of areas. This is another good policy with ambitions targets posing challenge to match the aspirations. There is much in the policy like - aim to achieve 100 per cent youth and adult literacy in the country, universal access from pre-school to secondary, to welcome, albeit, programmes for universalization of elementary and secondary education are underway.

In a significant shift from the previous policy, early childhood education (also known as pre-school education for children of ages 3 to 5) has been brought under the ambit of formal schooling. The mid-day meal programme will be extended to pre-school children. This demands apex institutions like NCERT, NIPCCD, NIEPA to come closer in the best interest of children of pre-school. NEP 2020 pitches for a "5+3+3+4" design corresponding to the age groups 3-8 years (foundational stage), 8-11 (preparatory), 11-14 (middle), and 14-18 (secondary) in place of the school structure of 10+2.The NEP says that students until Class 5 should be taught in their mother tongue or regional language. NCF 2005 also talked about education in mother tongue in early grades. There are experience and studies saying that students learn better in mother tongue. This seems to be a challenge in absence of professionally qualified teachers and in terms of linking the mother tongue adroitly into English, the globally required language. How this will change the way students learn and what is the effect it has going forward, it remained to be seen.

In the proposed four years multidisciplinary bachelor's programme, students can exit after one year with a certificate, after two years with a diploma, and after three years with a bachelor's degree. Four-year bachelor's programmes generally include a certain amount of research work and the student will get deeper knowledge in the subject he or she decides to major in, says the policy. After four years, a Bachelor student should be able to enter a research degree programme directly depending on how well he or she has performed. However, master's degree programmes will continue to function as they do, following which student may choose to carry on for a PhD programme, as M. Phil will be done away with. The policy also offers phasing out of all institutions offering single streams and that all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2040. The universities will then have to change themselves.Teacher will constantly have to train in how to make learning more human, more interesting, worldwide, creative where technology may be a fantastic tool for that. It is pertinent to mention that, institutions need to be prepared to produce employable graduates and professional.

The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education. Dedicated research institutions like ICSSR, IHR, CSIR and its affiliates may need to mould in appropriate direction, it seems.

An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration. Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education will be done to improve classroom processes, support teacher professional development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and streamline educational planning, administration and managemen. It is expected that it will augment the ongoing ICT integrated leaning in schools, colleges, universities and professional training institutions National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body for the entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. The NHERA will function through faceless intervention through technology, and will have powers to penalize higher education institutions for not conforming to norms and standards. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards. Standard operating Procedure of the "faceless intervention" which is awaited, shall bring clarity of functioning of NEHRA.

According to the NEP, top world ranked foreign universities will now be able to operate in India. This brings expectations and apprehensions both until guidelines are formulated and divulged among the stakeholders.

Finance is the backbone to translate the policy into reality. The goal of 6% of GDP to be spent on education was articulated in 1968's education policy and thereafter and an education cess has been levied. Every Government articulates this target but the spending remained around 4% of the GDP. The legacy of poor investments in education shows up in poor productivity. The lack of quality education also makes it difficult for the less privileged to take part in India's growth process. Unless educational opportunities are equalized, existing inequalities will only widen in the years ahead. Governments and implementing agencies, especially the visualized Indian Education Service members need to fasten their seatbelts and rise to the occasion in the national interest to make it happenand bolster the economy.