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India’s Educational Transformation
Introduction:
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a significant departure from India’s past educational framework. It is based on extensive democratic consultations, ensuring inclusivity and representation. Aims to address long-standing challenges in access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability.
Historical Challenges in India’s Education System
- Policy stagnation: Last major update in 1986, with minor amendments in 1992.
- Colonial legacy: System remained disconnected from technological advancements and India’s civilisational ethos.
- Governance issues:
- Corruption and mismanagement.
- Starvation of public universities of funds.
- Proliferation of unregulated private institutions, leading to scandals (e.g., 2009 Deemed University scandal).
- Political interference in university leadership and curriculum.
- Marginalisation of indigenous knowledge: Contributions of revolutionaries and India’s intellectual traditions downplayed in textbooks.
Structural Reforms under NEP 2020
- Democratising access to education:
- 50% increase in SC enrolment in higher education.
- 75% increase in ST enrolment.
- 54% increase in OBC enrolment.
- 38.8% increase in female enrolment (crossing 2.18 crore in 2022-23).
- 57.5% rise in Muslim minority female enrolment.
- Increase in public investment:
- Per-child government expenditure increased by 130% (from ₹10,780 in 2013-14 to ₹25,043 in 2021-22).
- Focus on early childhood education and foundational learning.
- Upgradation of government school infrastructure.
- Women’s Empowerment in Education
- Improved academic participation:
- PhD enrolment among women increased by 135%.
- Women now constitute 43% of STEMM enrolment.
- Transformation in teaching workforce:
- Female teachers now comprise 44.23%, up from 38.6% in 2014.
- Modernisation of Education System
- Introduction of futuristic learning approaches:
- Coding from middle school.
- Multidisciplinary problem-solving approaches.
- Innovation hubs in rural areas.
- Promotion of research and innovation:
- Over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) were established, with plans for 50,000 more.
- India now has 11 universities in the QS World Rankings Top 500.
- 88% rise in research publications since 2015.
- India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index improved from 76 in 2014 to 39.
- The Anusandhan-National Research Foundation promotes collaboration between industry and academia.
- Language and Knowledge Traditions Revival
- Overcoming English-first policies:
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- Promotion of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in 8,000+ higher education institutions.
- Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Yojana to publish 15,000 textbooks in 22 Indian languages.
- Social Justice in Education
- Reservation in faculty recruitment:
- Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2019 ensures reservation for SC/ST/OBC candidates.
- Removal of the “None Found Suitable” clause in recruitments.
Challenges in Achieving NEP 2020 Goals
- Implementation Gaps and Policy Execution: The slow rollout of digital infrastructure in rural areas, uneven adoption of multidisciplinary education across institutions, and bureaucratic delays in implementing governance reforms hinder educational progress.
- Funding Constraints: Despite the National Education Policy recommending a 6% GDP allocation to education, actual spending remains lower, highlighting the need for greater private sector participation without compromising affordability and equity.
- Teacher Training and Capacity Building: The shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in rural and tribal regions, underscores the need for continuous professional development aligned with NEP’s progressive pedagogy.
- Resistance to Change: Political interference in university autonomy and curriculum reforms, along with hesitancy among traditional institutions to embrace multidisciplinary approaches, hinders educational progress.
- Challenges in Language Policy Implementation: Resistance from certain sections over the medium of instruction, coupled with a shortage of high-quality educational material in Indian languages, poses a challenge to inclusive education.
- Research and Innovation Bottlenecks: Industry-academia collaboration is still in its early stages, with limited access to cutting-edge research funding and infrastructure.
- Inclusivity and Affordability Concerns: The rising cost of private education is making quality education unaffordable for many, highlighting the need for adequate financial aid and scholarships for economically weaker sections.
