What is the New Education Policy 2020 in India?
The 34 year old education policy on education was reframed by the Indian government on Wednesday. The previous education policy that was in force up till now managed to strive for a long span of 34 years. The new education policy of 2020 sees a whole new year of the education policy that was put forth in 1986. Various reforms in context with higher education, schools, and teaching have been approved by the union cabinet.
The Biggest Highlights of New Education Policy 2020 are as follows
- Widening the horizons by giving multiple entries and exit options in the degree courses
- Cancelation of MPhil programmers
- Common entrance exams for universities
- Higher education institutes will have single regulatory
New Education Policy 2020: Important highlights
Schooling Age Begins from 3
The new system introduced 12 years of schooling program along with 3 years of pre-schooling or Anganwadi. As per the New Education Policy, the students of age 3-6 will have pre-schooling, and this spam will be included in the schooling curriculum. The age group has been expanded from 6 to 14 years of mandatory schooling to 3-18 years of schooling.
The new structure of the school curriculum follows 5+3+3+4 concepts corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) emphasized to replace the 10+2 curriculum with 5+3+3+4.
Mother Tongue as Medium of Instruction
The New Education Policy (NEP) has recommended that the mother tongue would be used to impart instructions to the students. It sticks to the three-language formula as well. The use of the mother tongue is a recommendation by the New Education Policy (NEP), its not compulsory. No language should be imposed on any student.
The change was recommended keeping in view that the students are able to learn and grasp concepts more easily in the conventional language.
The policy states “Wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language, mother tongue, local language or the regional language. Thereafter, the home or local language shall continue to be taught as a language wherever possible. This will be followed by both public and private schools".
Science, Arts, Commerce gets Blurred
The New Education Policy 2020 has given much relief to the students as there will be no rigid separations between arts and sconce in context with vocational and academic streams, and curricular and extra-curricular activities. From the 6th grade, vocational education will begin and it will compromise internships as well. Students are free to opt for the subjects of their interests irrespective of the streams.
FYUP Programme Returns & No More Dropouts
Students will be given multiple exit options during the span of their undergraduate degree. The degree will be off with 3 or 4 years. The colleges will have to provide a degree to the student after the completion of 1 year in a discipline or field including vocational and professional areas, a diploma after 2 years of study, or a Bachelor's degree after a 3-year program.
Academic Bank of Credit will be established by the govt for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs. These will be transferred and counted towards the final degree earned.
NO UGC, AICTE, NCTE
For entire higher education, the only governing body will be the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). The public and private higher education institutions will also work in accordance with the same set of norms for accreditation, regulation, and academic standards.
Affiliation of college will be phase out in 15 years. In order to grant graded autonomy to colleges, a stage-wise mechanism will be established.