The release of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a milestone in the Indian education system. The aim of the new policy was to make education inclusive and change the way assessments will be done, along with providing a more flexible curriculum. The policy intends to make way for a more liberalized and multi-disciplinary curriculum, thus providing more holistic education to students.
In this article, we have broken down the NEP 2020 and outlined the positive and negative implications of the policy.
Positive Implications of the Policy
Firstly, the policy has offered flexibility to students to take their choice of subjects. Earlier, students could learn either Science or Computer Science or Arts in their Class 11. If they take up one stream, they cannot study the other. But with the implementation of the policy, students can mix up subjects and pursue different interests. This initiative will allow them to study different subjects, thus providing them a more expansive set of opportunities to start their career.
The policy has replaced the existing 10+2 academic structure with the 5+3+3+4 structure. This means that kids will start their education from the age of 3. Similar to the western education system, kids will go through the go-to preschool from ages 3-6, followed by two years in Class 1 and 2. This will prepare them for the next 3 years of discovering their abilities and interests in classroom learning. Then comes the middle school experience from Classes 6-8, where students will be exposed to the different subjects – maths, arts, science, humanities. Here, the fundamental concepts of these subjects will be taught so students have a basic understanding of these areas. The last leg of the structure – Classes 9 to 12 is outlined to help students focus and build their knowledge on multiple disciplines they are interested in.
Another positive impact of the NEP 2020 is that it will improve the college drop-out numbers. In the education post Class 12, colleges have seen multiple cases of dropouts. Students take up a course and if after the first year, they do not like the course or are unable to continue it, this affects their overall education. So, the new policy addresses this by allowing multiple exit points for students. If students exit after one year of education, then they will receive a certificate, after the 2nd year, they will be awarded a diploma, after 3 years, they will receive a Bachelor’s degree and after the 4th year, they will receive a bachelor’s’s research degree.
Negative Implications of the Policy
A major factor of criticization about the policy is the recommendation on the medium of instruction. According to the policy, the education of children till Class 5 should ideally be in the mother tongue and/or regional language. This implies that there is no necessity for schools to teach in English. This will be a hindrance to the students if they were to shift from one state to another. Also, English has become a global language of communication and it is in the best interest of the government if students are aware of at least to speak the language. Because this will prove to be useful as they enter college and start their careers.
The new policy has introduced a bunch of new mandates, but many experts say that these mandates are more theoretical than practical. The execution of these mandates in reality will prove to be a more daunting task. This is due to the presence of numerous government schools, where there is no proper infrastructure and no adequate teachers. We can see this new policy in black and white now, but how far this will materialize in reality is a question that is being raised by many.
We hope you would have a better idea about the new NEP and the various implications it will have on school education in India.
