The Union Cabinet approved the National Educational Policy 2020 on Wednesday i.e., on 29th July. This new policy has brought new changes to the education system in the nation. Aiming to renovate the education system in India, the Union Cabinet has approved. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, HRD Minister, and the Information and Broadcasting [I&B] Minister, Prakash Javadekar announced the 5+3+3+4 Education System.
Through this initiative, the Central Government is intending to make ‘India a global knowledge superpower.’ As per the latest reports, the new academic year will commence sometime between September and October 2020. There is a delay in implementing the New Educational Policy due to the perilous COVID-19 pandemic. The Government is seeking to launch the policy prior to the new academic session begins.
Another major decision taken by the Cabinet on Wednesday was that it renamed the Ministry of Human Resource and Development [MHRD] as the Ministry of Education. Based on the recommendations furnished in the draft on the new education policy, the Union Cabinet made this decision of altering the ministry name. By doing so, the key advantage is that the education and learning sector will gain more focus.
Key Changes in the New Educational Policy
The Government has launched the new National Educational Policy by initiating an innovative structure in school education. Take a look at the new policy and its impact on the students and the educational institutions.
5+3+3+4 Education System Explained
By introducing the new national educational policy, the Government has shifted from the historic 1986 policy. After 34 years, the Government has brought changes in the educational policy in the country. Considering the 5+3+3+4 mode of education, the Government is planning to provide formal schooling to the students. It refers to various stages in the educational career of a child from the age of 3.
For the students of age groups from:
- 3 to 8 Years – Foundational Stage [5 Years]
- 8 to 11 Years – Preparatory Stage [3 Years]
- 11 to 14 Years – Middle Stage [3 Years]
- 14 to 18 Years – Secondary Stage [4 Years]
Besides the pre-school education for the children of age group between 3 and 5 years, the government also planned to extend the mid-day meal programme to the pre-school students. Another significant change in the New Educational Policy is that the students until 5th class will be taught in their mother tongue or regional language. As per the new educational policy, the child will be given a 360-degree holistic progress card. It also plans to make Early Childhood Care Education [ECCE] universal-wide. There could be some major changes in the higher education of students i.e., UG and PG programmes. The Government may discontinue providing M.Phil courses to the students.
1. Foundational Stage
In the first stage, the students will attend pre-school or Anganwadi for 3 years and then takes part in primary education for 2 years i.e., 1st and 2nd classes. This education will be offered to students between age-groups 3 to 8 years. During the foundational stage, the focus will be more on the improvement of language skills. Besides this, the students will be taught by following a play-based and activity-based curriculum.
2. Preparatory Stage
This phase will comprise school education for the students between the age group of 8 to 11 years. The students will be taught school education from classes 3 to 5 emphasizing experimental learning. From a play-based and activity-based curriculum, the focus will move to discovery and activity-based interactive classroom learning. Till this preparatory stage, the focus will be on the language development and numeracy skills of the students.
3. Middle Stage
For the students of the age group from 11 to 14 years, it includes school education from 6th to 8th classes. In this stage, the mode of teaching and learning will be transformed from the previous system to unique experimental learning. The students will be taught more about Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Humanities, Arts, and Sciences during this middle stage. Instead of learning mechanically, this stage emphasizes more on critical learning.
4. Secondary Stage
This stage covers the school education of the students from classes 9 to 12. The students of the age groups from 14 to 18 years will go through this stage. However, this stage involves two phases. The first phase involves the students of classes 9 and 10 while the second phase is for the 11th and 12th class students. This stage focuses on providing a multidisciplinary study during which the students would gain an opportunity to select any set of subjects from the given structure. In this second stage that goes on for 4 years, the focus will be on enhanced critical thinking and flexibility. By doing so, the students would be able to choose subjects based on their interests. It also includes technical and arts.
This is all about the new 5+3+3+4 Education System that will be implemented soon in the next academic session. To make board exams easy for the students, syllabus reduction by retaining core topics and to increase experimental learning and critical thinking, the Central Government has come up with this new National Educational Policy.
Major Consequences of National Educational Policy 2020
The Government aims to bring certain changes in the education system of the country through the NEP 2020. It has even set a target to reach specific heights in the future. Some of them are given below:
- To attain Foundational Learning and Numeracy Skills via National Mission by 2025
- By 2030, it aims to bring 100 percent GER in pre-school to secondary level education.
- To make teachers to be prepared for assessment improvements by 2023
- To hold board exams to assess the students’ application of knowledge and their knowledge in core concepts.
- Each student must come out of the school by gaining proficiency in at least 1 skill.
- To implement common standards of learning in public as well as the private schools
However, all these changes may or may not get implemented across each state in India. Even the state governments have the right to change their education system as per their standards. Stay tuned to this website to get more about the latest news on the new educational policy in the nation and more.