- The Government has formulated the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in our country announced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Government of India) on 27/07/20.
- The New Education Policy (2020) is a historic effort and first omnibus policy after thirty-four years, under Modi regime. The purpose of NEP is a framework to guide the development of education in the country.
- NEP aims to ensure equity and inclusion in and through education by addressing all forms of exclusion and marginalization, disparity, vulnerability and inequality in education access, participation, retention and completion and in learning outcomes.
- As per the new policy, the education system is structured with 5+3+3+4 whereas the present policy is 10+2.
Current Education System:
- At present, we are following the education system which was formed in the year 1986 but the Education System in India has been around since 1921.
- The National Policy on Education (NPE) in 1986 pressed for free and compulsory education for all children below 14 years of age.
- The main objective of the National Policy of Education (NPE) of 1986 and Programme of Action, 1992 was to establish a national system of education, implies that all students irrespective of caste; creed, sex and religion have access to education of a comparable quality.
- In 2019, the Indian government amended Section 16 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act to ensure that students from Class I to VIII are guaranteed promotion irrespective of their academic performance to avoid detention in the same class.
- The Indian Education System has four levels:
- Lower Primary (Classes I to V, ages 6 to 10)
- Upper Primary (Classes VI and VII, ages 11 and 12)
- High School (Classes VIII to X, ages 13 to 15)
- Higher Secondary (Classes XI and XII, ages 17 and 18).
- The main languages taught are Hindi, English and the regional languages (mother tongue).
Benefits of the National Education Policy:
- It aims to ensure 100% literacy nationwide by 2030.
- Education will begin for children from the age of three years when brain growth is exponential and understanding skills are powerful
- The age group between 9-12 years is considered as Higher Secondary group so the student will get continuity in the learning process.
- The common entrance examination in Classes II, V, VIII, X and XII will help the students to prepare well for Classes X and XII and gain confidence to face public examinations.
- A 4-year B.Ed. course is sure to produce competent and high-quality faculty which is guaranteed to improve the quality of the Education System in India.