NEP 2020: The Impact And Possibilities It Presents For Higher Education

Introduced in July 2020, the New Educational Policy aims to promote equity and inclusion through education. Built around the guiding principles of traditional Indian knowledge system with modern-day aspirations, NEP 2020 is set to transform the educational landscape in the country, making it more holistic and driven towards innovation. “The policy presents a modern, future-oriented objective aimed at revolutionizing India’s higher education system, focusing astutely on essential elements,” states an article published in Firstpost.

NEP 2020 is definitely ambitious in its outlook as it aims to double the GER in higher education from 26.3 per cent (2018) to 50 per cent by 2035 while improving quality of Higher Education Institutions (HEI). It has already had a significant impact on colleges and universities across the country as they implement new strategies to raise the bar for higher education. From a flexible curriculum to interdisciplinary approach to learning, emphasis on research to promoting innovation; there are several ways in which it can drive India to be a global education hub.

• NEP 2020 aspires to integrate vocational training into higher education. By 2025, more than 50% learners will have some kind of vocational education.
• It also promotes greater institutional autonomy while making a push for multidisciplinary education. By the year 2030, all standalone professional educational institutions are set to become multidisciplinary.
• One of the biggest impacts will be seen on the curriculum, which becomes more flexible. With several entry and exit points, students have new dynamic opportunities to learn at their preferred pace.
• Research gets additional focus with the National Research Foundation coming into play. It will be at the center of coordination of research funding to peer-reviewed projects.

As NEP 2020 focuses on making higher education more accessible and equitable, it is also geared towards more transparency and accountability. Importantly, it has brought several new opportunities for institutions of higher learning to restructure, consolidate, and take the educational experience for students to the next level.

• At DBUU multidisciplinary education is par for the course, with students benefiting from the presence of more than 10 schools and 120+ programmes across various disciplines. Through diverse combination of elective courses, students can cater their learning towards their specific interests and professional goals.