For a first time in 34 years, the Cabinet has cleared a complete overhaul of the Education Policy paving the way for sweeping reforms that could change the very landscape of education in the country.
With the nod to changes in the policy, India will now have a single regulator to monitor higher education, ease out academics with multiple entry and exit options in degree courses, completely put an end to MPhil programmes, keep the board exams a little more industry oriented and filter talent by proper entrance exams at the university level.
A policy that was first framed in 1986 and revised in 1992 it saw no revision since. With the new policy in place, the name of the HRD Ministry has been changed to Education Ministry.
The new policy aims to boost Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education from 26.3 pc (2018) to 50 pc by 2035. The process to add 3.5 crore new seats is already being worked out.
Under the new norm the pattern will be broad based, covering a wider gamut of disciplines, focus on holistic learning, ensure flexibility in curricula, boost creative thought and skills.
Elaborating on the reforms, HRD Secretary Anita Karwal said: “The focus will be on testing concepts and knowledge application. School curriculum will be reduced to core concepts and there will be integration of vocational education from Class 6”.
A certificate after completing 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 programme.
As per the new policy, the system of affiliation will be phased out over 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism for granting graded autonomy to colleges, through a transparent system of graded accreditation, will be established.
It is noteworthy that the education policy that has borne fruition was among the promises of the Bharatiya Janata Party manifesto ahead of the 2014 general election. The report for which was submitted in May 2016, by the ‘Committee for Evolution of the New Education Policy’ under the chairmanship of TSR Subramanian, former cabinet secretary. NEP 2020 suggests doing away with the existing 10+2 system and replacing it with a 5+3+3+4 system. The basic premise ofn implementing this system would be that stress will be on early childhood care and education. The new model will correspond to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. In brief it will be 12 years of school and three of Anganwadi or pre-school. It will be divided into foundational stage, three years of pre-primary education, a preparatory stage, with a secondary stage of 14 to 18 years.
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