National Education Policy 2020 Announced, Get Complete Highlights and Key Takeaways Here

National Education Policy 2020: Details of the new National Education Policy 2020 have been announced by Union Minister Prakash Javedkar and the HRD minister Dr. Pokhariyal at the National Media Centre. after its Cabinet Approval today. Changes have been introduced in the Indian Education Policy after a period of 34 years. As per the changes introduced the Ministry of Human Resource and Development has been renamed as Education Ministry.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' had earlier said that the New Education Policy 2020 has been structures to resolve various issues in the education sector. The minister had also shared that the new policy will provide the youth of the country with more convenient access to higher education.  

National Education Policy 2020: Key Highlights

• As per the National Education Policy 2020, the Right to Education (RTE) has been extended covering children under the age group of 3 to 18 years. This is a major change as compared to earlier education policy which only included RTE for students until the age of 14 years. NEP 2020, thus, aims to universalize the pre-primary education and provide foundational literacy to all by 2025.
• Under school education, NEP 2020 has proposed universalization of Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) and the establishment of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. 
• The National Education Policy 2020 has been based on the pillars of access, affordability, equity, quality, and accountability.
• The National Education Policy 2020 proposes a 5+3+3+4 curricular and pedagogical structure on the basis of the cognitive-developmental stages of the children instead of their age. NEP 2020 thus divides the K12 segment further into Foundational Stage, (for Age 3-8 yrs): 3 years of Pre-primary plus Grades 1-2, Preparatory Stage (for Age 8-11 years): Grades 3-5, Middle Stage for Age (11-14 years): Grades 6-8 and Secondary Stage (for Age 14-18 years): Grades 9-12. The curriculum will also include 21st-century skills, scientific temper and mathematical thinking. 
• NEP 2020 proposes the establishment of a Gender Inclusion Fund.
• NEP 2020 also has a provision for multilingual studies with a focus on the classical languages of India. Children in the age group 2-8 years have the ability to learn languages quickly and multilingualism has cognitive benefits for them. Thus, children would be engaged in three languages early on, from the Foundational Stage.
• School students of all levels will have regular periods and opportunities to participate in physical activity and exercise, including sports, games, yoga, martial arts, dance, gardening, and more, in accordance with the availability of teachers and facilities.
• A National Assessment Centre - Parakh to be established under NEP 2020. A National Professional Standard for Teachers is also to be established.  
• NEP 2020 prescribes an independent, state-wide, regulatory body called the State School Regulatory Authority for each state.
• NTA will conduct Common Entrance Exam for admission to HEIs as per NEP 2020. 
• A National Research Foundation will be established under NEP 2020 to grant competitive funding for outstanding research proposals across all disciplines, as determined by peer review and the success of proposals.
• NEP 2020 aims to take the Gross Enrolment Ratio to 50% by 2035. HEIs excluding legal and medical will have a single regulator under NEP 2020.
• The provisions of National Education Policy 2020 aim to provide students a multidisciplinary and holistic education with more flexibility and choice of subjects to study across various streams of Arts, Humanities, Sciences, Sports, and other Vocational subjects.
• NEP 2020 aims to create a National Technological Educational Forum and national institute for Persian, Pali and Prakrit.
• The National Education Policy 2020 establishes a new highest regulating body, the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog or National Education Commission headed by the Prime Minister of India..