New Delhi – The Committee headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan submitted the Draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2019 to the Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', and Minister of State Shri Sanjay Dhotre, marking a major milestone in India’s education reforms.
The draft NEP is the result of a comprehensive, inclusive and participatory consultation process involving stakeholders across grassroots and institutional levels. It aims to transform India into a knowledge superpower and bridge skill gaps in key sectors including science, technology, academia, and industry.
Built on the principles of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability, the policy proposes structural reforms across school and higher education. Key highlights include:
School Education
New 5+3+3+4 pedagogical model aligned with children's cognitive development.
Integration of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) into the schooling system.
Extension of Right to Education Act to cover children aged 3 to 18 years.
Elimination of rigid separation between curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities.
Emphasis on life skills, 21st-century competencies, and reduction of content load.
Reorganization of schools into school complexes.
Teacher Education
Closure of substandard teacher education institutes.
All teacher training to be conducted in multidisciplinary institutions.
Introduction of a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree as the minimum teaching qualification.
Higher Education
Categorization of institutions into:
Type 1: Research-intensive universities
Type 2: Teaching and research universities
Type 3: High-quality teaching-focused colleges
Introduction of Mission Nalanda and Mission Takshashila to drive transformation.
Flexible undergraduate programs with multiple entry and exit points.
Establishment of a National Research Foundation (NRF) to promote a research culture.
Governance and Regulation
Creation of Rashtriya Shiksha Ayog to oversee educational implementation and coordination.
Restructuring of regulatory functions:
A single National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA).
Revamped NAAC for accreditation.
UGC to become Higher Education Grants Commission (HEGC).
Other Key Proposals
Promotion of Indian languages, including creation of national institutes for Pali, Persian, and Prakrit, and an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI).
Measures to enhance inclusivity, internationalization, and technology integration in education.
Education to remain a not-for-profit activity, with parity between public and private institutions.
The policy envisions a reinvigorated education ecosystem for India, prepared to meet both contemporary and future challenges in learning and development.
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