What is the New Education Policy 2020?

What is the New Education Policy 2020?

The National Policy on Education or NPE was framed in 1986 and modified in 1992. Since then, several changes have taken place in line with policy revision.

The NEP 2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the 34-year-old NPE 1986. It built the foundational pillars of Equity, Quality, Affordability, Accountability, and Access. This policy is aligned with the 2030 plan for sustainable development and the main goal to transform India into a vibrant society and global knowledge superpower by making institution education more flexible, multidisciplinary, holistic, suited to 21st century needs, and aimed at bringing out the new capabilities of each student.

Now, let's know about the New Education Policy 2020 reforms for teachers, students, and schools.

New Curriculum and Pedagogy for School Education Universalization of Early Childhood Care Education or ECCE will be implemented. As a result, the current educational structure of 10+2 years has been redesigned to 5+3+3+4 years, which are listed below: The foundational Stage will be for a total of 5 years:  

Three years at a Balvatika, Anganwadi playschool for kids in the age group of three to six years with multi-level play and activity-based learning Two years in classes 1 and 2 for children aged 6 - 8 with multi-level play and activity-based knowledge.

The preparatory Stage will for a total of 3 years:       

For classes three to five For kids in the age group of eight to eleven years Activity and interactive-based classroom learning The middle Stage will be for a total of 3 years: For classes 6 to 8 For 11 to 14 years age group of kids Experiential learning in mathematics, social sciences, arts, humanities, and science.

The secondary Stage will be for a total of 4 years:   

For 9 to 12 classes For kids in the age group 14 to 18 years The multidisciplinary study, student's choice of subjects, critical thinking

Languages The following are the critical school education points of the language policy:      

No language will be forced by any state of the school.

Up to class 5 and till 8, the mother tongue will be the medium of instruction in private and public schools as far as possible.

There will be a three-language system with languages chosen by the states, regions, and students.

Of the three languages, two should be the native languages of India.

Other classical languages will be made available, primarily as online modules.

Foreign languages provide from the secondary level onwards.

Board Exams For 10th and 12th Class

Here are the key highlights of the board exam:       

Board exams for the 10th and 12th classes will be redesigned to test core competencies instead than memorization of facts.

They will be redesigned to be simple for learners.

Learners will be permitted to take the exams twice.

There may be modular or semester-wise board examinations.

There may be exams for other levels of difficulty.

Objective and descriptive type questions may have other exams.

A modular model, instead of just one board, maybe in place by 2023.

School Education Following are the key features of school education:        

By the year 2030, universalization of learning will be implemented from 3 ages to class 10.

Critical assessments will be conducted in 3, 5, and 8 classes.

Students can select subjects, especially in secondary school, including arts and crafts, vocational skills, and physical education.

By 2025, the National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy will ensure that the class 3 level imbibes basic skills.

From 6 classes, coding, and vocational skills training into the curriculum.

Indian values, culture, and knowledge, including indigenous knowledge, will be integrated into the curriculum.

There will be the latest accreditation framework for schools.

There will be an independent authority to regulate both private and public schools.

The observations and recommendations of NEP 2020 are very progressive. It gives a new look to the learning management system in education by inbuilt flexibility and mark of value that is capable of molding India into a vibrant knowledge or information society rooted in our rich cultural heritage.

So these are some essential points about India's New Education Policy 2020. As a result, we hope this policy will boost employment in the country and radically transform our educational ecosystem.