Instructional Medium, Reforms in Higher Education, The loss of subject differentiation, Adaptable Undergraduate Programmes, Universal Access to School Education, Fluency in Foundational Reading and Numeracy (FLN), Hands-on Education, Improving Distance and Open Education, Innovation in Technology, Internationalisation of Education,
As per the National Education Policy 2020, the postgraduate degree course has also been changed after the changes made in the degree course.
As per the National Education Policy 2020, the postgraduate degree course has also been changed after the changes made in the degree course. According to the new scheme, the second year of the two-year post-graduate course can be devoted to research, and students have been given the flexibility to choose the course of their choice in real classroom education, online, distance, and blended learning.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the revised syllabus for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Per the UGC recommendations, the second year of the two-year Master’s degree course of students who have completed the three-year degree course can be given for pure research. The postgraduate degree course will be of one-year duration for students who have completed their honours degree course with four years of honours or research. In addition, a five-year integrated undergraduate-graduate degree course can also be offered. Universities should start postgraduate degree courses in machine learning, and interdisciplinary subjects. The National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) has divided higher education into levels 4.5 to 8. It has master’s degrees at 6th, 6.5 th, and 7th levels. Students will have the flexibility to switch from one course to another. Also, students who have completed their degree courses with dual-core subjects will be allowed to choose any one of the subjects. Students who have completed their bachelor’s degree with main or sub-subjects can be admitted in the master’s degree course. Students admitted to the two-year degree course will have the option to exit after the first year. The students will be awarded a diploma. Accuracy is an important aspect of research. Therefore, it was explained that higher education institutions need to use software to detect plagiarism in research.
Principal Aspects of the New NEP 2023
1. Prolonged Schooling Duration
The New Education Policy (NEP) institutes three years of pre-schooling for kids ages three to six, and makes obligatory schooling from ages three to eighteen. From 10+2 to 5+3+3+4, the curriculum is organised differently, with a focus on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
2. Instructional Medium
NEP places a strong focus on teaching in native tongues, recommending that students remain in their home tongue until at least Grade 5 and ideally until Grade 8. Respecting the three-language formula, it promotes multilingualism.
3. Reforms in Higher Education
With the exception of legal and medical education, all higher education would be governed by the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). In 15 years, college affiliation will be phased down, giving colleges varying degrees of autonomy.
4. The loss of subject differentiation
Formal divisions between academic and vocational programmes, extracurricular and curricular activities, and arts and sciences are eliminated by NEP. There are many other disciplines available to students, and vocational education begins in the sixth grade.
5. Adaptable Undergraduate Programmes
Three or four years of undergraduate study are followed by a variety of exit possibilities. Cooperative education programmes will be incorporated into the curriculum, and earned credits will be digitally stored in an Academic Bank of Credit for transferability.
6. Universal Access to School Education:
NEP emphasises student progress tracking, holistic development, and universal access. From preschool through the 12th grade, it integrates vocational education and places a strong focus on the involvement of social workers and counsellors.
7. Fluency in Foundational Reading and Numeracy (FLN)
By 2025, NEP wants to attain FLN beginning in Grade 3, emphasising reading and fundamental maths skills as learning requirements.
8. Hands-on Education
The policy encourages students to think critically, get experience, and take fewer courses overall. In grades 6 through 8, vocational education is provided along with internship opportunities.
9. A rise in the ratio of graduates enrolled
By 2035, NEP hopes to have a 50% graduate enrollment ratio, and it anticipates a lower student dropout rate with a variety of exit choices.
10. Improving Distance and Open Education
Through the introduction of initiatives like online courses, digital repositories, and credit-based accreditation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), the strategy seeks to raise the bar for remote learning.
11. Innovation in Technology
It is suggested that the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) be established in order to foster technology innovation in education, improving teacher development and classroom procedures.
12. Internationalisation of Education
The New Economic Policy (NEP) promotes international cooperation by enabling institutions to engage with overseas universities and by funding faculty exchange initiatives.
13. Greater Public Contribution
The governments of the Centre and the States will work together to boost education spending, with the goal of raising GDP to 6% in order to improve the infrastructure of schools.
In addition to addressing issues with the Indian educational system, the new programme seeks to establish a link between formal and vocational education.
