NEP 2020 @ 5: Between Promise and Performance

Pallab Bhattacharyya

(Pallab Bhattacharyya is a former director-general of police, Special Branch and erstwhile Chairman, APSC. Views expressed by him is personal. He can be reached at pallab1959@hotmail.com)

On July 29, 2025, India marked the fifth anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020—an ambitious roadmap heralded as the country’s first education policy of the 21st century. Introduced to overhaul the outdated 1986 framework, NEP 2020 was envisioned as a transformative vision that could reshape India’s knowledge economy and prepare it to harness its demographic dividend in time to realise the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. Five years on, the policy’s journey is marked by pockets of notable success, glaring implementation gaps, and an urgent call for course correction.

Perhaps the most lauded achievement of NEP 2020 has been in the domain of foundational literacy and numeracy. The NIPUN Bharat mission, launched in 2021, has reached over 4.2 crore students across 8.9 lakh schools. Literacy levels in Grade 3 rose from 58% to 70% in targeted institutions between 2020 and 2023. The early childhood care and education thrust under the 5+3+3+4 pedagogical structure also recorded progress, with age-appropriate pre-primary coverage reaching 80% for 3-year-olds and 85% for 4-year-olds. The introduction of Jadui Pitara learning kits for joyful learning represents a significant shift in classroom engagement.

Curriculum reform has also advanced meaningfully. The rollout of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) in 2023, integrated textbooks for classes 1 to 8, and a multidisciplinary approach at all education levels reflect a policy striving to modernize content and pedagogy. Higher education too saw structural upgrades with the introduction of four-year undergraduate programmes in 105 universities and the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), now housing over 2.75 crore students and 1,667 institutions. The rise of multilingualism, evidenced by national entrance exams being offered in 13 Indian languages and the launch of over 100 undergraduate books in regional tongues, showcases efforts to democratize access.

Digitization has been one of NEP 2020’s driving engines. With 72% of schools connected to the internet, 200 SWAYAM PRABHA channels, the proliferation of the DIKSHA platform, and the expansive PM e-VIDYA initiative, the policy’s ambition to harness technology for equity is clear. Moreover, the SAMARTH digital governance platform now empowers over 13,000 higher education institutions. Teacher development has also received a boost, with over 4 lakh teachers trained under NISHTHA and 2.5 lakh higher education faculty empowered via the Malaviya Mission. Crucially, India’s global education footprint is expanding—Deakin University, the University of Wollongong, and the University of Southampton now operate campuses in India, while IITs are opening overseas branches in Zanzibar and Abu Dhabi.

But for all its achievements, NEP 2020’s implementation narrative is far from linear. The cracks are visible—beginning with a severe faculty shortage, with many state universities reporting 50–80% vacancies. Delhi University’s experience with the four-year undergraduate programme has been turbulent, with syllabus delays, poor student engagement, and an acute shortfall in research supervisors. Institutional rigidity, departmental silos, and resistance to academic credit reforms remain common across the higher education landscape.

A deeper malaise lies in the persistent urban-rural divide. Despite digital advances, rural institutions continue to face inadequate connectivity, lack of devices, and strained infrastructure. This inequality is compounded by political resistance. Several states have refused to implement PM-SHRI schools or adopt the three-language formula, perceiving central imposition. Such federal friction has led to fragmented policy execution and hindered uniformity of reforms.

The biggest existential challenge, however, lies in the employability crisis. India may be expanding educational access, but only 54.8% of graduates are considered employable. Youth unemployment for the 20–24 age group stands alarmingly at 44.5%. Despite 3 million graduates entering the job market annually, half lack job-ready skills. Only 4.7% of Indian youth receive formal vocational training, in stark contrast to developed nations like South Korea (96%) and Germany (75%). A skills-industry mismatch is derailing the demographic dividend, and without immediate action, India may risk squandering its greatest opportunity.

The financial underpinnings of NEP 2020 are also fragile. Against the targeted 6% of GDP expenditure on education, India lags at 4.6%. Budget limitations hinder faculty recruitment, infrastructure expansion, and scholarship disbursements. In states like Assam, declining enrolment in government schools due to quality concerns has further complicated resource allocation and compromised delivery.

To reclaim momentum, India needs a two-pronged approach. First, urgent interventions between 2025 and 2027 must focus on enhancing employability through mandated internships, industry-led skill modules, and robust career counselling. Faculty recruitment must be prioritized with emergency hiring drives, international collaborations, and interdisciplinary upskilling. Infrastructure, particularly digital classrooms and research facilities, must be fast-tracked, and rural access ensured through device distribution and 5G expansion.

Second, a long-term roadmap through 2035 must focus on workforce transformation—aiming for 75% graduate employability, 2 crore quality jobs annually, and youth unemployment below 10%. Achieving excellence in education will demand world-class faculty, global-standard assessments, and a spot among the top 50 global education systems. Innovation must be institutionalized via district-level startup incubators and academia-industry hubs that turn education into tangible economic value.

The vision of India@2047 as a developed nation hinges on harnessing its demographic dividend before it matures into a demographic burden. To achieve this, NEP 2020 must trigger a skills revolution, create equitable access between urban and rural learners, and maintain consistent funding at 6% of GDP. Vocational certification for at least half of India’s youth by 2035 and inclusive infrastructure are non-negotiable if we are to transform from a workforce-rich nation to a knowledge-rich one.

In its five-year journey, NEP 2020 has made India dream bigger and act bolder. But the dreams it carries can no longer be postponed. The time for mid-course correction, cooperative federalism, and outcome-driven implementation is now. As India stands at the intersection of ambition and urgency, we must remember what Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam once said: “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” The NEP is the dream—its realisation will shape the destiny of a billion minds.