NEP 2020 Turns 6: Key Changes, Achievements And Challenges Explained

Six years after the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was approved, India's education system has witnessed major structural changes, including the introduction of a new school framework, flexible higher education pathways and increased international collaboration. The policy, approved by the Union Cabinet on July 29, 2020, replaced the 1986 education policy and aimed to transform both school and higher education. However, while several reforms have moved forward, many of its ambitious goals remain incomplete.

One of the most visible changes has been the replacement of the traditional 10+2 schooling system with the 5+3+3+4 framework, bringing early childhood education for children aged three to eight into the formal education structure. The government has introduced initiatives such as the Jaadui Pitara learning kit and the National Early Childhood Care and Education framework to strengthen foundational learning. New NCERT textbooks have also been introduced for several classes, with further revisions planned for higher grades. Educators say the policy has encouraged competency-based, experiential and inquiry-driven learning instead of relying only on memorisation.

Higher education has seen some of the most significant changes under NEP 2020. The Academic Bank of Credits and National Credit Framework have introduced greater flexibility, allowing students to store academic credits and continue education after breaks. Multiple entry and exit options in undergraduate programmes have been adopted by many universities. The policy's push for internationalisation has also gained momentum, with institutions such as IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad expanding overseas campuses, while foreign universities have started receiving approval to establish campuses in India.

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Digital education reforms have progressed rapidly, with the government's APAAR digital academic identity system becoming one of the key initiatives. More than 20 crore students have reportedly received APAAR IDs, creating a digital record of academic achievements. However, the initiative has also raised concerns over data privacy and protection, with parents questioning safeguards related to the collection and storage of children's personal information. Learning outcomes have shown improvement after pandemic-related disruptions, but assessments indicate that recovery remains incomplete, especially in foundational literacy and numeracy.

Several flagship reforms are still facing implementation challenges. Examination reforms, which were a central part of NEP's vision, have struggled amid controversies involving paper leaks, technical issues and concerns over assessment systems. The NEET-UG paper leak controversy and other examination-related disputes have raised questions about the ability to create a transparent and reliable testing system. Other reforms, including multilingual education, the four-year undergraduate programme and teacher education restructuring, have progressed unevenly due to challenges such as faculty shortages, infrastructure limitations and policy disagreements.

The biggest unfinished areas of NEP 2020 include institutional restructuring and funding. The proposed replacement of existing higher education regulators such as the UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a single body has been delayed, while concerns over centralisation and institutional autonomy continue. The policy had also set a target of increasing public spending on education to six per cent of GDP, but current expenditure remains around 4.1 per cent. Experts argue that without greater investment in teachers, infrastructure and student support, several of NEP's long-term goals may continue to face delays despite progress made in the first six years.

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