Students, teachers and NEP 2020

 

 

 

Context

The article discusses the contrasting picture of the Indian and other countries education systems. It brushes upon the issue with the Indian students in higher education (HE), who spend more time in classrooms compared to their counterparts in the European Union (EU) and North America, and still does not guarantee better educational outcomes and poses challenges for students and educators

 

 

Relevance:
GS02 (Government policies and interventions)

 

Dimensions of the Article

  • About National Education Policy 2020
  • Key Features of NEP, 2020
  • Challenges

 

 

About National Education Policy 2020

  • The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, much like its previous versions in 1968 and 1986, is India’s educational roadmap to bring comprehensive reforms in line with the present requirements by including technical instruction in the education system.
  • It aims to make India a global knowledge superpower.
  • The committee of NEP was headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan, under the Ministry of Education.
  • The foundational pillars of NEP 2020 are: Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability.
  • The policy’s ambition is to transform both school and college education into entities that are enriched, adaptive, and multidisciplinary.

 

Key Features of NEP, 2020:

  • The policy ensures access to schooling for all students from pre-primary to Grade 12.
  • The aim of the policy is to provide quality education for all children aged 3-6 years.
  • It has brought in a new curricular and pedagogical structure (5+3+3+4) that aligns with age groups 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years, covering four schooling stages:
    • Foundational (5 years)
    • Preparatory (3 years)
    • Middle (3 years)
    • Secondary (4 years)
  • Integrated Learning Approach: The NEP eliminates the old rigid separations between arts and sciences, curricular and extracurricular activities, and vocational and academic streams.
  • Language paper: The policy emphasises the use of Indian languages and multilingual education.
  • National Assessment Centre, PARAKH: It plans to establish a centre for performance assessment, review, and analysis of knowledge for holistic development.
  • Gender Inclusion Fund: It also introduces a dedicated Gender Inclusion Fund and Special Education Zones to support disadvantaged regions and groups.

 

Challenges:

  • Classroom Hours: Students in India under NEP 2020 spend more time in classroom per semester (20 hours per week) in comparison with the EU and North American students who spend only 12 hours per week. This extra time impacts self-study, assignments, and mental well-being, leading to exhaustion and limiting learning outside the classroom.
  • Faculty Workload and Teaching Quality: Indian teachers as compared to those in the EU and North America spend more time teaching (14-16 hours weekly), which leaves very little time for their research, course development, or innovative teaching approaches.
  • NEP 2020: Although it emphasizes shifting away from the traditional rote learning system, it is still burdening students and teachers, reducing opportunities for innovative pedagogy
  • Self-directed learning: Since the courses in India are too hectic for students, they often lag in self-directed learning skills due to this rigid system.

 

 

Way Forward:

  • Recalibrating Classroom Hours:
    • Reduce the number of courses per semester to align with global standards.
    • Allocate more time for self-study, peer collaboration, and assignments.
  • Empowering Faculty:
    • Reduce weekly teaching loads for faculty to enable research and course development.
    • Provide additional resources to public universities to improve teaching outcomes.
  • Revamping Assessments:
    • Introduce a mix of low-stakes and high-stakes evaluations, such as essays, projects, and group activities.
    • Ensure that assessments align with learning objectives, fostering deeper engagement with the subject.
  • By addressing these systemic issues, India can create a higher education framework that fosters innovation, self-learning, and critical thinking, placing its students on par with global peers. The vision of NEP 2020 can only be realised if the balance between classroom engagement and holistic education is achieved.

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