Implementation of the NEP in Colleges across Mumbai

The NEP (2020) will undoubtedly improve India's educational system. But will it serve as a catalyst for reviving India's existing educational system?

By Roseina Coutinho

Mumbai: It has been 3 years since the National Education Policy (NEP) was introduced in 2020. The NEP (2020) is the third in a series of National Educational Policies implemented since 1968. The pandemic certainly proved to be a standstill in allowing schools and colleges across the country to effectively have it implemented. A policy this gigantic with varied timelines for the next 20 years, serves as a daunting task now for schools and colleges across the state, as they plan on having it come into effect in the upcoming academic year 2023-24.

Furthermore, the NEP would certainly act as a catalyst for the education system in primarily focusing on 5 pillars- Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability. The policy also seeks to touch the digital front by initiating measures such as establishing new tech-savvy institutions such as digital universities. Another primary focus of the policy being, of converting India into a global knowledge, a superpower in the field of innovation and research.

While all this may sound intriguing or simply appealing, what does stand out as a matter of concern is the very implementation of the policy in terms of resources, accessibility, and funding. However, the administration is a bit concerned about the policy and its very practicality. This is mainly in terms of the autonomy to learners that are provided and changing the structure and tenure of the bachelor degrees to a four-year tenure.

Dr. Vini Sebastian, St Xavier’s Institute of Education, said, “The NEP is a progressive policy with positive and yielding changes to the education system in the country. We have been introducing special sessions to our students on the same ever since the start of the academic year. The administration here at Xavier’s has been on toes in their having meetings arranged with other staff members to discuss what could work out best for us. There is nothing much I can say for now. We only hope we have our students provided with the most efficient system of education through its implementation.”

Dr. Ivan Mathew John, Department of Sociology, Sophia college said, “The policy is very student-oriented with it explicitly talks about how learners would now be able to choose

courses and papers as and when they want and even leave if they wish to do so. However, how practical would this be, is another question.” On having asked him about how the NEP

(2020) would be different from other education policies implemented so far, Dr. Ivan John said, “Well, the policy very heavily emphasizes the need for application-based learning, activity-based learning, critical thinking, and so on. It focuses a lot on “hands-on” experience-imparted in the form of internships and other training programs. For subjects such as those provided by the arts section that is heavily tilted towards rote-learning and memorization, this is a boost, and a significant one at that.”

The NEP (2020) certainly is a boost to the education system in India. However, its implementation would differ from state to state depending on the procedure undertaken and the resources available to do so. Will it truly catalyze to help revive the current education system in India? This is a question for time to reveal.