Indore: NEP-2020 To Show Sea Changes In Next 5 Years: UGC Ex-Secy

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): While National Education Policy-2020 is set to complete three years of its launch this month, former UGC secretary Prof Rajnish Jain, who was at the post when the policy was rolled out, said that around 70 per cent of the provisions of NEP-2020 will come into force in the next five years bringing much-needed changes in the educational setup of the country.

He stated that the country, which has the biggest youth population, will convert into the largest young workforce in the world when the NEP is implemented completely and successfully across the nation. 

As NEP-2020 is completing three years of its launch, this correspondent of Free Press had a tete-a-tete with the former UGC secretary. Excerpts from the interview.

Q: NEP-2020 is set to complete three years of launch this month. What changes do you see in higher education since the launch?

A: Changes are plenty but the same will be visible when about 60 to 70 provisions of NEP are implemented. It will take around five more years to reach that level. It’s a transition period so challenges (see table 1) are understandable. But the fact remains that takeaways (see table 2) are more than the challenges faced so far.  

Q: It’s not a rosy implementation of NEP given the hardships faced at the ground level? 

A: I beg to differ. We have seen desirable results so far. Many states have implemented NEP in higher education institutions. CBSE is also all set to implement NEP in its schools soon. 

Q: The concept of a multidisciplinary system remains a challenge in colleges which either offer only science or arts courses. 

A: Such colleges need to make a cluster so that students can seemingly opt for courses on each other’s campus. States like Karnataka and Gujarat have permitted the formation of such clusters. MP also needs to make changes to the statutes for the same. 

Q: MP was among the first states to have introduced NEP-2020 but no significant changes on the ground are visible. 

A: It will take some more time for the changes to be visible. Three years of NEP are going to be completed and the fourth year will start. Many students who will get above 7.5 CGPA will become eligible for pursuing four-year bachelor’s degree courses. This is for the first time we will be seeing students enrolling for the fourth year of bachelor’s course. 

Q: What’s the biggest takeaway of NEP-2020? 

A: It permits multiple entry and exit options ensuring that a student even if he drops out after completion of one year takes away a certificate while acquiring some vocational skills. Vocational skills have been an important component of the syllabus of NEP. Plus, the Indian Knowledge System and value-based education are also important components of NEP. 

Top 10 takeaways of NEP since launch on July 29, 2020

1. Student centre teaching learning process 

2. Four-year UG programme with research 

3. Common university entrance test for UG and PG

4. Digital Education: ODL and online courses

5. Teaching-learning in mother tongue/regional language

6. Skill education-vocational education and training   

7. Multiple entry and multiple exit 

8. Multidisciplinary education 

9. Greater emphasis on integration of IKS in curriculum

10. Foreign collaboration – Twinning, Joint/dual degree Major Challenges 

1. Wider awareness at the grassroots level – administrators, teachers, students, parents 

2. Larger role of state governments and institutions in operationalisation  3. Financial support