The National Education Policy was introduced in 2020 with the goal to revolutionize the educational landscape in the country. Read the salient features of the policy, roadblocks in its implementation, and other key details.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a reformative initiative introduced by the Government of India that seeks to overhaul the prevalent education system.
NEP 2020, which was introduced on July 29, 2020, replaces the 1986 National Policy on Education. NEP 2020 emphasizes universal access to quality education. The policy seeks to restructure the school curriculum, emphasize foundational literacy, multilingualism, and technology integration.
Built on a flexible and holistic approach, it focuses on teacher training, competency-based assessments, and a multidisciplinary higher education system.
The ultimate aim of the policy is to create a modern, inclusive, and globally competitive education system in the country.
Note that the policy currently faces many obstacles in its implementation:
Table of Contents
Key Goals of the NEP 2020:
- It seeks to provide universal access to quality education from early childhood to higher education.
- The emphasis is on foundational literacy and numeracy, so as to ensure that the child attains basic reading and mathematics competencies by Grade 3.
- Importantly, the policy also aims to restructure school education with a 5+3+3+4 curricular framework to ensure flexibility and age-appropriate learning.
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NEP 2025 – Highlights
| Particulars | Description |
| What is NEP 2020? | The NEP 2020 is the 1st education policy of the 21st century. The policy seeks to revamp and modernize the education landscape so that it reflects the desires and aspirations of an emerging India and is equitable and accessible. The policy seeks to revise and revamp all aspects of the education structure. |
| Curricular and Pedagogical Structure | NEP proposes to replace the existing 10+2 structure with a 5+3+3+4 structure for school education. |
| Key Objectives/ Features of NEP 2020 | To ensure holistic education Make sure that students irrespective of their economic background have access to quality education Provide affordable and quality education for all Bring transparency and accountability to the education system Promote multilingualism Promote equity and inclusion Implement new academic structure |
| New academic structure proposed by NEP 2020 | 5+3+3+4 Seeks to replace old 10+2 structure |
| Download | National Education Policy 2020 – PDF |
NEP 2020: Proposes 5+3+3+4 Structure
The NEP 2020 policy seeks to replace the existing 10+2 structure in school education with a new pedagogical and curricular restructuring of 5+3+3+4 covering ages 3-18.
| Previous academic structure (10+2 structure) | New Pedagogical & Curricular Structure (5+3+3+4 structure) |
| 2 years (Ages 16-18) | Secondary (Ages 14-18) 4 years (Class 9 to 12) |
| 10 years (Ages 6-16) | Middle (Ages 11-14) 3 years (Class 6 to 8) |
| – | Preparatory (Ages 8-11) 3 years (Class 3 to 5) |
| Foundational (Ages 3-8) 2 years (Class 1 to 2) (Ages 6-8) 3 years (Anganwadi/ preschool/Balvatika) (Ages 3-6) |
NEP 2020 – Highlights
| Parameters | Description |
| Foundational Literacy | Focus on play-based and activity-based learning in the foundational stage (ages 3-8). Seeks to improve cognitive faculties through early childhood education. |
| Medium of Instruction | Promotes multilingualism and mother tongue as the medium of instruction. Reckons that cognitive abilities will improve if one learns in one’s mother tongue. |
| Higher Education Reforms | Holistic and multidisciplinary approach to higher education. Integration of vocational education into mainstream education. Establishment of a National Research Foundation (NRF) to promote research-oriented culture. |
| Teacher Training and Professional Development | Recognizes that teachers are instrumental in shaping the education system. Proposal for the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST). Ensure that there is continuous professional development for teachers. |
| Technology Integration | Creation of the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF).Promote technology integration in teaching and learning processes.Make education accessible through online and digital resources. |
| Assessment and Examination Reforms | Replace rote learning with competency-based and continuous assessment. Give priority to formative assessments over board exams. |
| Flexible Higher Education System | Credit-based system proposed to give students the flexibility in choosing courses. Promotion of autonomous degree-granting colleges and universities. |
| Governance and Administration: | National Education Commission (NEC) as the apex body proposed Coordination of efforts, monitoring policy implementation, and addressing challenges. |
Challenges faced in the Implementation of NEC 2020:
While the introduction of the NEC 2020 was seen as a landmark initiative, it has also faced pushback from various quarters, thus acting as a roadblock in its implementation.
Here are some of the challenges faced by the policy.
- If there are different governments at the center and state, they are many instances where they are at loggerheads regarding the implementation. For instance, the TN government continues to oppose the implementation of the NEP 2020 citing the three-language policy (which is applicable at the school level). Opponents of the policy insist that schools should be given the freedom to teach as many languages they want. There is also opposition related to the structural changes that have been made to higher education programs.
- and structural changes made to the higher educational program.
- Educational institutions and other stakeholders need a lot of convincing and also training.
- Other challenges in the implementation of the policy include financial constraints, infrastructure limitations, and resistance to change.
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NEP 2020 will make India a Global Education Hub – Dharmendra Pradhan
The Union Education minister, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, while speaking at an event titled ‘Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City’ in Mumbai, on June 15, 2025, said that the NEP 2025 will help propel India into a global study destination.
He insisted that the NEP 2020 promotes affordable and premium education, which is a game changer.
In recent times, many foreign universities have opened their branches in India, including University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Western Australia, Illinois Institute of Technology and Instituto Europeo Di Design (IED), Italy. This he said is on account of the NEP 2020, and also to some extent the growing trust in Indian education system.