Union Government approves “National Education Policy (NEP)”

A new structure to the education sector of the country in School & Higher Education

• The Union government has unveiled the new National Education Policy bringing a number of
  reforms almost after 34 years
• From School Education to Higher Education, the NEP envisions to provide a new structure to
  the education sector of the country
• One of the major decisions, the Cabinet has renamed the Ministry of Human Resource and
  Development (MHRD) as the Ministry of Education

About committee of National Education Policy

• The Committee for Draft National Education Policy under the Chair of Dr. K. Kasturirangan,
  submitted its report on May 31, 2019
• The Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in June 2017
• The report proposes an education policy, which seeks to address the challenges of: (i) access, (ii)
  equity, (iii) quality, (iv) affordability, and (v) accountability faced by the current education system
• The draft Policy provides for reforms at all levels of education from school to higher education
• It seeks to increase the focus on early childhood care, reform the current exam system,
  strengthen teacher training, and restructure the education regulatory framework
• It also seeks to set up a National Education Commission, increase public investment in
  education, strengthen the use of technology and increase focus on vocational and adult education,
  among others
• The new school assessment scheme will come in place from 2022-2023. As per the new
  assessment scheme, school exams in grade 3, 5 and 8 will test child’s basic learning with a 360-
  degree progress report card
• According to new NEP, board exams will also be made easier to test core competencies among
  students
• The policy is aimed at bringing transformational change, not incremental change
• Early childhood care and education to get a complete National mission on Foundational
  Literacy and Numeracy to be set up to focus on foundational literacy

5+3+3+4 format to replace 10+2 structure

• Today, a student (in most urban cities) enter formal education at the age of 3 by means of play
  schools
• Then he/she moves to a ‘school’ which is a K12 institution – Kindergarten 1 and 2 and 12 years
  of secondary then higher secondary education
• The new structure now proposes dividing the same structure into cognitive developmental stages
  of the child – early childhood, school years, and secondary stage
• One of the salient features of the new National Education Policy is shifting from decades-old
  10+2 format to 5+3+3+4 keeping in mind a child’s development and capabilities
• The new NEP replaces the rules framed in 1986 and restructures school and higher education to
  make more flexible and with an integrated approach

I. Foundational years of 5 years

This will consist of 3 years of pre-school or Anganwadi education and 2 years of primary education
including class 1 and 2. It will be for the age group from 3-8

II. Preparatory stage for 3 years

This will cover school education from class 3-5 with focus on experimental learning. It will cover the
age group from 8-11

III. Secondary Stage for 3 years

This will cover school education from class 6-8 and will be for age group from 11-14

IV. Secondary stage for 4 years

This will cover school education from class 9-12 in two phases. The first phase will be from 9-10
and second from 11-12

Pic courtesy : livemint.com