New Education Policy 2020 on Higher Education
 
Dr. Jeetendra Singh Dhurve*
Assistant Professor, Govt. College Jaithari, Distt- Anuppur (M.P.)
Email: jittudhurve1jd@gmail.com
Abstract - The development of an equitable and justice society, the realization of individual potential, and the advancement of national development all depend on education. Providing universal access to quality education is the key to India’s continued ascent, and leadership on the global stage in terms of economic growth, social justice and equality, scientific advancement, national integration, and cultural preservation. The historic and self-proclaimed new national education policy 2020 was unveiled on July 29, 2020. It covers every facet of education in the modern era with an eye toward the future. To actively contribute to the transformation of the nation into a society of equal, sustainable, and healthy knowledge. The National Education Policy 2020 examines the Indian educational system with an emphasis on its traditions, customs, values, and morals. India's education system is still being developed, with entries from his extensive and lengthy past and contributions from numerous scholars worldwide in a range of subjects like astronomy, metalworking, mathematics, medical and surgical science, crafts, architecture, yoga, fine arts, and so forth. The current NEP 2020 objective is to raise the current enrollment rate by offering open, multidisciplinary education to everyone who wants it. The objective of the paper is to focus on the main features of NEP-2020 and its impact on Higher Education.
Keywords - New Education Policy, Higher Education, Multidisciplinary Education, Development, Education System
INTRODUCTION
The Government of India developed the National New Education Policy (NPE) to encourage education among Indian citizens. The policy applies to both rural and urban areas of India, from elementary schools to colleges. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi issued the country's first NPE in 1968; Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi issued the second in 1986; and Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued the third in 2020. The National Education Policy of 1986 has been superseded by the current policy. This strategy provides a thorough framework for basic education and skill development in India's cities. Because of its focus on academic research, higher education sometimes produces graduates with little to no practical skills, making them easily exploited. It should enable an individual to delve deeper into one or more areas of interest and cultivate 21st-century skills in a variety of domains, such as science, social sciences, art, personality, languages, technical studies, curiosity, scientific fury, and morality and constitutional values. The new educational policy establishes priorities. The National Research Foundation was founded to assist peer review due to changes in the present system that place a larger emphasis on advanced student knowledge support, courses, testing, rehabilitation for students, and a minimum of one university or college in every region.
The following are some of the main issues presently afflicting India's higher education system:
  1. Inadequate learning results and student cognitive skill development
  2. Strict discipline division, excessive early specialization, and student flow into specialized fields of study
  3. An inability to obtain higher education, particularly in communities with low socioeconomic status
  4. Insufficient liberty for teachers and institutions to innovate and achieve excellence
  5. Insufficient systems for managing faculty and institutional leaders' careers based on merit
  6. Most schools and universities don't do enough research, and there isn't enough financing for transparent, competitive, peer-reviewed research in all fields.
The goal of institutional restructuring and consolidation is to increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education, including vocational training, from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. This will end the fragmentation of higher education by making higher education institutions into large, multidisciplinary institutions, producing well-rounded and innovative individuals, and changing other countries' educational and economic systems.
The goal of holistic and multidisciplinary education should be to enhance all aspects of human potential, including mental, cultural, social, physical, emotional, and moral values. Over time, all undergraduate programs including those in medical, technical, and vocational fields shall employ this kind of all-encompassing instruction. The best learning environments and student support provide a comprehensive strategy that includes sufficient curriculum, engaging teaching, regular formative evaluation, and sufficient student assistance.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the paper are
  1. The main objective of this paper is to study the impact of New Education Policy 2020 on higher education.
  2. The study also focuses on the silent features of NEP.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study is descriptive in nature. The required secondary data was gathered from a variety of websites, such as the Indian government's, periodicals, journals, and other publications. The conclusions and inferences were then drawn after this data was examined and processed.
Salient Features of NEP Related to Higher Education:
•Re-electing the MHRD as the Minister of Education (MoE) might be required to bring attention back to education and learning.
•Reaching a total enrollment rate of 50% by 2035 is the goal, up from 26.3% in 2018 for higher education, including vocational training.
•The Indian Higher Education Commission (HECI), which is the only authority regulating higher education, will be linked to monitoring and control organizations like UGC, AICTE, MCI, DCI, INC, and so on.
•Students who have finished their master's degree can pursue a Ph.D. with a doctorate. The M.Phil. course of study will be terminated.
•In order to enhance and guarantee the necessary degree of accreditation, all currently affiliated colleges will eventually develop into independent schools by graduating with a student grant from a partner university.
•The main topics of instruction at HEIs will be diversity, research, analysis, presentation, discussion, and debate. Creation of the National Research Foundation (NRF) to provide funding for academic research at colleges and universities.
•The eligibility of SC, ST, OBC, and other students will be promoted. The purpose of the enhanced National Scholarship Portal is to assist, motivate, and monitor the advancement of bursary winners. Independent higher education institutions are going to be urged to provide a lot of scholarships and free cruises to their students.
•With the assistance of teachers and other experts when needed, all HEIs will establish, sponsor, and assist student groups that are organized around themes and topics related to science, math, poetry, language, books, debate, music, sports, etc.
•Research will be incorporated at UG and PG levels using a multidisciplinary approach to learning. By 2030, this policy seeks to attain adult literacy at 100%.
•A four-year bachelor's degree with several exit possibilities, a one- to two-year master's degree depending on how long the bachelor's degree took to complete (four or three years), and a four-year bachelor's degree in research that is optional are all available.
•A process of teaching and learning that is focused on the learner rather than the teacher.
•To ensure the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of all students, academic and professional counseling centers will be offered in all HEIs.
•Rewards for online distance learning (ODL) courses that are part of a degree programme that can be applied towards credit.
•Except for legal and medical education, the NEP seeks to create the Higher Education Commission of India, which will serve as the only regulating authority.
•If someone wants to leave the course in the middle, there will be several ways to do so. The Academic Bank of Credits will handle the transfer of their credits.
•We'll be developing high-quality ICT-enabled adult education centers and libraries, as well as apps, online courses and modules, satellite TV channels, online books, and more.
•Planning for education, teaching, learning, evaluation, and training for teachers, schools, and students will all involve technology. The e-content will be accessible in eight major regional languages, including Bengali, Odia, and Kannada, in addition to Hindi and English, for the e-courses.
•The common Entrance exam for all higher education institutes to be held by National Testing Agency (NTA)
Detailed Analysis of the Impact of NEP 2020 on Higher Education
• Regulatory System of Higher Education:
The plan to create the Indian Higher Education Commission (HECI) as a body that oversees higher education in addition to medical and legal education is a significant alteration to NEP 2020. The new Bill states that HECI won't be able to make money. The Department of Education, formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), will be in charge of managing the financial processes handled by the University Grants Commission (UGC). However, it is anticipated that this modification will eliminate the regulatory unrest inside the Indian Higher Education system.
The National Higher Education Management Council (NHERC), the General Education Council (GEC) standards, the Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC), and the National Accreditation Council (NAC) accreditation are the four autonomous vertical bodies that HECI is anticipated to have. Many academics have long believed that one umbrella body was necessary to ensure uniformity in educational levels. All higher education institutions (HEIs) will have thousands of students enrolled in a range of fields by 2040, allowing them to maximize the use of their infrastructure and resources. The same processes for regulation, accreditation, and standards will apply to both public and private higher education institutions.
• Holistic Multidisciplinary Education:
NEP 2020 states that the goal of comprehensive and multisectoral education is to enhance human capacities on all fronts, including cognitive, aesthetic, social, physical, emotional, and ethical. A broad education encompassing many disciplines will contribute to the development of well-rounded individuals with 21st-century critical skills in the domains of the arts, humanities, languages, science, social sciences, and technology, as well as apprenticeships and the ethics of community involvement, soft skills like debate, communication, and argumentation, and complex technologies in the field or fields chosen. Eventually, all programmes leading to student graduation including technical, vocational, and technical studies—will be carried out through this kind of comprehensive education. A creative and adaptable curriculum will prioritize offering credit-bearing classes and projects in the fields of environmental education, value-based education, and community involvement and performance. A thorough arts education will also include taking classes related to serving others and taking part in community service initiatives.
• Technology in Higher Education:
The expansion of open and lengthy learning will be crucial in reaching the 50% total enrollment rate. We'll take steps to guarantee adherence to the best academic programmes, including MOOC-based credit recognition, student growth, research financing, online courses, digital archives, etc. The National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), an independent forum, will be established to facilitate the open exchange of ideas on how to use technology to enhance planning, management, evaluation, and learning. All educational levels will benefit from the proper integration of technology in order to enhance teaching methods, promote the professional growth of educators, expand educational opportunities for underprivileged populations, and organize the planning, management, and administration of education. Education platforms that rely on technology, like SWAYAM and DIKSHA, will be more effectively incorporated into higher education and beyond. Research on disruptive technologies, instructional materials, and courses that include online courses on the margins will be heavily influenced by HEIs.
The Structure and Lengths of Degree Programmes:
Table 1: Graduation Course Structure
1st year
Course certificate
2nd Year
Diploma Certificate
3rd Year
Bachelor's Degree in Faculty
4th year
Bachelor's Degree along with a Research Certificate
 
Table 2: Graduation Course Structure and Credits Systems
 
Year
Major
 
Minor
Open Elective
Skill Enhancement Course
Ability Enhancement Course
Field Projects / Internship / Apprenticeship/
Credits
Own Faculty
Own Faculty
Any Faculty
Vocational course
Foundation Course
Inter / Intra Faculty related to main subject
 
1
2 Paper (6+6=12 Credits)
1 Paper
(6Credits)
1 Paper
(6Credits)
1 Paper
(4Credits)
2 Paper
(4+4=8Credits)
Any One
(4Credits)
12+6+6+4+8+4=40
2
2 Paper (6+6=12
Credits)
1 Paper
(6Credits)
1 Paper
(6Credits)
(4Credits)
2 Paper
(4+4=8Credits)
(4Credits)
12+6+6+4+8+4=40
3
2 Paper (6+6=12
Credits)
1 Paper
(6Credits)
1 Paper
(6Credits)
(4Credits)
2 Paper
(4+4=8Credits)
(4Credits)
12+6+6+4+8+4=40
4
3 Paper (6+6+6=
18Credits)
Research Methodology (6)
Undergraduate Thesis (4)
(6+6 =12Credits)
Related to main Subject)
18+6+4+12=40
 
In practice, NEP offers a more adaptable study route, enabling students to select and choose their own academic path as opposed to following the rules and guidelines. The undergraduate programmes will last for three or four years, during which time there will be numerous ways to graduate. Suitable certificates: a certificate obtained after a year of employment in the manual labor industry and professional settings, a certificate following two years of education, or the completion of a three-year Bachelor's degree scheme. The four-year programme of study. The bachelor's course will be the recommended choice since it gives students the chance to experience the entire spectrum of holistic and multidisciplinary education while also concentrating on their major and minor of choice. For HEI degrees to be granted taking into consideration the credits received, an Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) will be developed to finalize the academic credit degrees offered at various respected HEIs. Various institutions of Education and Research (MERUs), models of public institutions for comprehensive and varied education, will be established to achieve the highest levels of diversity.
Optimal Learning Environments and Support for Students:
A pertinent curriculum, captivating pedagogy, ongoing formative evaluation, and sufficient student support are all necessary for effective learning. The curriculum has to be revised on a regular basis to reflect the most recent requirements for knowledge and to ensure that the learning objectives are met. The successful teaching of curriculum content to students therefore requires excellent pedagogy; pedagogical practises shape the learning experiences that are given to students, thereby directly influencing learning outcomes. Additionally, high-quality learning depends on the development of capacities that support student well-being, such as physical fitness, excellent health, psycho-social well-being, and a strong ethical foundation.
For many students, their time in higher education is their first experience living and working independently, and the stress and strains of student life can occasionally pose a major threat to their well-being.
CONCLUSION
Higher education plays a significant role in determining a nation's economy, social standing, acceptance of new technologies, and norms for moral behavior. The nation's education department is in charge of enhancing GER so that all citizens of the nation can take advantage of higher education options. In order to achieve this goal, the National Education Policy of India 2020 is implementing creative policies to raise the supply, increase affordability, and enhance quality. This is being done by opening up higher education to the private sector while enforcing stringent controls to ensure that all higher education institutions continue to provide their current level of instruction. NEP-2020 is expected to achieve its goals by 2030 through the promotion of merit-based admissions with free admissions and scholarships, continuous faculty members selected on the basis of merit and research, merit-based proven leaders in regulatory bodies, and stringent quality control through biennial accreditation based on self-declaration of progress through technology-based monitoring. A turning point for higher education is the NEP 2020. Its timely and efficient execution is what will make it genuinely revolutionary.
REFERENCES
  1. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1642061
  2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/higher-education-a-new dawn national education policy-2020 offers transformative road map for colleges and universities/
  3. Nandini, ed. (29 July 2020), "New Education Policy 2020 Highlights: School and higher education to see major changes", Hindustan Times.
  4. Chopra, Ritika (2 August 2020), "Explained: Reading the new National Education Policy 2020", The Indian Express.
  5. Rohatgi, Anubha, ed. (7 August 2020), "Highlights | NEP will play role in reducing gap between research and education in India: PM Modi", Hindustan Times.
  6. University Grants Commission, Notification, New Delhi, the 28th July, 2021.
  7. Jebaraj, Priscilla (2 August 2020), "The Hindu Explains | What has the National Education Policy 2020 proposed?", The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
  8. https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/NEP Final English pdf.
  9. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/theaitics/implications of the national education policy 2020 on higher education in india 2-24729/.