India's New Education Policy ( NEP ) 2020, Major highlights of NEP, key points.

EDUCATION POLICY 2020

New Education Policy was launched on Wednesday, July 29. Earlier, in the afternoon the Union cabinet approved the policy that aims to overhaul the country’s education system. 

The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”. The new academic session will begin in September-October – the delay is due to the unprecedented coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak – and the government aims to introduce the policy before the new session starts.

What is multidisciplinary institution?

A university will mean a multidisciplinary institution that offers undergraduate and graduate programmes, with high quality teaching, research, and community engagement..

KEY POINTS/ HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW EDUCATION POLICY 2020 

-- School complexes to be used for adult education courses after school hours.

-- More focus on vocational studies in school- level.

-- NIOS( National Institute of Opening School ) to develop high quality modules for Indian Sign Language.

-- Pre- school section in Kendriya Vidyalayas.

-- NCC( National Cabinet Corps ) wings in secondary and higher secondary schools under Ministry of Defence.

-- Free boarding facilities in JNV( Jawahar Navdaya Vidyalaya).

-- Dedicated unit for digital and online learning.

-- National Scholarship portal for SC, ST, OBC, SEDGs students to be expanded.

-- Minimum qualification for teaching - 4 year integrated B.Ed degree.

-- HECI( Higher Education Commission of India )- Common regulatory body for entire higher education.

-- Various new provisions for children with disabilities.

-- Education sector to get 6% of GDP, earlier it was 1.7%.

-- Bag- less days encouraged.

-- Three language learned by children will be the choice of state, regions and students.

-- Medium of instruction will be the local/ regional language.

-- Indian Sign Language to be standardised across the country.

-- No hard separation of streams for students.

-- Experiential learning in all stages.

-- Content will focus on idea, application, problem- solving.

-- Curriculum content to be reduced.

-- NIOS, open schools to offer courses for grades 3,5 and 8.

-- Nutrition and health cards, regular health check-ups for school students.

-- National Mission on Foundation Literacy and Numeracy to be set up by MHRD ( Ministry of Human Resource Development ).

-- Early childhood care and education curriculum (ECCEC) to be carried out by MHRD, WCD, HFW, tribal affairs.

-- Preparatory class Balavatika for children below the age of 5.

-- Tech- based option for adult learning through apps, TV channels etc.

-- Variable models for board exams - annual, semester, modular exams.

-- NTA( National Testing Agency ) to offer common entrance exam.

-- 360 degree holistic report card for students.

-- Importance of board exam to be reduced, exam can be conducted twice a year.

--  Coding to be taught from class 6 onwards.

-- National Curricular and pedagogical framework to be developed by NCERT.

-- Financial Autonomy to be given to 45K affiliated colleges.

-- E-content in regional language.

-- New Pedagogical and curricular structure.

-- Multiple entry and exit programme.

-- PM approves to new policy for 21st century after 34 years: Javadekar.

-- Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI) proposed.

-- National Research Foundation (NRF) to be established.

-- National Committee for integration of vocation Education -Lok Vidya.

-- HRD Ministry to be renamed as education ministry.

-- International Students Office at each institution hosting foreign students.

-- Academic Bank to store credits.

-- Undergraduate degree courses to have multiple exit options.

-- IITs to become multidisciplinary institution, opening doors for humanities students.

-- One large multidisciplinary institution in or near every district by 2030.

-- All higher education institute to become multidisciplinary institutions.

-- New academic session to begin in September- October.