New Education Policy 2020: How will it change India's Education system? 5 points you need to know

The New Education Policy draft went into the Upper and Lower Houses in 2019. At that time, there was a hope that the education system will change. Through the draft, it was clear that there will be some big changes. The Draft Policy primarily focused on foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability & Accountability. It provided for reforms at all levels of education from school to higher education. It sought to increase the focus on early childhood care, reform the current exam system, strengthen teacher training, and restructure the education regulatory framework.

So, now that it got the approval from the Cabinet, what will be the big changes then? Here are 5 key points that you can take away from the New Education Policy 2020. (Draft of 2019):

1. Technology at the centre of Education

The Draft from 2019, stated that NPE 1986/92 was formulated just before the Internet revolution. It knew the potential of technology but did not foresee the radical changes that happened in the past few decades. So, we have seen a slow in the adoption of technology to improve the quality of education. We also saw less use of the same in governance and planning and management of education.

Thus, the NEP 2020, will probably keep technology at the centre. Young learners today belong to a generation that is born and raised in technology-rich environments. EdTech Startups have turned tables in India. So the only plausible way would be to revolutionise technology in education.

2. Change in the RTE Act; focus on adult literacy

The Government has proposed to make a change in the Right to Education Act. The initial age for compulsory education was 14, which could be changed to 18. On the other hand, it aims to reduce the drop out of students from schools. So, it promoted the “free and compulsory” aspect of the RTE Act through Grade 12 and to all children up to the age of 18.

 3. Set up of NHERA

The current higher education system has multiple regulators, This reduces the autonomy of higher educational institutions and creates an environment of dependency and centralised decision making. Therefore, the New Education Policy draft of 2020, proposed to set up the National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA).

4. Transparency in Fee Structure

All education institutions will hold similar standards of audit and disclosure as a ‘not for profit’ entity. Surpluses, if any, institutes will have to reinvest it in the educational sector, according to the NEP 2020. There will be transparent public disclosure of all these financial matters with recourse to grievance-handling mechanisms to the general public.

5. Change in MHRD name to Ministry of Education; flexibility in the choice of subjects

MHRD has been renamed as Education Ministry. Further, the new education policy has provisions that provide the students with increased flexibility and choice of subjects to study across various streams of arts, humanities, sciences, sports, and other vocational subjects.