National Education Policy - A Needed Update

Written By Atishaya Gupta (Grade 7)

The new NEP has come!! It is a very inspiring thing for me as a child and I am sure that it’s the same for you. Major educational reforms will take place in India’s education system and I think this NEP is a game-changer and is going to change the old, crumbling education system into a modern, amazing one.

This is India’s 3rd NEP from being a republic. The last one was in 1986, so it has been 34 years since we have got our NEP. The government is determined to change everything, even the name itself!! (It used to be called NPE). And I think this is the ripe time to introduce such a radical policy. When COVID – 19 will finally be over, the common public will have a fresh perspective about everything around them. So much time locked in their homes will certainly make people reflect on their past and turn themselves into a new leaf.

In such an environment, what could be better but to change our education system in the world and get amazing and responsible citizens for the future version of India? Our citizens must be capable and benefit the nation. India, being such a huge and diverse country constantly evolves, and the next generation (that’s us!) must adapt to any circumstances given to them.

So, to produce the able citizens of tomorrow, we need to reform. Not only in education but in all aspects as a country. NEP would be the first step for total reform. Most of the reform’s success would depend on NEP’s success since this is the first step to change people’s mindset.

I love all the points in the NEP. As I scrolled through Articles and getting info on the points of the NEP, I became increasingly excited to see all the points. I can only imagine my joy when these points would be implemented and I am the most excited for the eradication of rote learning!! Yay!! Soon, kids wouldn’t have to carry their textbooks around for topic their exams, all they need is their brains!

This policy would make India into a vibrant knowledge country – making school and college education holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary and suited to 21st century needs. This is the summary of the whole text that I have been rambling about. Ok, enough of the info already! Let’s slip into the tabular form to enrich ourselves on this amazing policy!!

Info on all the Reforms of the NEP:

NEP Reform	Elaboration
School Education	Ensuring that all students get access to education from Grade 1 to Grade 12. The NEP aims to get 100% Gross Enrolment in schools till 2030.
Early Childhood Care Education	The NEP emphasizes the need for early childhood education and aims to enrol all children by 2025. This reform will be catered by the anganwadis and pre-schools. The NEP also stresses on integrating this structure seamlessly.
New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure	Instead of the old 10 + 2 structure that schools are following right now, the NEP introduces the new 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 structure. This structure includes 12 years of schooling and 3 years of Anganwadi / preschool structure.
Flexibility in Choices and Academic/ Co-Curricular Activities	Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects so that they choose their paths according to their talents. There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams. The main idea is to maintain no difference between any subject and give one more importance than the other.
Multilingualism	The medium of language till Grade 5 (preferable till Grade 8) will be home language/ mother-tongue /local language/regional language. Sanskrit will be offered at all levels as an important and enriching option for students. All other Indian regional languages such as Tamil, Marathi would also be offered. Foreign languages like French and Korean will also be introduced.
Exams	Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued with a change of format for elimination of coaching classes. Board exams will be redesigned to test core competencies and encourage holistic development. All students will be allowed to take Board Exams on up to two occasions during any given school year, one main examination, and one for improvement, if desired. All students will take school examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8 which will be conducted by the appropriate authority
Vocational Education	By 2025, at least 50% of learners through the school, and the higher education system will have exposure to vocational education. Beginning with vocational exposure at an early age in middle and secondary school, quality vocational education will be integrated into higher education.
Teacher Recruitment and Promotion	Teachers will be recruited through robust and transparent processes. Promotions will be merit-based, and a mechanism for multi-source periodic performance appraisals will be put in place.
Technology	A comprehensive set of recommendations for promoting online education consequent to epidemic and pandemic situations have been put in place. This will ensure preparedness with alternative modes of quality education whenever and wherever traditional and in-person modes of education are not possible has been covered.One of the major highlights of the NEP 2020 is to teach coding to students from class 6th onwards. The government called it out as 21st-century skill and that students must be familiar with it from early on. It aims to make the future generation ready with the skills that will be most required in the jobs.

My View:

So, all these points are really exciting for me as a student and I am looking forward to making the classroom more interactive and stimulating. It will be loads of fun in the classroom and wide a wide range of topics and judging based on skills instead of marks, I believe that the Indian Education System will set the accelerator forward.

One change that is big for me is the introduction of coding. I agree with the government that Computer Programming is a 21st Century skill and is needed for the future. Computers and Robots and AI are going to be the motto of humans in the coming years. I adore coding. It is one of my hobbies and I constantly look to learn new things in any programming language. I learn from YouTube, Khan Academy as well as a course I have taken. It is so fun to sit and code and create something cool! Amazingly, something so complex can be made out of just using your brains and knowing the language. And it certainly is satisfactory when something we have created using our brains and hands has come to life.

I design websites, games, apps, and whatnot. A thrill pulses throughout my body when I sit down and code. I am very, very interested in how my school is going to integrate this subject and teach it to us. I am going to race through and constantly explore throughout the world of computers!!

So, with skill-based reports, state of the art teacher training, integration of new subjects, learning the state language, the NEP looks like the biggest changer in Indian Education.

Of course, it has its problems and there will be speed breakers on the road, but I have faith in the government to get this up and running in no time and create better Indian citizens for tomorrow.

Featured Image Courtesy – Trade Brains