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New Education Policy 2023-2024: Everything You Need To Know

29 April, 2024

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The “New National Education Policy (NEP)”, which was approved by the Union Cabinet, is expected to bring a flurry of reforms, ranging from school curriculum reductions to the abolition of MPhil programs.

The NEP aspires to develop an education system that directly contributes to the country’s transformation by delivering high-quality education to all citizens and developing India into a global knowledge superpower.

New System of Education 2024

The new education policy was adopted by the Modi government. The 10 + 2 structure has been fully eliminated in the new education policy. Our country’s educational curriculum has been based on 10 + 2, but it will soon be based on 5+ 3+ 3+ 4. This means that one-half is from primary to second grade, the second portion is from third to fifth grade, the third part is from sixth to eighth grade, and the last part is from ninth to 12th grade.

We’ll provide you with a quick overview of the New Education Policy 2021-2023, including the Scheme Benefits and key Features.

What is the New Education Policy 2024 (NEP)?

The Indian government’s New Education Policy is referred to as NEP. It was last modified in 1992 after being drafted in 1986. The Modi-led BJP government vowed in its election manifesto to create a new education policy, or NEP, to bring about changes in the education sector.

In July 2020, the Union Cabinet of India approved the New National Education Policy (NEP) with the aim to bring modern reforms in the Indian education system from the school to the college level. This policy stands on the ideology to make India a ‘global knowledge superpower.’ In addition to this, it was with the introduction of NEP in 2020 that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was renamed to the Ministry of Education.

The new National Education Policy is based on the pillars of  Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability . It aims to make both school and college education more holistic, multidisciplinary, and flexible, which aligns with the 2020 agenda for sustainable development.

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The Need for a New National Education Policy (NEP)

Up until the introduction of the New National Education Policy in 2020, there were many pitfalls in the Indian education system. Memorisation was prioritised more over the understanding of concepts. In addition to this, the presence of multiple boards was a big issue. Each board had different learning methods for different skills, and then every student had to take the same standardised board exam.

Furthermore, in the past years, more emphasis was laid on learning or mastering traditional subjects and less on developing vocational skills. In the new education policy, all the pitfalls and limitations of the Indian education system are taken care of. Moreover, the policy intends to bridge the gap between vocational and formal education.

Transformation of Indian Education System Post-Independence

1948 – The 1st commission, University Education Commission, was set up

1952 – The Secondary Education Commission was established

1964-1966 – The Indian Education Commission was introduced

1968 – 1st National Education Policy came up

1986 – A new policy was formulated

1992 – The previous education policy was modified

2005 – The 1986 education policy was again modified

2020 – The new National Education Policy (NEP) was passed by the cabinet

2023-2024 – The New Education Policy was implemented in this academic year

What Led to the Creation of NEP?

A panel of specialists, led by former ISRO chief  K Kasturirangan , discussed the difficulties and adjustments needed in the Indian education system, which included everything from school to college to recruitment. These proposals were gathered, and the Ministry then approved them.

Salient Features of New Education Policy 2024

1. schooling from the age of 3 years now.

The New Education Policy extends compulsory schooling from the age bracket of 6-14 years to 3-18 years. The NEP includes three years of previously unrecognised pre-schooling for children aged 3-6 years in the school curriculum. The new system will include 12 years of formal education and three years of Anganwadi/pre-school education.

The 10+2 school curriculum framework will be replaced with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years, respectively, with an emphasis on  Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

2. Mother tongue can be the medium of instruction

The NEP emphasises pupils’ native language as the medium of teaching while adhering to the “three-language formula” and ensuring that no language is imposed on anyone. The NEP simply suggests using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction rather than making it mandatory.

According to the policy paper, children learn and grasp non-trivial topics faster in their native language.

The home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language will be used as the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably until Grade 8 and beyond. Following that, wherever practicable, the home or local language will be taught as a language. “Both public and private schools will follow this,” the regulation adds.

3. NO UGC, AICTE, NCTE

The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be established as a single umbrella body for all higher education in India, excluding medical and legal education. Regulation, accreditation, and academic standards will all be governed by the same set of rules for public and private higher education institutions.

In 15 years, the government will phase down college affiliation, and a stage-by-stage procedure for providing colleges with graded autonomy will be formed.

4. Science, Arts, and Commerce gets blurred

There would be no formal distinctions between arts and sciences, curricular and extra-curricular activities, or vocational and academic programs under NEP 2020. Students can choose from a variety of disciplines throughout the streams. Internships will be included in vocational education, which will begin in sixth grade.

5. FYUP Programme Returns & No More Dropouts

Under the NEP, undergraduate degrees will last three or four years, with several exit alternatives available during that time. After one year of study in a topic or field, including vocational and professional fields, colleges will be required to award a certificate, a diploma following two years of study, or a Bachelor’s degree after a three-year program.

The government will also create an Academic Bank of Credit to store academic credits earned at various HEIs digitally so that they can be transferred and counted toward a final degree.

Finally, based on the foregoing points, we can conclude that this policy implements much-needed adjustments. There was no uniform system in place, which has now been eliminated. It has more transparency and a single national agency in charge of overseeing the whole education system in the country.

6. Common Access at all School-level Education

NEP 2020 focuses on bringing universal access to school education to ensure the holistic development of students right from the beginning. According to this policy, students’ progress and their learning capacity will be tracked timely. Students will be given access to different learning modes, like formal and informal teaching methods. In addition to this, the policy states that vocational education courses are to be included in the curriculum from pre-school to 12th standard. The policy is not just limited to knowledge or skills; it also emphasises the inclusion of trained counsellors and social workers in the schooling system.

7. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) to start from grade 3

FLN is a broad concept that refers to a child’s capability to read basic texts and solve basic numerical problems such as addition and subtraction. It is considered an urgent and vital prerequisite to learning. Keeping this in mind, the NEP has directed the states to prepare a plan on how to implement and achieve this in the curriculum for all primary school students by 2025.

8. Project-based Learning in the School Curriculum

The policy states that the school curriculum and pedagogy should aim for the holistic development of students by designing the coursework that would equip them with 21st-century skills. Students will have to study a reduced course content, which will emphasise experiential learning and critical thinking and give students the choice of subjects they wish to study. Moreover, vocational education will be made available in class 6th-8th, along with internship opportunities.

9. Efforts to Increase the Graduate Enrollment Ratio

In the past years, very few students opted for higher education. So in view of this concern, the policy aims to incorporate a maximum number of students in higher education, including vocational education. The graduate enrolment ratio is expected to increase up to 50% by 2035 from 26.3% in 2018.  Also, with the multiple exit options in higher education, it is expected that the student dropout rate will reduce.

10. Bringing Online and Distance Education at Par with Regular Courses

The government has already taken initiatives to bring the standards of distance learning programmes at par with regular courses. Measures like online courses, digital repositories, funding for improved student services and research, and credit-based recognition of MOOCs, among others are to be taken.

11. Technological Innovation in Education as the Base of NEP

National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), an autonomous body, will be started to offer a free exchange of ideas related to the usage of technology in enhancing the academic experience. This integration of technology is expected to improve the classroom processes, contribute to teacher professional development, and streamline the management of education planning.

12. Internationalisation of Education

An important aspect of the NEP 2020 is that it promotes the internationalisation of education by encouraging institutions to forge global collaborations with universities and research institutes. This will not be limited to students, faculty exchange programmes will also be encouraged. Meanwhile, the policy aims to allow top world universities to open their campuses in India.

13. Increase in Public Investment in Education

In line with the objective of the New Education Policy, the Centre and State governments will be working in collaboration to increase investment in education. The collaboration of both houses is expected to reach 6% of GDP in regard to the education sector as soon as possible in order to improve the educational infrastructure.

Confused About the 5+3+3+4 Structure of NEP?

It is the refurbished structure of the educational framework which was introduced in the New Education Policy 2024. It categorises learning into four stages, explained below:

• Foundational Stage: It consists of the initial years of a child’s education i.e. till 5 years. The first three years of primary education are based on interactive learning through activities and playful games. This is followed by grades 1 and 2 where the child will gain basic literacy and numbers.
• Preparatory Stage: It spans for three years from class 3rd to 5th. A multi-faceted approach is to be adopted for a comprehensive learning experience at this stage. The curriculum emphasises on understanding and the application of concepts instead of rote memorisation.
• Middle Stage: The stage between classes 6th to 8th is the middle stage and it takes your child deeper into the subject matter. It is the first time that students are introduced to project-based learning and they learn about the subjects in detail.
• Secondary Stage: It is the final segment of school education which includes grade 9 to 12, also known as higher secondary education. Students get the chance to choose the subjects of their choice and prepare them for future career paths. The child will learn real-world skills and competencies.

Abiding Principles of New Education Policy 2024

The primary goal of the New Education Policy is to assess the standard of education and upgrade its mark each year to match the global level. The objective is to make India a leader in a knowledge-based industry through the universalisation of education. Underlined are the principles of NEP:

Determine each child’s potential and focus on it

Enhance foundation literacy and numeracy knowledge among children at an early stage

Promote and offer flexible learning methods

Invest in public education

Upgrade the quality of education at all levels

Bring children closer to Indian culture

Invest in research

Popularise the use of technology and emphasis on digital literacy

Teach different Indian/foreign languages

Focus on developing the child’s creativity and logical thinking

Make education policy more transparent

Implementation Phase of the New Education Policy in 2023?

Since its introduction in 2020, many Indian educational institutions have adopted the pattern of the new National Education Policy. After three years of adoption, many academicians from top Indian institutions, including IITs, NITs, and IISERs, have reviewed the implementation of the policy. They have shared the roadmap of the changes and upgrades they have made in the academic system.

As reported by the  Deccan Chronicle , the Director of IIT Hyderabad, Prof. B.S. Murthy shared that the students were given a semester break with 6 credits to pursue innovative ventures. Their institution intended to promote entrepreneurship by encouraging students to pursue BUILD (Bold & Unique Ideas Leading Development) projects. On the other hand, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad, Prof. B. Jagdeeshwar Rao, said that NEP measures have enabled students to pursue two programmes simultaneously.

Among these is  Panjab University which implemented the New Educational Policy 2023 in a phased manner in the years 2023 – 2024. The suggestions in regulations and syllabi for the previous session were already approved and the university will continue to adopt the new measures.

The adoption of an open curriculum with transdisciplinary course patterns, including flexibility in electives, has led to the enhancement of skill development and community-oriented projects. This is what Prof. Satyanarayana, IIT – Tirupati, said in a press conference. According to him, this will play a crucial role in nation-building. Prof. Rajesh Viswanathan of the reputed Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati informed that their institution had made provisions for multiple-exit options in the BS-MS programme. This will add a holistic multidisciplinary approach to the education system, which earlier was rigid.

Challenges of NEP 2024

The framework designed by NEP will bring a revolutionary change in the entire higher education ecosystem of India, but it has a few limitations, as studied by a few researchers. These are:

As the policy aims to double the gross enrollment ratio by 2035, this requires the creation of a new university every week for the next 15 years, which is a huge challenge.

To deliver the upgraded curriculum effectively, India needs a sizable pool of competent teachers who are familiar with the new pedagogical approach.

Adequate funding and resources are required for proper implementation.

As teachers generally share a disciplinary anchoring culture, it is difficult to have educators with exceptional skills who are experts in one area and lean in other subjects as well.

NEPs multiple entry and exit options may face challenges in India because of the large student population. It could lead to a high annual intake in higher education. It can become difficult for universities to predict how many students would join and exit.

Bottom Line

At this point, India’s education system is at a critical juncture, with the path not completely clear. The Indian education system must meet the needs of the progressive society with a population of over 1.4 billion. In the past years, India has surely made several changes in its academic structure; some challenges are yet to pass.

The new National Educational Policy offers a comprehensive strategy to enhance the quality of education and bridge the gap in socioeconomic disparities in Indian society. Its success calls for a robust collaboration between private and government entities. Therefore, if properly executed, NEP 2020 has the potential to shape India’s education system.

Q1 When will the new education policy be implemented?

The New Education Policy (NEP) came into existence in 2020 and was implemented in the 2023-2024 academic year. It included syllabus updates and restructuring of the grade system. It focuses on covering the pitfalls of the Indian educational system, removing the concept of rote learning. Moreover, it addressed the issue of multiple boards which existed in the old system.

Q2. Is the 10th board removed as per the new education policy?

As per the New Education Policy 2024 from the 2025-26 session, the students can appear for their 10th and 12th  board exams twice in a year.  This is done to reduce the academic pressure among students. Furthermore, students will get 10 bagless days in school every year.

Q3. How will the NEP address issues of access and equity in education?

The new education policy 2024 focuses on various key areas, among them are access to education and promoting equity in education. For this, it has prioritised the use of technology and promotion of skill-based learning. This will expand the scope of education to remote areas with online education and increase access to education. Meanwhile, there are steps to be taken to improve the quality of online and distance education so that no student has to give up his/her academics.

Q4. How will the NEP impact higher education in India?

The various features outlined by NEP intend to double the GER percentage in higher education till 2035 which will position India as a global education hub. The new education policy will bring flexibility to the curriculum through an interdisciplinary approach, multiple exit options, and encouraging internationalisation.

Q5. What is the role of teachers in the implementation of the NEP?

Right from the early stage of school education, teachers play an important in the effective implementation of

NEP. At the school level, teachers have to create a fun and activity-based learning environment which slowly will take the shape of project-based learning. Regular faculty training and evaluation will also be done. Teachers have to contribute to curriculum development and policy-making as per NEP 2024.

Q6. What long-term impact is expected from the NEP on the overall quality of education in India?

The New Education Policy’s long-term goal is to make India a global hub for education and skilled manpower in the next 25 years of ‘Amrit Kaal’. It provides valuable insights and changes to the drawbacks in the existing education system of India. This will enhance the quality of education and bring the education at par with the world.

Q7. How will NEP affect online and distance education?

In the new education policy of 2023, there is a huge focus on online and distance education to remove all the barriers and increase student participation in higher education. The following key initiatives are taken for online education as per NEP:

Pilot studies in online education

Strengthening of digital infrastructure

Boost in online learning platforms and tools

Blended mode of learning to be included

Proper training and incentives for teachers

Creation and regular upgradation of virtual labs

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National Education Policy, 2020

• 30 Jul 2020
• GS Paper - 2
• Government Policies & Interventions

Why in News

Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 with an aim to introduce several changes in the Indian education system - from the school to college level.

• The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”.
• The Cabinet has also approved the renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Education.
• The two earlier education policies were brought in 1968 and 1986.
• Universalization of education from preschool to secondary level with 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
• To bring 2 crore out of school children back into the mainstream through an open schooling system.

• It will bring the uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child.
• It will also have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.
• Class 10 and 12 board examinations to be made easier, to test core competencies rather than memorised facts, with all students allowed to take the exam twice.
• School governance is set to change, with a new accreditation framework and an independent authority to regulate both public and private schools.
• Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, no rigid separation between academic streams, extracurricular, vocational streams in schools.
• Vocational Education to start from Class 6 with Internships.
• Teaching up to at least Grade 5 to be in mother tongue/regional language. No language will be imposed on any student.
• Assessment reforms with 360 degree Holistic Progress Card, tracking Student Progress for achieving Learning Outcomes
• By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.

• The current Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education is 26.3%.
• Holistic Undergraduate education with a flexible curriculum can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period.
• M.Phil courses will be discontinued and all the courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD level will now be interdisciplinary.
• Academic Bank of Credits to be established to facilitate Transfer of Credits.
• Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.
• The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.
• National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation,
• General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting,
• Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding,
• National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation.
• Over a period of time, every college is expected to develop into either an autonomous degree-granting College, or a constituent college of a university.

• An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
• National Assessment Centre- 'PARAKH' has been created to assess the students.
• It also paves the way for foreign universities to set up campuses in India.
• It emphasizes setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund, Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups.
• National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation to be set up.
• It also aims to increase the public investment in the Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
• Currently, India spends around 4.6 % of its total GDP on education.

Education In India

• Part IV of Indian Constitution, Article 45 and Article 39 (f) of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), has a provision for state-funded as well as equitable and accessible education.
• The education policies by the Central government provides a broad direction and state governments are expected to follow it. But it is not mandatory, for instance Tamil Nadu does not follow the three-language formula prescribed by the first education policy in 1968.
• The 86 th Amendment in 2002 made education an enforceable right under Article 21-A.
• It also mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged sections of the society where disadvantaged groups
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan , Mid Day Meal Scheme , Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS schools), Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV schools) and use of IT in education are a result of the NEP of 1986.

Way Forward

• A New Education Policy aims to facilitate an inclusive, participatory and holistic approach, which takes into consideration field experiences, empirical research, stakeholder feedback, as well as lessons learned from best practices.
• It is a progressive shift towards a more scientific approach to education. The prescribed structure will help to cater the ability of the child – stages of cognitive development as well as social and physical awareness. If implemented in its true vision, the new structure can bring India at par with the leading countries of the world.

• Readers’ Blog

New Education Policy: Advantages & Disadvantages

Recently many changes have been introduced in the academic system of India starting from the school to college level. New National Education Policy has been approved by the Union Cabinet reflecting all the changes. This newly approved plan talks about major transformational reforms in the Indian academic sector which are appreciated by many. Along with appreciation, there is also criticism which focuses on the drawbacks of this new education policy.

Following ARE THE Advantaged and Disadvantaged of New Education Policy 2020

Advantages:

1.    The Government aims to make schooling available to everyone with the help of NEP 2020.

2.    Approximately two crore school students will be able to come back to educational institutes through this new approach.

3.    According to the national education policy 2020, the 5+3+3+4 structure will replace the existing 10+2 structure. This structure is focused on student’s formative years of learning. This 5+3+3+4 structure corresponds to ages from 3 to 8, 8 to 11, 11 to 14 and 14 to 18. 12 years of schooling, 3 years if Anganwadi and pre-schooling are included in this structure.

4.    For children up to the age of 8, a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education will be designed and developed by NCERT.

5.    According to the national education policy 2020, the Education Ministry is to set up a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. The responsibility for successful implementation for achieving the foundation of numeracy and literacy for all students till class three falls upon the states of India. This implementation is scheduled to be done by 2025.

6.    One of the merits of NEP 2020 is the formation of the National Book promotion Policy in India.

7.    Appropriate authorities will conduct the school examinations for grades 3, 5 and 8. The board exams for grades 10 and 12 will continue but the NEP 2020 aims to re-design the structure with holistic development.

8.    Parakh national education policy is to be set up by the Government.

9.    Special daytime boarding school “Bal Bhavans” to be established in every state/ district in India. This boarding school will be used for participation in activities related to play, career, art.

10. According to the national education policy 2020,  an Academic Bank of Credit will be established. The credits earned by the students can be stored and when the final degree gets completed, those can be counted.

11. According to the national education policy 2020, Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities at par with the  IITs and IIMs will be set up in the country. These are scheduled to be set up for introducing multidisciplinary academic.

12. The same list of accreditation and regulation rules will be used for guiding both the public and private academic bodies.

13. Phased out college affiliation and autonomy will be granted to colleges.

14. By the year 2030, it will be mandatory to have at least a four year B. Ed degree for joining the occupation of teaching.

15. For making the students prepared for future pandemic situations, online academic will be promoted on a larger scale.

Drawbacks :

1.    In the National Education Policy 2020, language is a negative factor as there is a problematic teacher to student ratio in India, thus introducing mother languages for each subject in academic institutes is a problem. Sometimes, finding a competent teacher becomes a problem and now another challenge comes with the introduction of the NEP 2020, which is bringing study material in mother languages.

2.    According to the national education policy 2020, students willing to complete their graduation have to study for four years while one can easily complete his/ her diploma degree in two years. This might encourage the pupil to leave the course midway.

3.    According to the national education policy 2020, students of the private schools will be introduced to English at a much earlier age than the students of the Government schools. The academic syllabus will be taught in the respective regional languages of the Government school students. This is one of the major new education policy drawbacks as this will increase the number of students uncomfortable in communicating in English thus widening the gap between sections of the societies.

Implementation:

The new education policy in 2020 came after 30 years and is all set to change the existing academic system of India with the purpose of making it at par with the international standard of academic. The Government of India aims to set up the NEP by the year 2040. Till the targeted year, the key point of the plan is to be implemented one by one. The proposed reform by NEP 2020 will come into effect by the collaboration of the Central and the State Government. Subject wise committees will be set up the GOI with both central and state-level ministries for discussing the implementation strategy.

Conclusion: With the introduction of NEP 2020, many changes have been made and one of those is the discontinuation of the M. Phil course. Even though there are many drawbacks to the new education policy, the merits are more in number. It is believed by many that by implementing these changes, the Indian academic system will be taken a step higher.

excellent information. i want to know the highlights of nep and i got through this article. thank you so much.

the reader like me hopes for a genuine conclusion in these blogs...just a neutral information makes the mediocre readers like us in bay....!!!

what about govt school, it will closedown after nep implementation education is expensive how will poor students gets educated

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National Education Policy (NEP 2020)

The Union Cabinet approved the National Education Policy (NEP) in July 2020. This policy will usher in sweeping changes to the education policy of the country, including a renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development as the Education Ministry.  This article on education in India is aligned with the UPSC Syllabus and is relevant for prelims and mains examination.

National Education Policy 2020 UPSC Notes Download PDF Here

Education and topics related to education in India are relevant for the IAS Exam and are often seen in the news and hence are important for the UPSC Mains. Aspirants can find notes for UPSC Mains General Studies topics from the links given at the end of the article.

Candidates must read about NIPUN Bharat Programme that has been launched as a part of New Education Policy 2020, in June 2021.

The Union Cabinet has approved the new National Education Policy 2020 with an aim to introduce several changes in the Indian education system – from the school to the college level.

• Its aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”.
• The Cabinet has also approved the renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Education.
• The New Education Policy cleared by the Cabinet is only the third major revamp of the framework of education in India since independence.
• The two earlier education policies were brought in 1968 and 1986.

Aspirants should read about New Education Policy along with other education-related topics to holistically cover this article. Such similar articles are linked below:

In this article, you will get the following facts about the new National Education Policy 2020 for the UPSC exam:

What is the new National Education Policy 2020?

National Education Policy of India – Background:

The Ministry of Human Resource Development formed a Committee chaired by Dr K. Kasturirangan for preparing the National Education Policy. The Committee was constituted in June 2017.  The Committee submitted its report on May 31, 2019.

The National  Policy on Education covers elementary and university education in urban as well as rural India. 

• The very first policy for education was promulgated in 1968 with the second one following in 1986. 
• The first NPE was based on the recommendations of the Education Commission (1964-66). This policy sought to have a ‘radical restructuring’ of India’s educational system and equalizing opportunities for education for all, to accomplish national integration and better economic and cultural development. 
• The NPE also called for realizing compulsory education for every child until the age of fourteen, as mentioned in the Indian Constitution. 
• It also aimed at providing enhanced training and improving teachers’ qualifications.

Compare NEP 2020 with NEP 1991 in the linked article.

Some relevant points from the official NEP 2020 PDF that can be useful for the UPSC Mains Exam:

• NEP 2020 is the 21st Century’s first education policy in India.
• The development of the creative potential of each student is emphasized in the National Education Policy 2020.
• The NEP 2020 mentioned the ancient scholars like Charaka and Susruta, Aryabhata, Bhaskaracharya, Chanakya, Madhava, Patanjali, Panini and Thiruvalluvar.
• Flexibility
• No hard separations between subjects, curricular and extra-curricular activities
• Multi-disciplinary education
• Conceptual understanding
• Critical thinking
• Ethical Values
• Teachers as the heart of the learning process
• The strong public education system

Also, read State of School Education in India . 

Features of National Education Policy 2020

The National Education Policy as submitted by the Kasturirangan Committee submitted an education policy that seeks to address the following challenges facing the existing education system:

• Affordability
• Accountability 
• The policy provides for reforms at all levels of education from school to higher education. 
• NEP aims to increase the focus on strengthening teacher training, reforming the existing exam system, early childhood care and restructuring the regulatory framework of education. 
• Increasing public investment in education,
• Setting up NEC (National Education Commission),
• Increasing focus on vocational and adult education,
• Strengthening the use of technology, etc.

Compare the features of the New Education Policy with National Agricultural Education Policy .

Key Recommendations of National Education Policy 2020

The National Education Policy 2020 has recommendations and reforms with respect to the following items:

You can read the complete set of recommendations of the NEP 2020 in CNA dated July 30, 2020 .

The above-mentioned recommendations are explained below.

Early Childhood Care and Education

The NEP recommended that early childhood care & education be developed in a two-part curriculum consisting of: 

• Guidelines for Parents & Teachers of students up to 3 years of age
• An educational framework for students between the ages of 3-8 years

The NEP talks about the implementation of these recommendations by expanding and improving the quality of the Anganwadi system and co-locating them with primary schools. 

Right to Education Act, 2009

The NEP recommended extending the range of the  Right to Education Act ,2009 to include the following education levels:

• Early Childhood &
• Secondary School

This will allow coverage of RTE to all children between the ages of 3-18 years. In addition, it suggested the elimination of detention of children until class eight. 

Curriculum Framework

Reforms in the framework of the current curriculum of school education are based on the development needs of the students. The NEP recommends the 5-3-3-4 pattern explained in the table below:

School Exam Reforms

Reforms in the school exam recommended by the NEP include tracking the progress of the students throughout their school experience. 

• It includes State Census Exams in class 3, 5 and 8. 
• Another important recommendation was the restructuring of the 10th board exam that would mainly focus and test only the skills, core concepts and higher-order thinking & capacities. 

Regulatory Structure and Accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions

In terms of Accreditation and Regulatory structure, the NEP recommended the following changes:

• Setting up NHERA (National Higher Education Regulatory Authority),
• Separating NAAC from UGC into an autonomous and independent body.

Read more on the UGC in the linked article.

National Research Foundation

In order to improve the quality of research in India, the NEP recommended:

• It would be an autonomous body that would administer the mentoring, funding and capacity building for quality research in India.

Education Governance

The NEP recommended establishing an apex body for education headed by the Prime Minister under the name Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog or National Education Commission .

• It also suggested changing the name of the Ministry of Human Resources & Development to the Ministry of Education.

Financing Education

Doubling the public investment for education was one of the important recommendations of the NEP 2020.

• NEP 2020 insisted on the expenditure of 6% of the GDP on education.
• Doubling the current 10% of total public expenditure to 20% in the next decade was recommended. 

National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology

The NEP suggested setting up an autonomous body that would facilitate decision making on the deployment, induction and use of technology. NEP said that this would be achieved by implementing the following measures:

• The recommended autonomous body would be administered under this mission. 
• It will also include virtual laboratories in various disciplines providing remote access. 

Vocational Courses 

Recommendations of NEP 2020 with respect to Vocational courses can be listed as follows:

• Students in classes 9 to 12 must receive vocational education on at least one vocation,
• Schools should build expert curriculum delivery methods that are aligned with National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) competency levels,
• Higher Education Institutes must also provide vocational courses that are integrated into undergraduate education programmes.

Three Language Formula

The Policy recommended that the three-language formula be continued and flexibility in the implementation of the formula should be provided. The three-language formula states that state governments should adopt and implement the study of a modern Indian language, preferably one of the southern languages, apart from Hindi and English in the Hindi-speaking states, and of Hindi along with the regional language and English in the non-Hindi speaking states. 

National Education Policy 2020 Concerns

Some of the concerns expressed about the NEP 2020 are as follow:

• The report fails to address and incorporate ideas based on contemporary global thinking like the emphasis on creativity and critical thinking and the need for learning in a non-competitive and non-hierarchical ecosystem and discovering one’s true passion without any sense of fear.
• Delivering the changes proposed related to Anganwadis may be difficult despite the focus given to early childhood care and schooling.
• The propositions of volunteer teachers, peer tutoring, rationalisation of the system of schools and sharing of resources do not seem like long-term solutions.
• Lack of clarity in government strategies regarding the Public Sector like municipal schools, state-run institutions, Kendra Vidyalaya, etc. 
• The creation of a National Testing Agency (NTA) has generated scepticism. The NTA, though envisaged to serve as a premier, expert, autonomous testing organisation to conduct entrance examinations for admissions and fellowships in higher educational institutions may, in reality, lead to loss of autonomy among the universities and departments over admissions.

For a critical analysis of the National Education Policy 2020, check CNA dated July 31, 2020 editorials .

Merits of New Education Policy 2020

• Comprehensive : NEP seeks to address the entire gamut of education from preschool to doctoral studies, and from professional degrees to vocational training.
• Early Childhood Education : In adopting a 5+3+3+4 model for school education starting at age 3, the New education Policy recognizes the primacy of the formative years from ages 3 to 8 in shaping the child’s future
• Easy on Regulations:  NEP 2020 makes a bold prescription to free our schools, colleges and universities from periodic “inspections” and place them on the path of self-assessment and voluntary declaration
• Holistic : The policy, inter alia, aims to eliminate problems of pedagogy, structural inequities, access asymmetries and rampant commercialization.
• Promote Inclusion:  The Policy proposes the creation of ‘inclusion funds’ to help socially and educationally disadvantaged children pursue education

To complement the GS 1 preparation, candidates can check the following links:

UPSC Questions related to National Education Policy 2020

Who is the chairman of the national education policy 2020.

K. Kasturirangan is the chairman of the National Education Policy 2020.

When was the National Policy on Education formulated?

There were National Education Policies in 1968, 1986, 1992 and the latest in 2020. The gist of New Education Policy discussion on RSTV-Big Picture episode can be checked at the linked article.

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New education policy (nep) 2020: a roadmap for india 2.0.

Alok Kumar , Jain (Deemed to-be University) Follow

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is formulated to revamp education system and lay down road map for new India. It was approved Indian cabinet on 29th July 2020. This paper is a maiden attempt to highlight NEP 20020 and study India 2.0 vision towards overall transformation education system to meet the challenges of 21st Century. This study is based on secondary data and exploratory in nature. Findings are based on a systematic review of existing literature. It was found that one of the main objectives of NEP 2020 is to increase student’s enrollment in all educational institutions such as elementary school, professional and higher education by 2030. To achieve that it has suggested progressive reform in the existing education and governance systems. This study is preliminary review of policy document and it can be taken as base for future research with empirical data to study the impact of NEP after its implementation. NEP 2020 is expected to give big leap to higher education in India. The vision is to create India 2.0 for 21st century which is bound to take leadership role at global arena. NEP 2020 is largely a very progressive document, with a firm grasp on the current socio-economic landscape and the prospect to meet future challenges. If implemented properly; then it has got everything to make India global hub in education by 2030.

https://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781955833042

Recommended Citation

Kumar, A. (2021). New education policy (NEP) 2020: A roadmap for India 2.0. In W. B. James, C. Cobanoglu, & M. Cavusoglu (Eds.), Advances in global education and research (Vol. 4, pp. 1–8). USF M3 Publishing. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781955833042

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Education Policy Outlook

The Education Policy Outlook is the OECD's analytical observatory of education policy. It monitors the evolution of policy priorities and policy developments from early childhood education to adult education, mainly among OECD education systems, to provide a comparative understanding of how policies are evolving, and how they can be best implemented or improved over time.

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We analyse and document education policy developments from over 40 education systems to help policy makers promote more relevant and impactful education policies. Every year, we identify international priorities for education policy, key ongoing efforts, and lessons to help education systems become more responsive and resilient in a changing world. We help systems move from “agenda setting” to “policy action” through:

• Policy dialogue

• Comparative analysis

• Country-based work 

We facilitate exchanges of best practices in education policy, including policy design, implementation, and evaluation across education levels. Starting in 2023, we support countries to follow up on the goals established in the 2022 Ministerial Declaration on Building Equitable Societies Through Education . These are our key activities:

Policy Dialogue:

·       The Education Policy Reform Dialogues are the leading OECD forum on education policy. They provide a venue for senior policy makers at Vice-Minister, Permanent Secretary or equivalent level to discuss strategies and actions to meet the goals of the 2022 Declaration. The Dialogues promote honest, evidence-informed conversations about what has worked in education policy and why it has worked in different contexts.

Comparative analysis:

·       Grounded in research and data analysis, our annual comparative reports provide evidence-informed insights into thematic areas of specific relevance for international education policy landscapes. They offer perspectives on policy priorities, efforts, and pointers for action, and serve as the substantive background for every edition of the Dialogues .

·       Policy briefs and virtual workshops assist policymakers in overcoming specific implementation challenges identified during the Dialogues .

Country-based work:

·       The Country Policy Profiles build on the most recent OECD and non-OECD international data available to offer a context-based and comparative diagnosis of education systems’ strengths and challenges, as well as relevant policy initiatives and pointers to move forward. They may also include international examples that could serve as inspiration for specific challenges.

·       The Policy Dialogue in Focus initiatives are tailored, practice-oriented seminars, either virtual or in-person, focused on a key policy topic or challenge selected in consultation with a country. Discussions are designed to promote peer learning and reflection, and facilitate the co-construction of policy pointers for action, covering policy design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

·       The Diagnostic Country Reviews on Responsiveness and Resilience in Education Policy provide education systems with a diagnosis of related strengths, challenges and possible steps forward.

Follow up on the goals established by the 2022 Ministerial Declaration on Building Equitable Societies Through Education .

Areas of work

Country-based work.

Our country-based work consists of:

Country profiles

The education policy reforms finder, other selected country-based work, comparative work.

Our  comparative work  consists of flagship publications that deliver comparative insights into education policy trends and reform processes.

Education Policy Outlook Series

Other selected comparative work, thematic research.

Our  thematic research  explores specific education policy issues from the OECD perspective. 

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Behavioural insights, stakeholder engagement.

- Education Policy Reform Dialogues

- Policy Dialogues in Focus

- Voices of Education Policy Series 

Comparative reports

Country policy profiles

An Education Policy Outlook Profile reviews the current context and situation of the country’s education system and examines its challenges and policy responses, according to six policy levers that support improvement:

• Students : How to raise outcomes for all in terms of 1) equity and quality and 2) preparing students for the future.
• Institutions : How to raise quality through 3) school improvement and 4) evaluation and assessment.
• System : How the system is organised to deliver education policy in terms of 5) governance and 6) funding.
• Brazil (2021) with a focus on National and Subnational Policies ( EN - PRT *)
• Brazil (2021) with a focus on International Policies ( EN - PRT *)

* The Portuguese translations of these profiles were carried out by Itaú Social.

• France ( EN - FR )

Kazakhstan ( EN - RU )

• Luxembourg ( EN - FR )
• Japan ( EN - JPN )
• Slovak Republic
• United Kingdom
• Germany ( EN - DEU )
• Netherlands
• Portugal ( EN - PRT )
• New Zealand

Initial education policy responses to COVID-19

Country snapshots.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. Education systems across the world have felt the force of the crisis as confinement measures triggered widespread closures, with some gradual reopening of education institutions.

In light of work of the  Education Policy Outlook  in 2020 in the context of the pandemic, these snapshots compile some analysis undertaken by the OECD Secretariat for some of its  Education Policy Outlook country policy profiles  published in 2020*, specifically about system readiness in the context of COVID-19. They offer an insight into immediate responses in some education systems to ensure continuity in education delivery during the initial stages of the pandemic.

The information presented in these snapshots is organised according to the Education Policy Outlook’s Framework for Responsiveness and Resilience in Education. This framework is currently under development, in consultation with over 40 participating education systems, with the aim of helping education systems rise to a new- but also a better- normal, with thriving societies. This framework is scheduled for finalisation in the third quarter of 2021.

(*): With analytical and financial collaboration from the European Commission for some of them.

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 For further information about the Education Policy Outlook Project, contact  EDU.Policy@oecd.org .

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The new education policy 2020, digitalization and quality of life in india: some reflections.

1. Introduction

2. literature review, 3. methodology, 3.1. objectives.

• Experimental learning, new pedagogical curriculum structure, and flexibility in learning may give scopes for improvement in the overall standard and quality of education.
• Integration of knowledge, skill development, and employability through holistic education are likely to provide better opportunities.
• The multidimensional development conceived on physical, mental, and emotional areas of human beings will elevate QOL.
• The key agenda of government on digitalization of education in its all aspects presumably can produce synergies required for human and social development.
• A multidisciplinary approach, lifelong learning, and fostering the unique capabilities of learners invariably will strengthen QOL.

3.2. Frame of Study and Data Issues

3.3. questionnaire, 3.4. model building, 4. data analysis and findings, 5. structural modeling, 5.1. model building, 5.2. the estimated structural equations, 6. limitations, 7. conclusion and policy recommendations, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, appendix a. questionnaires.

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Muralidharan, K.; Shanmugan, K.; Klochkov, Y. The New Education Policy 2020, Digitalization and Quality of Life in India: Some Reflections. Educ. Sci. 2022 , 12 , 75. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020075

Muralidharan K, Shanmugan K, Klochkov Y. The New Education Policy 2020, Digitalization and Quality of Life in India: Some Reflections. Education Sciences . 2022; 12(2):75. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020075

Muralidharan, Kunnummal, Kulandaivel Shanmugan, and Yury Klochkov. 2022. "The New Education Policy 2020, Digitalization and Quality of Life in India: Some Reflections" Education Sciences 12, no. 2: 75. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020075

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National Education Policy 2023 – NEP 2023 Highlights

Introduction to national education policy 2023.

The National Education Policy was established in the year 2020. It came into existence during the academic year of 2023-24, thereby becoming popular as the NEP 2023. The policy is termed as one of the pathbreaking and game-changer documents that have been conceived and formulated with the objective of bringing about a complete transformation in the Indian education system by 2030.

The New National Education Policy 2023 critically envisions a brand-new holistic education system for the country, hinging on the effective adoption of modern training methods, application of technology, and imparting practical and contemporary skills, to shape the overall personality of students. The NEP 2023 aims to help students define and recharge their creative, analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities, topped by actively pursuing digital literacy.

Overall, the NEP 2023 provides for large-scale reforms in higher education, aiming to bring in more flexibility, shifting the focus from exam-centric to holistic and experiential, clearcut provision of entry/exit options, key synchronization of vocational subjects, and portability of academic credits to enable more mobility.

National Education Policy 2023

In summary, NEP 2023 or National Education Policy 2023 outlines the framework for the elementary education system, besides vocational training across the country. The NEP 2023 replaces the National Policy on Education of 1986 and spells out a significant shift in terms of many aspects, affecting certain historical changes. The most important among them is the transition from a 10 + 2  structure to a 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 system.

At the heart of National Education Policy 2023 lies the objective to realize an innovative, student-centric structure that segments student education into four stages: Foundational, Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary. The stages are considered crucial and in a natural order where students progress from one stage to another mentally, shaping and broadening the thought process in a holistic manner.

The NEP 2023 incorporates numerous shifts and changes in the education policy. It also provides for an increase in education expenditure from 3% to 6% of the GDP on a priority basis.

New National Education Policy 2023 Focus   

The new education policy focuses on transforming the Indian education system by providing equitable and quality education to all children aged 3-18 years.

NEP 2023 Goals

The goals are to develop creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills, and vocational skills, and promote lifelong learning.

New Education Policy 2023 Key Skills

Key skills to focus on include creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Let us list down the key areas where significant changes and shifts have been recommended in National Education Policy 2023:

NEP 2023 – Literacy Goal

To achieve 100% youth and adult literacy by 2030.

Fundamental Structural Change with NEP 2023

National Education Policy 2023 calls for replacing the 10 + 2 structure with a 5+3+3+4 model, recommended to attain foundational literacy and numeracy among students by Grade 3.

NEP 2023 Highlights

The policy states, “The highest priority of the education system will be to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school by 2025. The rest of this Policy will become relevant for our students only if this most basic learning requirement (i.e., reading, writing, and arithmetic at the foundational level) is first achieved. To this end, a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy will be set up by the Ministry of Education on priority. Accordingly, all State/UT governments will immediately prepare an implementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools, identifying stage-wise targets and goals to be achieved by 2025, and closely tracking and monitoring the progress of the same”. Subsequently, the NIPUN Bharat Mission (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) was launched on 5 July 2021 to achieve this goal.

The transition of the model, as per National Education Policy 2023, will be implemented by reclassifying the education stages as the following:

• Foundational Stage: The fundamental stage of laying the foundation that is further stratified into two substages: 3 years of preschool or Anganwadi, followed by classes 1 and 2 in primary school. This essentially covers children between 3 and 8 years. The focus will be on activity-based learning.
• Preparatory Stage: Covering students of class 3-5, and in the age bracket, 8–10 years. Students will be steadily exposed to the fundamental learning aspects of speaking, reading, writing, physical education, art, science, languages, and mathematics.
• Middle Stage: This stage covers students of classes 6 to 8, in the age group of 11 and 13 years. It will introduce students to more abstract concepts in mathematics, sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities.
• Secondary Stage: Classes 9 to 12, covering the ages of 14–18 years. It is subclassified into two parts: classes 9 and 10, covering the first phase, while classes 11 and 12, covering the second phase. These 4 years of study is intended to inculcate multidisciplinary learning, driven by depth and critical thinking. This provides for multiple options of subjects.

NEP 2023 Examination Structure

The examinations will not be conducted every year but will be held as three milestones, at the end of the classes, 2, 5 & 8.

Revamped examination structure: Students will now actively participate in exams in grades 2, 5, and 8. This reduces the burden and periodicity of assessments that constantly keep children under pressure, with exam-mode preparation overpowering holistic learning. Board exams for grades 10 and 12 will change significantly, where biannual mode will be embraced and objective-descriptive formats will take center stage.

The New Education Policy 2023 thus aims to reduce the curriculum burden on students and will be more ‘inter-disciplinary and multi-lingual’. The reforms begin with the model of examinations.

Mother tongue promotion

The cornerstone of the New Education Policy 2023 is the importance accorded to education in one’s mother tongue. Up to class 5, the medium of instruction will be the mother tongue, with a scope to extend it to grade 8 in the future. In the thick of a national debate where governments are seen fervently promoting English as the medium of instruction from even the primary school level, this prescription reveals the crucial side of education built on the linguistic foundation.

The provision is meant to enhance students’ comprehension and enable the flow of more effective communication with teachers, building stronger bonds, and staying well-connected to one’s cultural roots and background. Through this encouragement, the NEP 2023 intends to enhance language proficiency and clear the cultural chasms encountered by this generation of students.

Interdisciplinary Curriculum

The NEP 2023 encourages interdisciplinary and multilingual education, fostering the promotion of a flexible curriculum that nurtures diverse skills and encourages seamless attainment of knowledge. Transformation is the Mantra that drives the New Education Policy 2023.

Coding and Experimental Learning

Changing according to times, coding will become an integral part of the curriculum in 6th grade, and by integrating experimental learning methods, there will be increased focus on practical and experiential understanding.

Health Focus

The National Education Policy 2023 extends the mid-day meal scheme to include breakfast, with the addition of counselors and social workers to prioritize students’ health and mental well-being.

Higher Education Reforms

Multidisciplinary Bachelor’s Degrees: A flexible 4-year undergraduate program with multiple exit points (certificate, diploma, bachelor’s) that help students gain proficiency in a particular skill set, completely.

• Goodbye to M.Phil.: The New Education Policy 2023 discontinues M.Phil. courses.
• Higher Education Commission: Under NEP 2023, a Higher Education Commission of India will operate to regulate and manage higher education that works proactively on enrollment ratios and ensure higher academic standards.
• Regulatory Councils: As per National Education Policy 2023, a National Higher Education Regulatory Council will oversee higher education (this excludes medical and legal education). Also, a Higher Education Grant Council will financially aid universities and colleges, thus effectively replacing existing bodies.
• Internationalization: The policy fosters international collaboration by allowing foreign universities and institutes to set up campuses and centers in India. This is aimed at maximizing international exposure for students.
• Fee Regulation: Both private and public universities will ensure regulated fees, to realize equitable access to quality education
• College Affiliation: Will be phased out in 15 years, lending autonomous status to the colleges
• District-level Universities: At least one high-quality multidisciplinary institute of excellence will be established in every district of the country by 2030, providing broader access to education
• Multidisciplinary Universities: All universities will graduate into major multidisciplinary institutions by 2040, becoming destinations for holistic education.

NEP 2023 Teachers Policy Alterations

The NEP 2020 has listed certain significant policy alterations with respect to teachers and teacher education. Eligibility criteria have been clearly laid down to become a teacher. This includes a 4-year Bachelor of Education as the minimum requirement needed by 2030. Under the New National Education Policy 2023, the process of recruiting teachers is being strengthened and more transparency and equity is being brought into the system. The onus will be on the National Council for Teacher Education to formulate a National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education by 2021 and a National Professional Standards for Teachers by 2022.

New National Education Policy 2023 – How is it different from National Education Policy 1986

A significant departure is visible in many areas of the New National Education Policy 2023, in comparison with the older one. Let us broadly analyze some of the key differences between National Education Policy 2023 and National Education Policy 1986:

Holistic approach with a broader focus

In the New National Education Policy 2023, a strong emphasis has been laid on multiple dimensions that positively influence the overall growth of the student, mind development, and career clarity. This is seen in initiatives such as technology usage, experiential mode, and exit and entry options. Whereas, in the older National Education Policy 1986, the focus was on clearing exams, and gaining merits and degrees, since improving national literacy was the major challenge in those days.

Stress on language

The latest NEP 2023 displays unconditional veneration for Indian languages and identifies the cruciality of teaching in the mother tongue. The older policy did not touch down on this. Historic negligence of Indian languages seems to be aptly fixed in National Education Policy 2023, a much-needed attention that was grossly missing in the older education policies.

New Education Structure

With the latest 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 system, the National Education Policy 2023 calls for a paradigm shift that is set to turn into an epochal development. In the older policy, there was little attention or attempt to address the education structure reforms.

Multidisciplinary approach

Choosing a stream of choice with a career and passion in mind is always a challenge for the child. The choking that every child had to go through due to the terms of the older policy has been fixed in the New National Education Policy 2023. NEP 2023 clearly paves the way for a multidisciplinary approach that enables students to opt for subjects across streams, thus encouraging cross-disciplinary learning.

Education from early stages

The National Education Policy 2023 clearly attaches importance to education from early childhood. The older policy did not focus on this aspect.

As the latest NEP 2023 is unveiled and put into action, the world is already witnessing rapid progress and development on the technological front. The advent and intervention of technology have completely changed the way we live. The education sector is not immune to this. The NEP 2023 attempts to raise the bar in this direction and makes ample provisions to encourage and proliferate technological interventions in the education system. In the old policy of 1986, this was obviously missing.

Vocational education

The National Education Policy 2023 invites the incorporation of vocational education in mainstream education with appropriate synchronization that only complements conventional education rather than competing or cannibalizing it. With stress on fostering skill development and boosting entrepreneurship, the NEP 2023 constituents are on the job in the right way. The older policy only resulted in building degree factories where institutions were more into propagating the importance of mainstream subjects with an examination perspective. In the NEP 2023, there is a clear importance given to honing the skills and competencies of the children from a young age, thereby preparing them for their careers.

Experiential Learning

The National Education Policy 2023 is for experiential learning, encouraging learning while observing experiencing, and handling real-world applications. The older policy was hinging on rote learning and memorization.

Changes in Assessment Methods

The National Education Policy 2023 without any ambiguity calls for changes in the way assessment is carried out. This includes the adoption of continuous and complete evaluation, while the older policy of 1986 focused on examinations as the real and final benchmark of a student’s performance. NEP 2023 also proposes setting up of a new National Assessment Centre for evaluating learning outcomes.

Final Notes

This is all about the National Education Policy 2023, hope this article clears all the information about the NEP 2023 along with the difference between NEP 2023 with the previous education policies.

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Home » Social Justice » Issues related to Education Sector » New Education Policy

New Education Policy

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister recently approved the new National Education Policy 2020, making way for large scale, transformational reforms in both school and higher education sectors. This is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.

Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability , this policy is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs and aimed at bringing out the unique capabilities of each student .

Transforming School Education:

• NEP 2020 emphasizes on ensuring universal access to school education at all levels- pre-school to secondary.
• About 2 crores out of school children will be brought back into main stream under NEP 2020.
• With emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education, the 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.
• This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child.
• The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.
• Recognizing Foundational Literacy and Numeracy as an urgent and necessary prerequisite to learning, NEP 2020 calls for setting up of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by MHRD.
• The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st century skills, reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning.
• Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects.
• There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.
• Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.
• The policy has emphasized mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.
• Sanskrit to be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula.
• Other classical languages and literatures of India also to be available as options.
• No language will be imposed on any student.
• NEP 2020 aims to ensure that no child loses any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background.
• Special emphasis will be given on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups(SEDGs) which include gender, socio-cultural, and geographical identities and disabilities.
• Teachers will be recruited through robust, transparent processes.
• Promotions will be merit-based, with a mechanism for multi-source periodic performance appraisals and available progression paths to become educational administrators or teacher educators.
• A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022, in consultation with NCERT, SCERTs, teachers and expert organizations from across levels and regions.
• Schools can be organized into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including infrastructure, academic libraries and a strong professional teacher community.
• NEP 2020 envisages clear, separate systems for policy making, regulation, operations and academic matters.
• States/UTs will set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA).
• Transparent public self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information, as laid down by the SSSA, will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability.
• The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) through consultations with all stakeholders.

Transforming Higher Education:

• NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. 3.5 Crore new seats will be added to Higher education institutions.
• The policy envisages broad based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification.
• UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period.
• For example, Certificate after 1 year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s with Research after 4 years.
• Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body the for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education.
• HECI to have four independent verticals – National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting, Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, and National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation.
• HECI will function through faceless intervention through technology, & will have powers to penalise HEIs not conforming to norms and standards.
• Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.
• Higher education institutions will be transformed into large, well resourced, vibrant multidisciplinary institutions providing high quality teaching, research, and community engagement.
• The definition of university will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from Research-intensive Universities to Teaching-intensive Universities and Autonomous degree-granting Colleges.

Other Provisions for transformation of educational sector:

• NEP makes recommendations for motivating, energizing, and building capacity of faculty through clearly defined, independent, transparent recruitment, freedom to design curricula/pedagogy, incentivising excellence, movement into institutional leadership.
• Faculty not delivering on basic norms will be held accountable
• A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT.
• By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.
• Stringent action will be taken against substandard stand-alone Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).
• A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, with a large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty – including those with the ability to teach in Indian languages – who would be willing to provide short and long-term mentoring/professional support to university/college teachers.
• Efforts will be made to incentivize the merit of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and other SEDGs.
• The National Scholarship Portal will be expanded to support, foster, and track the progress of students receiving scholarships.
• Private HEIs will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of free ships and scholarships to their students.
• All professional education will be an integral part of the higher education system.
• Stand-alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities etc will aim to become multi-disciplinary institutions.
• Policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
• The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
• This will be expanded to play a significant role in increasing GER.
• Measures such as online courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student services, credit-based recognition of MOOCs, etc., will be taken to ensure it is at par with the highest quality in-class programmes.
• Recognising Importance of Formative years: In adopting a 5+3+3+4 model for school education starting at age 3, the policy recognises the primacy of the formative years from ages 3 to 8 in shaping the child’s future.
• Departure from Silos Mentality: Another key aspect of school education in the new policy is the breaking of the strict division of arts, commerce and science streams in high school. This can lay the foundation for a multi-disciplinary approach in high education.
• The Confluence of Education and Skills: Another laudable aspect of the scheme is the introduction of vocational courses with an internship. This may nudge the vulnerable sections of society to send their children to school. Also, it would help in realisation of the goal of Skill India Mission.
• Making Education More Inclusive: The NEP proposes the extension of the Right to Education (RTE) to all children up to the age of 18. Further, the policy seeks to leverage the huge potential of online pedagogy and learning methodologies for increasing gross enrolment in higher education.
• Light But Tight Oversight: According to the policy, in spite of periodic inspection, transparency, maintaining quality standards and a favourable public perception will become a 24X7 pursuit for the institutions, leading to all-round improvement in their standard. The policy also seeks to establish a super-regulator for education which will be responsible for standards-setting, funding, accreditation and regulation of higher education India.
• Allowing Foreign Universities: The document states universities from among the top 100 in the world will be able to set up campuses in India. This will lead to an infusion of international perspective and innovation, which will make the Indian education system more efficient and competitive.
• Ending Hindi vs. English Debate: Most crucially, NEP, once and for all, buries the strident Hindi versus English language debate; instead, it emphasises on making mother tongue, local language or the regional language the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, which is considered the best medium of teaching.

The new policy has tried to please all, and the layers are clearly visible in the document. It says all the right things and tries to cover all bases, often slipping off keel.

• Lack of integration: In both the thinking, and in the document, there are lags, such as the integration of technology and pedagogy. There are big gaps such as lifelong learning, which should have been a key element of upgrading to emerging sciences.
• Language barrier: There is much in the document ripe for debate – such as language. The NEP seeks to enable home language learning up to class five, in order to improve learning outcomes. Sure, early comprehension of concepts is better in the home language and is critical for future progress. If the foundations are not sound, learning suffers, even with the best of teaching and infrastructure. But it is also true that a core goal of education is social and economic mobility, and the language of mobility in India is English.
• Multilingualism debate: Home language succeeds in places where the ecosystem extends all the way through higher education and into employment. Without such an ecosystem in place, this may not be good enough. The NEP speaks of multilingualism and that must be emphasised. Most classes in India are de facto bilingual. Some states are blissfully considering this policy as a futile attempt to impose Hindi.
• Lack of funds: According to Economic Survey 2019-2020, the public spending (by the Centre and the State) on education was 3.1% of the GDP. A shift in the cost structure of education is inevitable. While funding at 6% of GDP remains doubtful, it is possible that parts of the transformation are achievable at a lower cost for greater scale.
• A move in haste: The country is grappled with months of COVID-induced lockdowns. The policy had to have parliamentary discussions; it should have undergone a decent parliamentary debate and deliberations considering diverse opinions.
• Overambitious: All aforesaid policy moves require enormous resources. An ambitious target of public spending at 6% of GDP has been set. This is certainly a tall order, given the current tax-to-GDP ratio and competing claims on the national exchequer of healthcare, national security and other key sectors. The exchequer itself is choked meeting the current expenditure.
• Pedagogical limitations: The document talks about flexibility, choice, experimentation. In higher education, the document recognizes that there is a diversity of pedagogical needs. If it is a mandated option within single institutions, this will be a disaster, since structuring a curriculum for a classroom that has both one-year diploma students and four-year degree students’ takes away from the identity of the institution.
• Institutional limitations: A healthy education system will comprise of a diversity of institutions, not a forced multi-disciplinarily one. Students should have a choice for different kinds of institutions. The policy risks creating a new kind of institutional isomorphism mandated from the Centre.
• Issues with examinations: Exams are neurotic experiences because of competition; the consequences of a slight slip in performance are huge in terms of opportunities. So the answer to the exam conundrum lies in the structure of opportunity. India is far from that condition. This will require a less unequal society both in terms of access to quality institutions, and income differentials consequent upon access to those institutions.
• There is a persistent mismatch between the knowledge & skills imparted and the jobs available. This has been one of the main challenges that have affected the Indian education system since Independence.
• NEP 2020 failed to check this, as it is silent on education related to emerging technological fields like artificial intelligence, cyberspace, nanotech, etc.
• An ambitious target of public spending at 6% of GDP has been set. Mobilising financial resources will be a big challenge, given the low tax-to-GDP ratio and competing claims on the national exchequer of healthcare, national security and other key sectors.
• The policy has also been criticised due to the legal complexities surrounding the applicability of two operative policies namely The Right to Education Act, 2009 and the New Education Policy, 2020. Certain provisions such as the age of starting schooling will need to be deliberated upon, in order to resolve any conundrum between the statute and the recently introduced policy in the longer run.
• it is pertinent to note that past attempts at parliamentary legislations under the erstwhile regulatory set up have not been successful. The failure can be attributed to the role of regulators and the intended legislative changes being out of alignment, as in the case of Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operations) Bill, 2010, which lapsed; and the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Act, 2018 which remained did not reach the Parliament.
• While the Universities Grants Commission and the All India Council for Technical Education have played a major role, questions pertaining to the role of the UGC and AICTE remain unanswered under the new policy.
• Doubling the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education by 2035 which is one of the stated goals of the policy will mean that we must open one new university every week, for the next 15 years.
• In higher education, the National Education Policy 2020’s focus on inter-disciplinary learning is a very welcome step. Universities, especially in India, have for decades been very silo-ed and departmentalized.
• This ambitious policy has a cost to be paid and the rest of the things dwells on its implementation in letter and spirit.
• Public investment is considered extremely critical for achieving the high-quality and equitable public education system as envisaged by the policy, that is truly needed for India’s future economic, social, cultural, intellectual and technological progress and growth.
• Implementation of the spirit and intent of the Policy is the most critical matter.
• It is important to implement the policy initiatives in a phased manner, as each policy point has several steps, each of which requires the previous step to be implemented successfully.
• Prioritization will be important in ensuring optimal sequencing of policy points, and that the most critical and urgent actions are taken up first, thereby enabling a strong base.
• Next, comprehensiveness in implementation will be key; as this Policy is interconnected and holistic, only a full-fledged implementation, and not a piecemeal one, will ensure that the desired objectives are achieved.
• Since education is a concurrent subject, it will need careful planning, joint monitoring, and collaborative implementation between the Centre and States.
• Timely infusion of requisite resources – human, infrastructural, and financial – at the Central and State levels will be crucial for the satisfactory execution of the Policy.
• Finally, careful analysis and review of the linkages between multiple parallel implementation steps will be necessary in order to ensure effective dovetailing of all initiatives.
• Need for Cooperative Federalism : Since education is a concurrent subject (both the Centre and the state governments can make laws on it), the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Centre and the states. Thus, the Centre has the giant task of building a consensus on the many ambitious plans.
• Strive Towards Universalisation of Education:There is a need for the creation of ‘inclusion funds’ to help socially and educationally disadvantaged children pursue education. Also, there is a need to set up a regulatory process that can check profiteering from education in the form of unaccounted donations.
• Bridging Digital Divide: If technology is a force-multiplier, with unequal access it can also expand the gap between the haves and have-nots. Thus, the state needs to address the striking disparities in access to digital tools for universalization of education.
• Inter-ministerial Coordination:There is an emphasis on vocational training, but to make it effective, there has to be close coordination between the education, skills and labour ministry.
• The New Education Policy 2020 aims to facilitate an inclusive, participatory and holistic approach, which takes into consideration field experiences, empirical research, stakeholder feedback, as well as lessons learned from best practices.
• It is a progressive shift towards a more scientific approach to education.
• The prescribed structure will help to cater the ability of the child – stages of cognitive development as well as social and physical awareness.
• If implemented in its true vision, the new structure can bring India at par with the leading countries of the world.
• The education policy should maintain a symbiotic relationship between the different regions of the country through the study of different languages.
• The quality of education provided in the country shall be such that it not only delivers basic literacy and numeracy but also creates an analytical environment in the country.

The New Education Policy-2020 represents aspirations to become a knowledge powerhouse of the world inculcating the best of the global educational experiments. The global education development agenda reflected in the Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by India in 2015 – seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. The Education policy is a step in the right direction given it is implemented throughout the long period it targets.

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Objectives of New Education Policy 2021

• Posted on August 17, 2021
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The main objective of the National Education Policy 2021 is to bring the education provided in India to the global level. So that India can become a global knowledge superpower. Universalization of education will done through the National Education Policy. In the National Education Policy 2021, through the government, many amendments have been made in the old education policy. So that the quality of education will improve and children will be able to get good education.

• 6% of GDP will spent for implementing the National Education Policy. • There will be an option to study Sanskrit and other ancient languages of India in studies. Students can study these languages if they want. • Changes will also made in board examinations. It may happen that board exams are taken twice a year to reduce the burden on the students. • Artificial intelligence software will also used to make studies easier. • MPhil degree from higher education is being abolished. • Extracurricular activities will placed in the main syllabus. • Students will be taught 3 languages which will decided by the state at their own level. • The National Curriculum Framework for School Education will prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. • To implement this new education policy , many institutions will established so that this policy can run smoothly. • Under the new National Education Policy, special attention will given to the education of children along with their skills. • Under the new education policy, if a student wants to leave a course in the middle and enroll in another course, then he can take a break from the first course for a certain time and join the second course.

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National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Overview, Reforms, Objectives!

‘Education’ plays a significant and remedial role in improving and balancing the country’s socio-economic framework.

The education system in India dates back to ancient times where children were taught in Gurukuls. The Guru used to teach as per the interest of the child, subjects varying from Sanskrit to the holy scriptures and from Mathematics to Metaphysics.

At that time, the Guru-Shishya system was the only means of education in India The Indian education system was enhanced with the emergence of universities such as Nalanda, Takshashila, Manassa, Ujjain, and Vikramshila.

The modern school education system was brought to India originally by Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay in the 1830s.

The Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate Education was the first Board established in India in 1921. Then, the Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Rajputana, was set up in 1929.

Eventually, in 1952, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) , a national level education board was introduced in India.

Topics Covered:

Present education system in india, educational statistics in india, major education initiatives by government.

• National Policy on Education

New Education Policy Consultation

National education policy (nep) 2020, principles of national education policy (nep) 2020.

• A vision of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
• Objectives and Reforms of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

Since the early days of Independence in 1945, the Indian Government has always focused on improving the literacy rate.

Free and Compulsory Education is made as to the Fundamental Right to children aged 6 to 14, under various articles of the Indian Constitution.

Education in India is primarily provided by government schools, government-aided private schools, private schools, and international schools.

According to the Education Statistical Yearbook 2019, there are around 15,22,346 recognized primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools in India.

As of 2020, India has over 1,000 universities and 52,627 colleges.

The approximate ratio of private schools to public schools in India is 5:7 . The private school system is competing with the public schools at the primary and secondary level, with 29% of students in the 6 to 14 age group receiving private education.

However, the private schools in India are regulated by the government in terms of what they can teach and what form they can operate alongside other aspects.

Levels of Education

The Indian education system is divided into different levels as following

• Pre-nursery
• Lower Primary – Class I to IV
• Upper Primary – Class V – VIII
• Secondary Education- Class IX – X
• Higher Secondary Education – Grade 11 and 12
• Under-Graduate or Bachelor’s Level Education
• Post-Graduate or Master’s Level Education
• Doctoral Studies or Ph.D. Level Education
• Vocational Education and Training
• Diploma Programs

Structure of the Indian Education System

The central board and most of the state boards uniformly follow the “10+2” structure of education. In this structure, the first 10 years is schooling, the next 2 years is higher secondary education and then followed by graduation.The first 10 years are further categorized into 4 years of primary education and 6 years of High School.

The Education Commission of 1964–66 has recommended the 10+2 pattern.

India holds a prominent position in the global education industry and has many accomplishments to celebrate.

There are over 250 million school going students in India, the highest in the world. Over 70 million children attend pre-primary, primary school with a consistent increase in primary enrolment.

The Right to Education Act has played a crucial role in reducing the number of Out of School Children (OOSC) aged 6 to 14 years, from 13.46 million in 2006 to 6 million in 2014.

Moreover, India has one of the largest networks of higher education institutions in India. There were around 37.4 million students enrolled in higher education in FY19 with Gross Enrolment Ratio of 26.3%.

According to UNESCO’s latest report, the literacy rate among the population aged 15-24 years is 91.6%; among 15 years and older, it is 74.37%; and among 65 years and older, it is 45.38%.

As per the market estimates, the Indian education market size is estimated to almost double to USD 180 billion by 2020, from USD 101.1 billion in 2019.

Following are some of the recent initiatives taken by the Government of India (GOI)

• In May 2020, Government launched PM eVIDYA, a program for multi-mode access to digital/online education
• The government allocated INR 59,845 crore for Department of School Education and Literacy in Union Budget 2020-21
• India announced Revitalizing Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) by 2022 with a proposed outlay of INR 3,000 crore
• Under Union Budget 2020-21, the government proposed apprenticeship embedded degree/diploma courses by March 2021 in about 150 higher educational institutions
• Around two crore candidates completed training in 254,897 registered training centers under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), as of February 2020
• India promoted a new scheme ‘Study in India’ to attract foreign students to higher educational institutions
• With an outlay of INR 6,655 crore, the government approved Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) in a bid to boost the Skill India Mission
• The GOI initiated the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat (EBSB) campaign to increase engagement between states, union territories, central ministries, educational institutions and public
• Introduction of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ program in October 2014
• Introduction of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme in August 2014

Evolution of National Education Policy in India

The achievements and progress in education being enjoyed today can be attributed to the vision of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Minister of Education in India.

Abul Kalam emphasized the need for robust governance by the centre over education throughout the country by implementing a uniform educational system.

In 1961, the Government of Jawaharlal Nehru formed the ‘ National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) ‘, as an autonomous organization to formulate and implement education policies.

However, the urgency for an education policy was first felt in 1964 when Congress MP Siddheshwar Prasad criticized the then government for lacking a vision and philosophy for education.

Subsequently, based on the recommendations of the Kothari Commission (1964–1966), the Government of PM Indira Gandhi announced the first National Policy on Education (NPE) in 1968. The Policy was prepared to improve the quality of education in the country and provide education to all the citizens.

National Policy on Education 1968

• Proposed equal educational opportunities
• Free and compulsory education for all children till the age of 14
• Specialized qualification of teachers
• Three-language formula in secondary education, English, Hindi and regional language
• Increasing education spending to 6% of the national income
• Uniform education structure: 10+2 pattern

In 1986, the Government of PM Rajiv Gandhi introduced the second National Policy on Education.

National Policy on Education 1986

• High emphasis on the removal of disparities and equalize educational opportunity
• “Child-centered Approach” in primary education
• “Operation Blackboard” to improve primary schools nationwide
• Creation of the “rural university” model
• Budget allocated to be 6% of GDP

The 1986 NPE was revised in 1992 by the Government of PM PV Narsimha Rao. The Programme of Action (PoA) 1992 has called for a common entrance examination across India for admission to professional and technical programs. In 2005, Former PM Manmohan Singh adopted a new policy based on the “Common Minimum Programme” of his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

After the 1986 NPE, significant socio-economic changes have taken place in India, emphasizing the need for the education sector to gear itself towards the demands of the 21 st century.

In a bid to prepare a new National Education Policy (NEP), the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) released the Draft New Education Policy (DNEP) in 2019, followed by several public consultations.

In July 2020, the Union Cabinet of India has approved the third National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), replacing the previous NPE 1986.

In January 2015, the government had initiated a consultation process to formulate a New Education Policy.

The Committee for the preparation of the DNEP has taken consideration of expert opinions, field experiences, empirical research, and stakeholder feedback for an inclusive, participatory and holistic approach.

The draft NEP is primarily based on the foundational pillars, namely Access, Affordability, Equity, Quality, and Accountability.

The Committee received over 2 lakh suggestions from 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and 676 districts.

After the submission of the Draft Report, the State Governments and various Ministries were invited to give their opinions on the Draft National Education Policy 2019 .

The Committee held meetings with State Education Secretaries of School Education and State Secretaries of Higher and Technical Education. An Education Dialogue was also organized with MP’s of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka, and Odisha.

On 29 th July 2020, the Government of PM Narendra Modi approved the ‘ National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) ‘, with an aim to transform India’s education system by 2040.

The NEP, after a gap of 34 years, has put in place a slew of education reforms in both the higher education and school sector. It intends to bring a systematic reform in the education sector rather than an incremental reform.

The NEP 2020 is the first education policy of the 21 st century and aims to address our country’s current developmental imperatives.

The Policy proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of the current education structure, including its regulation and governance, to forge a new education system that is on par with the aspirational objectives of 21 st century education.

The New Policy also renamed the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) as the Ministry of Education in a bid to bring the focus back on education and learning.

If implemented as per the plan, the new norms will reduce regulatory hassles, promote autonomy, and benefit students, education providers and the labor market.

The foundational principles of NEP 2020 are Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability , and Accountability . The Policy believes that the education system should develop good human beings with rational thinking, compassion, empathy, courage, resilience, scientific temper, creative imagination, and ethical values.

The fundamental principles of the Policy are

• Recognizing , Identifying , and Strengthening the unique capabilities of each student
• Promoting each student’s holistic development in both academic and non-academic spheres
• Achieving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in all students by Grade 3
• Flexibility for learners to choose their learning trajectories and programs, and thereby choose their paths as per their talents and interests
• No hard separations between arts and sciences, curricular and extra-curricular activities, vocational and academic streams, among others to eliminate harmful hierarchies and silos in areas of learning
• Multi-disciplinary and a holistic education across the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and sports to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge
• Promoti on of Multilingualism and the Power of Language in learning and teaching
• Life Skills such as communication, teamwork, cooperation, and resilience
• Regular Formative Assessment for learning instead of summative assessment
• Full Equity and Inclusion as the basis of all educational decisions
• Teachers and Faculty as the heart of the learning process
• ‘ Light but Tight’ regulatory framework to promote integrity, transparency and resource efficiency of the educational system
• Encouraging innovation and out-of-the-box ideas through Autonomy, Good Governance and Empowerment

A Vision of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

National Education Policy 2020 envisions an India-centric education system that provides high-quality education to all, thereby transforming India sustainable into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society in the world.

Objectives and Reforms of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

The NEP 2020 paves for numerous significant changes in the Indian education system. The changes and objectives of NEP 2020 are as follows

1) School Education

• The current ‘10+2’ structure covering ages 6-18 to be replaced by a new Pedagogical and Curricular Structure of ‘5+3+3+4’ corresponding to ages 3-18
• Instead of annual examinations every year, students will now only attend exams in Class 3, 5 and 8
• Class 10 and 12 Board Exams will be conducted as usual, but the exams will be made easier by allowing students to take exams twice a year. The exam will have two parts, Objective and Descriptive
• Universal standards of learning and regulations in public and private schools
• Vocational Education and coding will be introduced from Class 6
• Mother tongue or regional language to be the medium of instruction at least up to Class 5 and preferably till Class 8
• Report cards will be a 360-degree Holistic Progress Card that will give a comprehensive report on skills and capabilities instead of just marks and grades
• Focus on the curriculum to core concepts
• Universalization of education from Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) to Secondary Level
• Achieving 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030
• New National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Educator (ECE), schools, teachers and adult students
• Open Schooling System to bring two crore ‘Out Of School Children’ back into the mainstream
• Deployment of counselors and social workers to improve student’s mental health
• Midday Meal Scheme to be extended to include breakfasts  

2) Higher Education

• Holistic and Multi-disciplinary education in an undergraduate program with multiple exit options where the bachelor’s degree can be 3 or 4 years
• Phil. (Master of Philosophy) courses to be discontinued
• PG programs can be 1 or 2 years
• The National Testing Agency will conduct entrance examinations for admissions to universities across the country, apart from the JEE Main and NEET
• Establishment of Academic Bank of Credits to facilitate Transfer of Credits
• Setting up Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) as models of best multi-disciplinary education of global standards
• Establishment of National Research Foundation , an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education
• Establishment of Higher Education Council of India (HECI) to regulate higher education by preparing the same set of regulations, accreditation and academic standards for private and public institutions. The HECI will have four independent verticals, namely-
• National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for the regulation of higher education, except medical and legal education
• General Education Council (GEC) for setting standards
• Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding and financing of colleges and universities
• National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation
• The HECI will replace the existing National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the University Grants Commission (UGC)
• Phasing out the ‘Affiliation System’ at university level over a period of 15 years
• Increasing Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education from the current 26.3% to 50% by 2035
• Adding 3.5 crore seats in higher education

3) Teacher Education

• By 2023, the minimum qualification for teachers will be 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree
• Emphasis on strengthening and transparency of the teacher recruitment process
• NCTE to formulate a new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) 2021
• NCTE to frame National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) 2022

4) Other Major Objectives

• Establishment of National Education Commission
• Establishment of Special Education Zones (SEZs) to improve education among underrepresented groups in disadvantaged regions
• Gender Inclusion Fund , for improving and providing education for female and transgender children
• Establishment of National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) , a platform to facilitate the free exchange of ideas on technology usage in education
• National Assessment Centre- ‘PARAKH’ will assess the students
• Establishment of new language institutions such as the Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation and the National Institute/ Institutes for Pali, Persian and Prakrit
• Establishment of National Mission for Mentoring, National Book Promotion Policy, National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
• Increasing the education expenditure from the current 4.6% to 6% of the GDP at the earliest
• Massive usage of technology in education planning, teaching, learning and assessment

National Education Policy (NEP) – Making it Happen

The reforms and objectives of the NEP 2020 are provided from a broader perspective, and it’s not mandatory for state governments to follow them.

For instance, Tamil Nadu does not follow the three-language formula prescribed in the first education policy in 1968.

So, as both central and state governments can make their own laws on education, the proposed reforms can only be implemented if both the governments work collaboratively.

However, this will not happen immediately. The Government of PM Narendra Modi has set a target of 2040 to accomplish the entire Policy.

Moreover, sufficient funding is imperative for the full implementation of the NEP 2020 as a shortage of funds crippled the 1968 NPE.

The central and state governments should substantially increase the spending on education to attain the goals with excellence and the corresponding multitude of socio-economic benefits.

The Indian Government is planning to organize subject-wise committees with members from relevant central and state ministries in order to develop implementation plans for each aspect of NEP.

They will list action plans for multiple bodies, including the HRD Ministry, NCERT, State Education Departments, Central Advisory Board of Education, School Boards, and National Testing Agency, among others.

Yearly joint reviews of the progress of the implementation of the Policy will be conducted against the targets set.

In 2030, a comprehensive review of the status of the implementation of the Policy in its entirety will be conducted.

In the decade of 2030-40, the whole Policy will be in an operational mode, followed by another comprehensive review.

In Conclusion

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a big revolution replacing the 34-year-old policy idea and envisioning to bring about the much-needed modification in the Indian Education System. The Policy has maintained a delicate balance between the traditions and the interdisciplinary approach, which is the need of the 21 st century.

NEP has the potential to revamp the skills of the youth of our country and has all the right tools that are needed to be competitive at the global level.

Needless to say, the New Education Policy is undoubtedly a progressive and ambitious policy that India is waiting for. All the Best!!

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• Student Aid Policy

In Bid to Deter Misconduct, U.S. Releases New Data on Financial Aid Enforcement

The Education Department has issued $61.7 million in fines and cut off aid to 35 colleges for violations since 2021. Some critics say it hasn’t gone far enough in holding rule breakers accountable; others say the feds have a “vendetta” against career colleges.

By  Katherine Knott

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A for-profit college based in Washington, D.C., that offered IT and health-care programs shut down in May 2023 after the Education Department cut it off from federal financial aid—one of 35 institutions in the last three years that have lost access to the funding source that’s a lifeline for most colleges. 

But the department didn’t say anything publicly about its decision to take action against Prospect College after it found evidence of an “illegal scheme” to evade the so-called 90-10 rule. Under that rule, only 90 percent of a for-profit college’s revenue can come from federal financial aid. Prospect counted institutional payments to students as revenue to the college to keep its federal revenue under 90 percent, and when the department recalculated the college’s revenue for fiscal 2019, 2020 and 2021, the college failed the 90-10 standard all three years.

The department’s Jan. 31, 2023, finding against Prospect was disclosed along with dozens of others earlier this month, when the department released information about its enforcement efforts on a new webpage that will serve as the hub for future fines, settlements and termination actions. It is now public knowledge that the Office of Enforcement at Federal Student Aid, the agency within the Education Department that oversees the federal financial aid system, has taken 87 actions in all against 85 colleges and universities over the past three years.

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The disclosures are part of a new effort to increase transparency into the enforcement office’s work since it was revived by the Biden administration. Some of its more high-profile decisions have been released through press announcements, such as a $37 million fine against the online giant Grand Canyon University issued last October, but the majority have flown under the radar till now. (Most recently, the Education Department fined the Culinary Institute LeNotre $275,000 as part of a settlement agreement after finding that the Texas-based for-profit college misrepresented the employability of its graduates.)

This glimpse into the enforcement office’s work comes as the department is conducting an overhaul of Federal Student Aid—and with a presidential election on the horizon that could shake up the agency. The office, which was first created in the last year of the Obama administration, has been subject to political whims. Under the Trump administration, it was “deprioritized,” according to current Education Department officials who re-established it in October 2021.

Headed up by Kristen Donoghue, a former enforcement director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the office investigates potential misconduct, analyzes claims for debt relief from students who say they were defrauded and fines institutions, among other responsibilities.

“We investigate schools that are suspected of wrongdoing and take actions to hold schools accountable when we find evidence,” Donoghue said. “We want to ensure that schools do not put their interests ahead of students’ interests, and we are confident that the actions we take to hold schools accountable protect taxpayers who fund postsecondary education in addition to students.”

Over all, since October 2021, the office has issued 39 fines totaling $61.7 million and reached settlements with eight colleges, while yanking federal financial aid eligibility from nearly three dozen. It’s impossible to say how much of a stepped-up effort that represents, since the webpage doesn’t include enforcement actions under the Trump or Obama administrations. But department officials hope that the disclosures will be helpful for institutions who want to comply with federal rules and regulations—and will inform students and families as they think about which college to attend and which ones to steer clear of.

The latter category might include McDougle Technical Institute, which lost access to federal financial aid on Dec. 30, 2022.

The small Florida-based for-profit, which offers programs in cosmetology, barbering and massage therapy, showed a “callous disregard” for its students’ welfare, the department found. The college was accused of falsifying student attendance, disbursing federal financial aid to ineligible students, failing to give COVID relief funds to students and pressuring students to take out loans. In some cases, students were unaware that they had loans until department staff told them, according to a letter sent to the college. McDougle contested the decision and appears to continue to operate.

‘Need to Go Faster’

The data dump belatedly fulfills a March 2021 request from a coalition of consumer protection advocates and organizations focused on higher ed accountability. Some of those advocates said this month’s release of information was helpful—but that they’re generally disappointed in the office’s actions, now that there’s a fuller accounting of them.

The enforcement actions have been fairly standard; nearly half related to failures to comply with federal campus safety laws or federal reporting requirements. Of the colleges that lost aid eligibility, 13 lost it because they were no longer recognized by an accreditor—a baseline requirement for accessing federal financial aid.

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• Colleges Must Accommodate Pregnant Students Under New Title IX

Advocates had hoped that the Biden administration’s Education Department would move more aggressively to go after universities that have misled or defrauded students, either with larger fines or revoked eligibility for federal financial aid.

“The enforcement effort is more serious, but has moved more slowly than the urgency of the problem requires,” said David Halperin, an attorney critical of for-profits. “I am impressed, but they do need to go faster.”

Halperin did appreciate this month’s disclosures. He said he raised concerns about Prospect College with the Education Department after Biden took office, but he didn’t receive any word about the institution losing access to the financial aid until the enforcement office posted its documents online this month.

Donoghue, chief enforcement officer at Federal Student Aid, said in an interview with Inside Higher Ed that her team will “always go where the facts take us and take action where we think it’s appropriate.”

“We have been very focused on building an investigation team that has skills in the background needed to do these investigations, and we have brought some actions that we think are very significant and warranted,” she said. “And we will continue to do that.”

Donoghue has worked to rebuild the office’s investigations team and put in place other tools that she relied on at the CFPB to “make sure oversight work is robust and complete.” That includes using undercover agents commonly known as secret shoppers to identify potentially deceptive practices and launching a tip line for “knowledgeable insiders” to share information about potential misconduct. So far, secret shopping has been used “at a number of schools,” Donoghue said, informing decisions about whether to proceed with an investigation.

“It’s a very valuable tool in our toolbox,” she said.

Will the office’s work over the last three years make it more resilient with a coming a change in administration, particularly if former president Trump returns to the White House? Donoghue said that while she didn’t have a crystal ball, “student and taxpayer protection is a nonpartisan issue.”

Halperin and other advocates who’ve followed the department’s enforcement work for years have noticed changes. He sees a new emphasis on enforcement “as opposed to a culture of labeling the school partners and bending over backwards to sweep violations under the rug.” That matters, he said, because “it tells schools that it’s time to behave and that having federal aid is a privilege.”

“At the very end of Obama, they started to wake up to all this stuff,” Halperin continued. “But there was still a lot of work to be done to overcome the history of institutional reluctance and avoidance of controversy or confrontation with institutions.”

But Thomas Jones, who leads the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative nonprofit, said that the Office of Enforcement “has been prosecuting a years-long vendetta against career colleges.” Others who represent for-profit colleges have also accused the Education Department of unfairly targeting career colleges via regulations and other actions.

“The office’s myopic focus on a sliver of the higher education landscape has come at the expense of ignoring abuses at traditional universities that often saddle students with over $100,000 in student loan debt with little prospect of gainful employment,” Jones said. “The only explanation for the Office of Enforcement ignoring traditional four-year universities is that liberals in the administration want to protect their traditional allies in academia."

Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, said enforcement is one area where the Biden administration hasn’t “managed to soar as high.” He did give the Education Department “superlatively high grades” for their efforts to provide debt relief to students who need it, including those misled by their institutions about the value of their college educations.

“I wish they had more bandwidth to fix everything,” he said. “In some ways, I can’t blame them.” But “when abusive practices are normalized, it becomes a real challenge to change the culture of the regulated community. It’s not a couple of bad spots. This is a royal mess clear across the board.”

Nassirian noted that the department has limited tools to address noncompliance with federal rules—something he partly blames on congressional inaction. He acknowledged that the department has tried and put measures in place such as secret shopping to “improve the regulatory framework so that enforcement could be more meaningfully applied.”

“But have they cleaned it up?” he asked. “The answer is no.”

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Spring 2024 Regulatory Agenda Highlights

The Biden administration released the Spring 2024 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions on July 5. The Regulatory Agenda provides insights on the regulatory activities under development across federal departments and agencies and includes updates on several regulations that EDUCAUSE has been monitoring.

The Biden administration released its Spring 2024 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Regulatory Agenda) in July 2024. The Spring Regulatory Agenda is the first report of the calendar year in which nearly all federal departments, agencies, and commissions update the public on the regulatory activities that are in progress and provide target dates for when each regulation will be issued. Footnote 1 EDUCAUSE analyzes the updates to help explain federal agencies' priorities as they relate to higher education information technology.

The target dates identified in the Regulatory Agenda are just that. Federal agencies aren't guaranteed to release the identified regulations by those dates. Instead, consider the target dates as rough timelines for when these regulations might emerge.

Department of Education

Cybersecurity standards for institutions of higher education to comply with eo13556 and nist sp 800-171.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) anticipates releasing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on cybersecurity standards for processing, storing, and transmitting controlled unclassified information (CUI) in October. Footnote 2

These standards were first introduced in the Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda. The EDUCAUSE Policy team has been expecting FSA to take regulatory action in this space, given the recent changes to how FSA receives and handles federal tax information (FTI). Footnote 3 Since FTI is designated as CUI and the cybersecurity requirements that follow CUI (under the National Archives and Records Administration [NARA] CUI program), it is not surprising that FSA is seeking to incorporate National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-171 ( NIST SP 800-171 ) information security requirements into its regulations.

EDUCAUSE does not yet have much insight into the form these regulations will take once released; however, the Regulatory Agenda notes that "schools routinely process, store, and transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)," and protecting such sensitive data in school information systems is of "paramount importance" to ED. Accordingly, FSA "plans to propose to regulate on information security requirements" to "assure schools properly protect CUI" and "require non-Federal entities handling CUI to implement NIST 800-171." Footnote 4

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from ED

The ED Office for Civil Rights (OCR) expects to release an NPRM in November to amend the regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Footnote 5

According to OCR, the proposed rule will align with the priorities of the Biden administration. These priorities include "advancing equity for persons with disabilities as required by Executive Order 13985, addressing persistent barriers to access for students with disabilities in education, aligning the current regulations with intervening laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, and updating outdated language." Footnote 6

The Policy team believes that OCR will model this regulation on the final rule from the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding web accessibility regulations for state and local government entities (including public higher education institutions), as required under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Footnote 7 The final rule was published on April 24, 2024, but it does not take effect until April 2026 for most affected colleges and universities. Therefore, the Section 504 NPRM could be delayed beyond the November 2024 target date.

Third-Party Servicers and Related Issues

In June 2025, the ED Office of Postsecondary Education plans to issue an NPRM to amend regulations on third-party servicers (TPSs) under the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. Footnote 8 The regulations will focus on updating existing guidance for TPSs and the reporting, financial, compliance, and past performance requirements for TPSs related to the ongoing eligibility of an institution to participate in federal student financial aid.

ED released a guidance letter in February 2023 concerning third-party servicers. The letter would have substantially changed how HEA regulations are interpreted concerning the definition of a TPS. It expanded the definition to include providers of "functions or services necessary . . . to provide Title IV-eligible educational programs." This change constitutes a departure from the statutory definition that covers entities contracting with institutions to administer their Title IV federal student financial aid programs. Footnote 9 EDUCAUSE expressed significant concern with the overly broad definition of TPS in the guidance letter. Specifically, we stated that the unclear scope of the guidance would likely force member institutions to conclude that virtually all contracted providers of digital content, software, systems, and services would be considered TPSs. Footnote 10

After receiving widespread negative feedback about the substance of the February 2023 guidance letter, Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal notified the higher education community in April 2023 that ED would revise the guidance and delay the effective date until at least six months after ED issued the revised guidance. Footnote 11 ED has released no additional TPS-related information since this announcement. Moreover, whether and when the revised guidance will be issued or whether this proposed regulatory item will address the same elements as the original guidance letter is unclear.

Federal Acquisition Regulation

Controlled unclassified information.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) anticipate releasing a proposed rule in October to update the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to apply the CUI program requirements to federal contracts. This rulemaking aims to better protect CUI by uniformly applying the program requirements. Footnote 12

The rule will be issued in accordance with the NARA regulations implementing the CUI program. The NARA CUI regulations, which reference NIST SP 800-171 and other safeguarding standards, were enacted in 2016. Footnote 13

While the Unified Agenda notes a December target date, this regulatory item has been delayed repeatedly. Footnote 14 However, the FAR agencies sent this proposed rule to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for final review on May 21. OIRA review typically takes 60–90 days, so the CUI proposed rule could finally be issued around—or even before—its December target date.

Cyber Threat and Incident Reporting and Information Sharing

In December, the FAR agencies also anticipate releasing a final rule to increase information sharing about cyber threats and incidents between the federal government and federal contractors.

The agencies released an NPRM in October 2023 that proposed to impose cyber incident reporting and software bill of materials (SBOM) requirements on federal contractors. Footnote 15 Two higher education associations joined EDUCAUSE in submitting comments on the NPRM. In our comments, we expressed concern about applying cyber incident and SBOM requirements to all federal contractors rather than only to those that provide IT and operational technology products and services to federal agencies. We argued that higher education researchers and their graduate assistants may be pulled into reporting compliance, which could lead to significant overreporting and obscure real cybersecurity threats to the federal government. Footnote 16

Department of Homeland Security

Cyber incident reporting for critical infrastructure act regulations.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) expects to release its final rule on cyber incident reporting for designated critical infrastructure entities in October 2025. Footnote 17 The final rule aims to implement the requirements established under the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) of 2022 in regulations concerning the obligations of covered entities to submit reports on covered cyber incidents and ransom payments.

CISA published an NPRM on CIRCIA regulations in April, designating higher education institutions as "covered entities" that would need to comply with the reporting requirements outlined in the regulations. EDUCAUSE and others in the higher education community were surprised to learn that CISA included colleges and universities receiving Title IV funding as covered entities. This designation was especially surprising given that CIRCIA, as enacted by Congress, was intended to apply only to the long-established list of "critical infrastructure" sectors identified by DHS and did not include higher education directly.

EDUCAUSE and five other higher education associations submitted comments in response to the NPRM, raising concerns about the sudden inclusion of higher education on the covered entities list. Footnote 18 In addition to questioning the lack of outreach to the higher education community prior to this inclusion, we also conveyed the need for CISA to shield covered entities from redundant reporting requirements. Additionally, we asked CISA to clarify and narrow the scope of the information that covered entities must report. EDUCAUSE hopes CISA will consider our concerns and change the final rule accordingly.

Department of Defense

Cybersecurity maturity model certification (cmmc) program.

The DOD aims to release a final rule in November to implement security requirements for defense contractors and subcontractors with respect to Federal Contract Information (FCI) and CUI under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program.

In December 2023, DOD issued an NPRM to update regulations for the CMMC Program. In February 2024, EDUCAUSE and four other higher education associations submitted joint comments. Footnote 19 In the NPRM, DOD acknowledged prior comments on fundamental research related to CMMC and agreed that fundamental research projects don't generally involve FCI or CUI and therefore would not be covered by the CMMC Program. EDUCAUSE and its partners welcomed this acknowledgment. However, we raised concerns over the possibility of edge cases emerging in the fundamental research space that might necessitate the application of CMMC requirements. Our comment letter urged DOD to clarify edge cases that might fall under CMMC to ensure they are identified in relevant project solicitations. EDUCAUSE and the other associations further disputed the regulations because of the possible treatment of Security Protection Data (SPD) as CUI, the ability of covered entities to include a broad array of CMMC assessment objectives in a plan of action and milestones (POA&M), and the mandate for lead assessors of CMMC assessments to have knowledge of and experience in the industry of the organization being assessed, among other issues.

The CMMC Program final rule was sent to OIRA for final review on June 27, 2024. As explained above, OIRA reviews typically take 60–90 days, so DOD could be on track to release the final rule by the November target date. EDUCAUSE will be monitoring this issue closely.

• The Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda was the last regulatory update published by the Biden administration. See Bailey Graves, "Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda Highlights," EDUCAUSE Review , February 1, 2024. Jump back to footnote 1 in the text. ↩
• U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid, "Cybersecurity Standards for Institutions of Higher Education to Comply with EO 13556 and NIST 800-171," The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, July 2024. Jump back to footnote 2 in the text. ↩
• Katie Branson, "FSA Federal Tax Information Announcement: Is NIST 800-171 Compliance on the Horizon?" EDUCAUSE Review, June 28, 2023. Jump back to footnote 3 in the text. ↩
• U.S. Department of Education, "Cybersecurity Standards for Institutions of Higher Education to Comply With EO 13556 and IST 800-171," December 2023. Jump back to footnote 4 in the text. ↩
• U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, "Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the Department of Education," The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, July 2024. Jump back to footnote 5 in the text. ↩
• Ibid. Jump back to footnote 6 in the text. ↩
• Katie Branson, "Web and Mobile App Accessibility Regulations," EDUCAUSE Review , June 10, 2024. Jump back to footnote 7 in the text. ↩
• U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, "Third-Party Servicers and Related Issues," The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, July 2024. Jump back to footnote 8 in the text. ↩
• Jarret Cummings, "EDUCAUSE and Third-Party Servicer Guidance," EDUCAUSE Review, March 16, 2023; Annmarie Weisman, "(GEN-23-03) Requirements and Responsibilities for Third-Party Servicers and Institutions," Dear Colleague Letter, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid, updated May 16, 2023. Jump back to footnote 9 in the text. ↩
• EDUCAUSE letter to Miguel Cardona, Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, "Re: Docket ID ED-2022-OPE-0103," March 7, 2023. Jump back to footnote 10 in the text. ↩
• James Kvaal, "Update on the Department of Education's Third-Party Servicer Guidance," Homeroom (blog), U.S. Department of Education, April 11, 2023. Jump back to footnote 11 in the text. ↩
• U.S. Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, "Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); FAR Case 2017-016, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)," The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, July 2024. Jump back to footnote 12 in the text. ↩
• Jen Ortega, "NARA Final Rule," EDUCAUSE Review , October 19, 2016. Jump back to footnote 13 in the text. ↩
• For example, the Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda targeted February 2024 as a possible release date, but the agencies did not meet this target. Jump back to footnote 14 in the text. ↩
• U.S. Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, "Federal Acquisition Regulation: Cyber Threat and Incident Reporting and Information Sharing," Federal Register , October 3, 2023. Jump back to footnote 15 in the text. ↩
• EDUCAUSE, Council on Governmental Relations, and the Association of American Universities, "Comments in Response to FAR Case 2021-017, 'Federal Acquisition Regulation: Cyber Threat and Incident Reporting and Information Sharing,'" February 2, 2024. Jump back to footnote 16 in the text. ↩
• Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, "Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements," The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, July 2024. Jump back to footnote 17 in the text. ↩
• EDUCAUSE, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, Association of American Universities, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, "Comments Concerning Docket Number CISA-2022-0010, 'Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) Reporting Requirements,'" July 1, 2024. Jump back to footnote 18 in the text. ↩
• American Council on Education, Association of American Universities, Association of Public and Land-grand Universities, Council on Governmental Relations, and EDUCAUSE letter to Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Defense, "RE: Comments in Response to Docket Number DoD–2023–OS–0063 / Regulatory Identifier Number (RIN) 0790–AL49, 'Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program,'" February 26, 2024. Jump back to footnote 19 in the text. ↩

Bailey Graves is a Senior Associate at Ulman Public Policy.

© 2024 EDUCAUSE. The content of this work is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.