Indian Education System

Future of INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM — NEP 2020.

A summary of NEP-2020.

by: Priyansh Khodiyar

The following is a compiled summary of the NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020 OF REPUBLIC OF INDIA.

I have extracted the main points from the original 400+ pages official document when I started to read it.

Hope it will help someone looking to read the entire policy in less time, although this compilation is lengthy too.

The following is NEP 2020. Have a good time reading.

NEP 2020 P-I

The historic Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at the UN General Assembly in 1948, declared that “everyone has the right to education”. Article 26 in the Declaration stated that “education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages” and “elementary education shall be compulsory”, and that ‘education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

‘Learning: The Treasure Within’, which the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century chaired by Jacques Delors, submitted to UNESCO in 1996. The Report argued that education throughout life was based on four pillars:

i) Learning to know — acquiring a body of knowledge and learning how to learn, so as to benefit from the opportunities education provides throughout life;

ii) Learning to do — acquiring not only an occupational skill but also the competence to deal with many situations and work in teams, and a package of skills that enables one to deal with the various challenges of working life;

iii) Learning to live together — developing an understanding of other people and an appreciation of interdependence in a spirit of respect for the values of pluralism, mutual understanding, and peace; and

iv) Learning to be — developing one’s personality and being able to act with autonomy, judgment, and personal responsibility while ensuring that education does not disregard any aspect of the potential of a person: memory, reasoning, aesthetic sense, physical capacities, and communication skills.

According to Swami Vivekananda, “Education is not the amount of information that we put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, and character-making assimilation of ideas.

If you have assimilated five ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library. If education is identical with information, the libraries are the greatest sages of the world and encyclopedias are the greatest Rishis”.

Buddhism and its strong influence on the world, particularly in south-east Asia and especially so in China, prompted Hu Shih the former Ambassador of China to the United States of America to say “India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border”. Education in India was only enriched through the mixing of cultures that arose from the very first invasions, till the arrival of the British. The country has absorbed many of these influences and blended them into a unique culture of its own.

As Einstein said to a group of children “Bear in mind that the wonderful things you learn in your schools are the work of many generations. All this is put into your hands as your inheritance in order that you may receive it, honor it, add to it, and one day faithfully hand it on to your children. Thus do we mortals achieve immortality in the permanent things that we create in common”.

The implementation of the two previous education policies is still incomplete. The unfinished agenda of the National Policy on Education 1986, Modified in 1992.

The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution of India envisages free and compulsory education for all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) came into force in April 2010.

They will use technologies that haven’t been invented so far and enter jobs that don’t exist at present. Globalization and the demands of a knowledge economy and a knowledge society call for emphasis on the need for acquisition of new skills by learners on a regular basis, for them to ‘learn how to learn and become lifelong learners

The demographic dividend that India is fortunate to have is expected to last for only a little over 20 years. Therefore, it is essential that children and youth in the country are equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values as well as employable skills that would enable them to contribute to India’s social, economic, and political transformation.

The direction of the global education development agenda is reflected in the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SDG4 seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030.

Such a lofty goal will require the entire education system to be reconfigured to support learning. Else none of the goals of the SDGs can be achieved. Pedagogical innovations alone will not succeed.

PRESENT POLICY:

1. Foundational stage of school education (three years of pre-primary education and Grades 1 and 2) — 3–8 YRS. Play and Learn
2. Preparatory phase consists of three years (Grades 3, 4 and 5) of basic classroom education
3. Next three years of Middle school education (Grades 6, 7 and 8) would involve developing more abstract thinking
4. Secondary education phase of four years (Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12).

We have provided for multiple exit and entry options for students starting with secondary education stage and going all the way into undergraduate and postgraduate education and research.

Even though a student may discontinue his/her studies in different phases he/she will be eligible for re-entry and continuing education into the higher levels,

A fourth-year of undergraduate education can also seamlessly integrate itself into education at the Masters's and Doctoral levels.

In the long run, this integrated concept should also lead to bringing professional education into mainstream undergraduate education, thereby creating an overarching integrated approach to education, embodying the spirit of the Policy in totality.

“Since the times of Nalanda and Takshashila or even earlier, the history of higher education in India”

“Focus on high-quality research”

The Masters's and Doctoral levels are being strengthened with the provision of at least three routes into the master’s degree — a one-year degree, a two-year degree, and the integrated five-year degree.

The master’ degree will also have a strong research component to strengthen the appropriate professional competence in the domain area, and to prepare students for a research degree.

The biggest lacuna in the present education system is the lack of a coherent direction for planning and implementation of research at the university level.

“We have addressed this critical lacuna in this Policy by introducing, for the very first time a new National Research Foundation (NRF) that will focus on funding research within the education system, primarily at colleges and universities.”

“With regard to schools, the introduction of school complexes will bring about a new culture of sharing common resources in an optimal way. The idea of the school complex was proposed by the Education Commission Report (1964–66) and is also mentioned in the Programme of Action 1992”

“In order to implement this Policy, there is a need for a large number of high quality professionals at the level of vice chancellors, directors of institutions, registrars, policy makers, project and programme management personnel, and so on.

Their roles, as envisaged in the Policy, are very unique for the educational profession, and they need to be specially trained and oriented towards the same. The necessary institutional mechanism towards this should be created through the education system itself.

“It is expected that in the years to come, universities will provide opportunities for higher education and research, in a multidisciplinary environment”

“suitably integrate professional education, such as agriculture, medicine, law, etc., thus making education a truly holistic exercise, with flexibility for students to make their own choices, thereby bringing in the best of creativity and originality.”

“With regard to regulation, we have made our recommendations based on a key principle namely, that regulation, provision of education, accreditation, funding, and standard setting, will all be done by separate entities, and that regulation will be kept to a minimum.

This will eliminate conflicts of interest and the concentration of power”

“Corruption remains an important element that distorts governance of education. The resolve to root out corruption from our public systems is founded on the conviction that without a foundation of integrity and rectitude, we will not achieve the greatness as a country that is our due. Corruption is not just financial or monetary in its nature.

It consists of any force that undermines integrity and honesty in the operation of systems that are important for the public good. Designing systems of governance that guarantee institutional integrity through organisational revival will be pursued as a key priority.”

“ It is here that we have made another unique suggestion to create a Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog (RSA)/National Education Commission (NEC).”

“While crafting the Policy we had a serious problem with acquiring authentic data in both quality and quantity. Education policies are largely the outcome of analysing trends in the patterns of evolution of important parameters of education. A major effort is called for in the country for data collection, organisation, analysis and the building capability to study trends and patterns of the various aspects of education.

We have suggested that the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) be strengthened and all the data gathering, analysis and dissemination work be consolidated and expanded there, under a new Central Educational Statistics Division (CESD) as an independent autonomous entity within NIEPA.”

“Even at the risk of repetition, it would be appropriate to recognise that becoming a ten trillion dollar economy will give us the money we need, but if we don’t spend now then it will not be easy to achieve and sustain such a large economy. We cannot wait until we get to the ten trillion mark to prepare the human resources that we will need.

Quality education will be a key part of the transition to the knowledge economy that is currently underway in parts of India but needs to encompass the entire country. We must, therefore, find the funding that education needs and find it quickly”

“Going ahead, the successful implementation of the Policy will require that every Indian must contribute his/her best.”

“Dr Ambedkar famously said about the Constitution “…Because I feel, however good a Constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it, happen to be a bad lot. However bad a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those who are called to work it, happen to be a good lot.“The working of a Constitution does not depend wholly upon the nature of the Constitution.”

Chapter 1: Early Childhood Care and Education: The Foundation of Learning

Objective: Every child in the age range of 3–6 years has access to free, safe, high-quality, developmentally appropriate care and education by 2025.

“The learning process for a child commences immediately at birth. Evidence from neuroscience shows that over 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs prior to the age of 6,”

“In terms of the growth of the national economy, it has been estimated that the development of a strong ECCE programme is among the very best investments that India could make, with an expected return of `10 or more for every `1 invested.”

“In fact, during the academic year 2016–17, over 70 lakh children were enrolled in Grade 1 prior to the age of 6 (Unified District Information System for Education (U-DISE) 2016–17).”

“ECCE is perhaps the greatest and most powerful equaliser.

“From 3 to 6 years of age, ECCE includes continued healthcare and nutrition, but also crucially self-help skills (such as “getting ready on one’s own”), motor skills, cleanliness, the handling of separation anxiety, being comfortable around one’s peers, moral development (such as knowing the difference between right” and “wrong”), physical development through movement and exercise, expressing and communicating thoughts and feelings to parents and others”

Early childhood care and Education(3–6) : “ECCE during these years also entails learning about alphabets, languages, numbers, counting, colours, shapes, drawing/painting, indoor and outdoor play, puzzles and logical thinking, visual art, craft, drama, puppetry, music, and movement.”

“ It is only at about the age of 8 that children adapt to more prescripted learning.

Therefore, it is important that children of ages 3–8 have access to a flexible, multifaceted, multilevel, play-based, activity-based, and discovery-based education. It also becomes natural then to view this period, from up to three years of pre-school (ages 3–6) to the end of Grade 2 (age 8), as a single pedagogical unit called the “Foundational Stage”.

It is necessary, therefore, to develop and establish such an integrated foundational curricular and pedagogical framework, and corresponding teacher preparation, for this critical Foundational Stage of a child’s development.”

“Meanwhile, private and other pre-schools have largely functioned as downward extensions of primary school. Though providing better infrastructure and learning supplies for children, they consist primarily of formal teaching and rote memorisation, with high Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs)”

“P1.1. Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Education:”

“The Framework will consist of two parts:

a. The first part will be a framework of guidelines for 0–3 year olds — intended for parents as well as Anganwadi teachers/workers — for appropriate cognitive stimulation of infants and young children in this age range.

The guidelines would include how to make simple low-cost learning aids (such as baby rattles using a plastic bottle and colourful hard candy; simple melodic and percussion instruments that can be hit with sticks; hats and boats made from folding newspaper; etc.); these could form craft exercises for children in Anganwadis, and also be distributed to parents in the community.

b. The second part will be an educational framework for 3–8 year olds (Foundational Stage) — intended for parents as well as for Anganwadis, pre-primary schools, and Grades 1 and 2 — consisting of a flexible, multilevel, play-based, activity-based, and discovery-based system of learning that aims to teach young children alphabets, numbers, basic communication in the local language/mother tongue and other languages, colours, shapes, sounds, movement, games, elements of drawing, painting, music, and the local arts, as well as various socio-emotional skills such as curiosity, patience, teamwork, cooperation, interaction[…]”

“The National Curriculum Framework (NCF), and State and local variations of the Framework, will also extensively incorporate the numerous rich traditions of India with respect to ECCE — including national as well as more localised arts, songs, stories, rhymes, puzzles, riddles, games, knowledge, customs, and innovations.”

“P1.2. Significant expansion and strengthening of facilities for early childhood education”

“a. Strengthening and expansion of the Anganwadi system to include a robust education component:” — Anganwadis will be build, trained. upto age 6 kids.

“b. Co-locating Angawadis with primary schools: When possible, co-locating Anganwadis with existing primary schools will provide further benefits to parents and children”(IMP)

“c. Co-locating pre-schools with primary schools where possible:”

“d. Building stand-alone pre-schools: High quality stand-alone pre-schools will be built in areas where existing Anganwadis and primary schools are not able to take on the educational requirements of children in the age range of 3–6 years. Such pre-schools would again be supported by the health, nutrition, and growth-monitoring services as required for children in this age range”

[for each state]

“All Anganwadi Centres and pre-primary schools will be linked, if not physically then formally/pedagogically, to a primary school in the area, as the lowest rung in the School Complex (see P7.3.1).”

“P1.3. Oversight of Early Childhood Education by the Ministry of Human Resource Development:”[This will be under MHRD]

“In consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW). This plan will be finalised by the end of 2019 by a special task force jointly constituted by the MWCD, MHFW, and MHRD.”

“At the current time, Anganwadis are under the purview of the MWCD.”

“P1.4. Design of learning-friendly environments:

Anganwadis, pre-schools, and primary schools will all have high quality physical infrastructure that is conducive to learning.”

“The physical environments for early childhood education will be welcoming and stimulating,”

“ Some examples of learning materials are picture cards, puzzles, dominoes, picture story books, blocks, simple musical instruments, number towers and rods, puppets, materials for arts and crafts, and colouring books.

“Posters, graphics, and art containing alphabets, words, numbers, shapes, colours, etc. will be placed on walls at the eye levels of children for high quality stimulation and engagement.”

“P1.5. Professionalization of high quality educators for early childhood education:”

“Necessary facilities will also be created for the initial professional preparation of these educators and their Continuous Professional Development (CPD).”

“Current Anganwadi workers and educators handling the pre-school education component of the ICDS will be given the opportunity to participate in a 6-month special training programme to enable them to carry out effective early childhood teaching-learning practices.”

“P1.6. Instituting an effective and quality regulatory system for ECCE:”

“An effective quality regulation or accreditation system for ECCE will be instituted as recommended in the National ECCE Policy (2013). This regulatory system will cover all pre-school education — private, public, and philanthropic — in order to ensure compliance with essential quality standards”

“P1.7. Generating demand from stakeholders for early childhood education”

“In order to generate demand for ECCE, all stakeholders, including policy makers, parents, teachers, and community members must be well-informed on how a young child’s needs are so different from what formal education provides, and why fulfilling these needs is so important for a child’s lifelong learning and development. Large-scale advocacy through public service messages and media campaigns, direct communication between pre-primary education programs and parents, and wide-scale dissemination of simple methods and materials to enable parents to actively support their children’s early learning needs will be prioritized and proactively supported.”

“P1.8. Extension of the RTE Act to include early childhood education”

“the availability of free and compulsory quality pre-primary education for all 3–6-year-olds will be included as an integral part of the RTE Act”

Chapter 2: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

“Objective: By 2025, every student in Grade 5 and beyond has achieved foundational literacy and numeracy.

“At the current time, we are in a severe learning crisis with respect to these most basic skills: a large proportion of students currently in elementary school — perhaps over 5 crore in number — have not attained foundational literacy and numeracy, i.e., the ability to read and comprehend basic text and the ability to carry out basic addition and subtraction with Indian numerals.

“Numerous studies show that, in the current educational system, once students fall behind on foundational literacy and numeracy, they tend to maintain flat learning curves for years, perpetually unable to catch up. So many capable students have found themselves in this unfortunate black hole, unable to emerge.

For many students, this has become a major reason for not attending school, or for dropping out altogether. At the same time, teachers have explained the extreme difficulty they currently face — due to the sheer size of the problem today — in covering the mandated curriculum while also simultaneously paying attention to the large numbers of students who have fallen vastly (often several years) behind.”

“What are the primary causes of the learning crisis? A large proportion of students that fall behind during their elementary school years in fact fall behind already during the first few weeks of Grade 1.”

“Thus a major cause of the current learning crisis is a lack of school-preparedness, i.e., the background early childhood care and learning (including pre-literacy and pre-numeracy)”

“The principle must be that: if students are given a solid foundation in reading, writing, speaking, counting, arithmetic, mathematical and logical thinking, problem-solving, and in being creative, then all other future lifelong learning will become that much easier, faster, more enjoyable, and more individualised; all curriculum and pedagogy in early grade school must be designed with this principle in mind.”

“It is well-established that students learn best, especially in their early years, when they are taught in the language in which they are most comfortable.

“One significant further factor in the learning crisis that cannot be overlooked relates to the health and nutrition of children. It is well documented that nutrition plays a very significant role in learning, especially in the early years; however, too many of our children simply do not receive the nutrition (both quality and quantity) necessary to enable learning.

Hunger and malnutrition indeed prevent too many children from being able to pay proper attention in school — for many students, the midday meal provided in school is the only meal that they eat.”

“Knowledge is the only quantity that increases for oneself when one gives it away to others”; indeed, one-on-one peer tutoring by senior students was one of the key successful hallmarks of the ancient gurukula system. Prestigious peer-tutoring positions will be instituted, not just for foundational literacy and numeracy, but across all school subjects, in order to improve learning outcomes for all.”

“If every literate member of the community could commit to teaching one student/person how to read, it would change the country’s landscape very quickly; this mission will be highly encouraged and supported”

Grade 1 and 2 — “On the curricular side, it will be extremely vital to introduce an increased focus on foundational literacy and numeracy — and generally on reading, writing, speaking, counting, arithmetic, and mathematical thinking — throughout the primary school curriculum”

“A simple but energising breakfast in addition to midday meals for a fresh start.

“P2.1. Expansion of midday meal programme:

Both a nutritious breakfast (e.g. even just some milk and a banana)”

“P2.2. Increased focus in school on foundational literacy and numeracy:

The school and classroom curriculum and schedules for Grades 1–5, love for reading and maths.

“a. Dedicated mathematics and reading hours every day for Grades 1, 2 and 3, and an additional writing hour for Grades 4 and 5. The hours between breakfast and lunch may be the most effective time periods for these subjects.

b. Designated “language weeks” and “mathematics weeks” during the school year, where children will participate in a variety of activities and projects around languages and mathematics.

c. Regular “language melas” and “mathematics melas”, where children can participate and demonstrate their abilities in both of these subjects; this could become a community event involving parents, teachers, community members, and neighbouring schools.

d. Weekly language and mathematics-focused school assemblies; celebrations of writers’ and mathematicians’ anniversaries through language- and mathematics-related activities.

e. Weekly activities around the library, such as story-telling, theatre, group reading, writing, and display of original writings and other art by children.

f. Weekly fun puzzle-solving sessions that naturally inculcate logical and mathematical thinking.

g. Regular activities that explore connections between “classroom mathematics” and “real-life mathematics.”

“If action is not taken soon, over the next few years the country could lose 10 crore or more students from the learning system and to illiteracy”

P2.3. “Workbooks on language and mathematics:

Every child in Grades 1–5 will have a workbook for languages and mathematics in addition to the school textbook”

“P2.4. National repository of language and mathematics resources:

The National Teacher’s Portal (DIKSHA) will have a special section of high quality resources on foundational literacy and numeracy.”

“P2.5. National Tutors Programme:

A National Tutors Programme (NTP) will be instituted, where the best performers in each school will be drawn in the programme for up to five hours a week as tutors during the school for fellow (generally younger) students who need help. ”

“Being selected as a peer tutor will be considered a prestigious position, earning a certificate from the State each year that indicates the hours of service.”

“P2.6. Remedial Instructional Aides Programme:

A Remedial Instructional Aides Programme (RIAP) will be instituted initially as a temporary 10-year project to draw instructors — especially women — from local communities to formally help students who have fallen behind and bring them back into the fold.”

“Should the instructional aides choose to complete a B.Ed. and become teachers, they will be given suitable credit for their years of IA service upon employment”

“P2.7. Encouragement of large-scale community and volunteer involvement:

Qualified volunteers (such as retired teachers and army officers, excellent students from neighbouring schools, and passionate socially-conscious college graduates from across the country) will also be drawn on a large scale to join the NTP and the RIAP on an unpaid basis, ”

“P2.8. Management of the NTP and RIAP programmes:

It will be the responsibility of the teachers to assess the learning levels of each student in class, and to identify those students who would make excellent tutors, ”

“P2.9. Regular adaptive assessment:”

“Computer-based adaptive assessment may first be implemented in secondary schools and, eventually, by 2023, with computers or tablets available in all schools, extended to cover every student in every school at the basic level and beyond as needed (see P4.9.3).”

“P2.10. Piloting other technological interventions as aids to teachers:

Computers, tablets, smartphones, and the relevant software will become widely available. Such interventions will include apps and games on smartphones and tablets in various regional languages that teach literacy, numeracy, and other foundational and curriculum material,”

“Such technological interventions will never be viewed as substitutes for teachers, but will be piloted and/or used by teachers and students as learning aids”

“P2.11. School preparation module for all Grade 1 students:

As evidence shows that a large number of students start to fall behind within the first couple of months of Grade 1, starting in 2019, all Grade 1 students will begin with a three-months-long “school preparation module” Curriculum Developed by NCERT

“P2.12. The importance of parental participation:”

“Parents will be asked to meet with their children’s teachers at least twice every year,”

“P2.13. Redesign of teacher education for foundational literacy and numeracy:”

“Teacher education and development at all levels will also include strategies for: more interactive classrooms with less rote learning; adaptive and formative assessment; and how best to use tutors, remedial instructors, and technology (such as apps for smartphones or tablets) in developing optimal individualised learning plans for students.” Grade 1 teachers.

“P2.14. Ensuring proper teacher deployment and teacher conditions, and a Pupil-Teacher Ratio under 30 : 1 at every school:”

“Near-100% teacher attendance is attained; in particular, teachers must be able to spend the vast majority of their working time with their students rather than on administrative or other tasks”

“P2.15. Expansion of public and school libraries and building a culture of reading and communication:

To create a culture of reading, public and school libraries will be expanded across the country, and will contain books — particularly children’s books — in local and regional languages.”

“P2.16. Role of social workers and counsellors:

Social workers and counsellors will be hired to school complexes, also for mental wellness of kids”

“P2.17. Mobilisation of the local community and of volunteers:

Teachers, parents, students, community members, and the public must and will be made aware of this urgent national mission to end the learning crisis”

“To repeat, our highest priority must be to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school and beyond by 2025. The rest of the Policy will be largely irrelevant for such a large portion of our students if this most basic learning (reading, writing, and arithmetic at the foundational level) is not first achieved.

Chapter 3: Reintegrating Dropouts and Ensuring Universal Access to Education”

“Objective: Achieve access and participation in free and compulsory quality school education for all children in the age group of 3–18 years by 2030.”

“Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in 2016–17 for Grades 1–5 was at 95.1%. ”

“The GER for Grades 6–8 was 90.7%, while for Grades 9–10 and 11–12 it was only 79.3% and 51.3%, respectively”

“In absolute numbers, an estimated 6.2 crore children of school age (between 6 and 18 years) were out of school in 2015.”

“In 2016–17, for every 100 primary schools/sections in India, there were about 50 upper primary schools/sections, 20 secondary schools/sections, and only about 9 higher secondary schools/sections”

Why dropout?

1. Early marriage
2. Child labour
3. Care for sibling
4. Lack of good sanitation and unhealthy food habits unfortunately make children prone to chronic illnesses
5. Many children, especially girls, drop out due to lack of working toilet facilities; others — particularly girls and children from various other Underrepresented Groups (URGs) — drop out due to problems with harassment and safety.
6. Students’ bicycles are stolen while at school, and they are forced to drop out.”
7. Simply because they do not find school interesting or useful.

How to solve this problem?

1. Build more schools
2. Carefully tracking students
3. The “free and compulsory” aspect of the RTE Act must be enforced
4. An overhaul of the curriculum to make it more engaging, dynamic, and useful;

“P3.1. Addressing access gaps in infrastructure:

“The number and coverage of schools/sections will be increased at all levels, especially Grades 9–12, in order to work towards achieving 100% GER from the Foundational Stage through Grade 12 for all children by 2030.”

“Note that composite schools/school complexes containing a wider range of grade levels have a number of advantages, including the sharing of material and human resources, a wider range of classes and opportunities for students, and the ability of siblings and neighbours of differing ages to travel together to and attend the same school.”

“P3.2. Supporting transport facilities:”

“Bicycles will be provided to older children, especially girls, as necessary in order to enable educational access”

“P3.3. Supporting hostel facilities:

“Free room and board facilities in the form of hostels will be built — matching the standard of Navodaya Vidyalayas”

“In particular, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) will be strengthened and expanded to increase the participation in quality schools (up to Grade 12) of girls from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds”

“P3.4. Ensuring Security “

“P3.5. Monitoring students’ attendance in school”

“P3.6. Monitoring students who may be falling behind”

“P3.7. Tracking out-of-school children:

An appropriate area-specific and locally relevant mechanism will be put in place, in collaboration with social workers, principals, community members, and SMCs, for tracking down and forming a database of all dropouts and out-of-school children. ”

“P3.8. Role of social workers and counsellors:

In cases of

a) enrolled students having lengthy absences beyond a few days,

b) enrolled students falling vastly behind, or

c) children who have never enrolled or who have dropped out”

“P3.9. Role of schools in children’s health:”

“Hiring of health workers to school complexes will be prioritised in areas with widespread malnutrition, disease, and lack of sanitation in order to ensure the well-being of children and as a consequence their attendance and progress in school.”

“P3.10. Second-chance education programmes for long-term out-of-school adolescents:”

“Skills development opportunities (e.g. market-driven courses to make them rapidly employable).

Dropouts aged 15 and above, who have fallen too far behind or are nearly illiterate, will be given the alternative option to attend adult literacy programmes”

“P3.11. Enabling multiple pathways to learning:

To facilitate learning for all students, including CWSN or children of migrant workers”

“Development and sharing of e-resources and promotion of e-learning, and introduction of assessment on demand. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Programmes offered by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) will be expanded and strengthened for meeting the learning needs of young people in India who are not able to attend a physical school”

“In addition, the following programmes will be offered: education at A, B and C levels that are equivalent to Grades 3, 5, and 8 of the formal school system; secondary education programmes that are equivalent to Grades 10 and 12; vocational education courses/programmes; and adult literacy and life-enrichment programmes. States will be encouraged to develop State analogues of these offerings in regional languages by establishing State Institutes of Open Schooling (SIOS)”

“P3.12. Allowing multiple models for schools, and loosening the input restrictions of the RTE Act:

To make it easier for both governments as well as non-governmental philanthropic organisations to build schools, to encourage local variations on account of culture, geography, and demographics, and to allow alternative models of education such as gurukulas, paathshaalas, madrasas, and home schooling, the RTE Act requirements for schools will be made substantially less restrictive.

The focus will be to have less emphasis on input and greater emphasis on output potential with respect to desired learning outcomes. Regulations on inputs will be limited to ensuring safety of children (both physical and psychological), access and inclusion, the non-profit nature of schools, and minimum standards for learning outcomes.”

“P3.13. Extension of the RTE Act to include secondary education:

The availability of free and compulsory quality secondary education (Grades 9–12; typically ages 14–18) will be included as an integral part of the RTE Act to ensure that, by 2030, all students enrol and participate in quality school education through Grade 12”

Chapter 4: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Schools

Objective: Curriculum and pedagogy are transformed by 2022 in order to minimise rote learning and instead encourage holistic development and 21st century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, scientific temper, communication, collaboration, multilingualism, problem solving, ethics, social responsibility, and digital literacy.

4.1. A new curricular and pedagogical structure for school education

• Grades 1–5 the primary stage,
• Grades 6–8 the upper primary stage,
• Grades 9–10 the secondary stage, and
• Grades 11–12 the higher secondary, pre-university, intermediate, or junior college stage.

Studies in cognitive science demonstrate that children prior to the age of 8 learn best through play-based, activity-based, and discovery-based multilevel flexible styles of learning and interaction,

Meanwhile, by the age of 11, children begin to develop the capacity for abstraction. At this stage, i.e., around Grade 6

By the age of 14, i.e., Grade 9, adolescents begin to think about their life plans; schooling at this stage must therefore build on the styles of previous stages

A semester-based system, which allows exposure to a multitude of subjects at differing levels, can be of great benefit to students at this stage.

A new developmentally appropriate curriculum and pedagogical structure for school education: 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 design.

P4.1.1. Restructuring school curriculum and pedagogy in a new 5+3+3+4 design:

Age ranges of 3–8, 8–11, 11–14, and 14–18 years, respectively.

• 5 years of the Foundational Stage: 3 years of pre-primary school and Grades 1, 2.
• 3 years of the Preparatory (or Latter Primary) Stage: Grades 3, 4, 5. — a. general groundwork across subjects, including reading, writing, speaking, physical education, art, languages, science, and mathematics,
• 3 years of the Middle (or Upper Primary) Stage: Grades 6, 7, 8. -
  This stage across the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities.
• 4 years of the High (or Secondary) Stage: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12.
  Multidisciplinary, with greater depth, greater critical thinking, greater attention to life aspirations, and greater flexibility and student choice. Each year of the Secondary Stage will be divided into 2 semesters, for a total of 8 semesters. Each student would take 5 to 6 subjects each semester.
  There will be some essential common subjects for all, while simultaneously there will be a great flexibility in selecting elective courses (including in the arts, vocational subjects, and physical education).
  A system of modular Board Examinations — restructured to test only core concepts, principles, critical thinking, and other higher-order skills in each subject — will help to pin down the common courses, while great flexibility will be offered for remaining courses (see P4.9.5). The notions of “higher secondary” or “junior college” will be eliminated; Grades 11 and 12 will be considered an integral part of the secondary stage.
  
  All stages will heavily incorporate Indian and local traditions, as well as ethical reasoning, socio-emotional learning, quantitative and logical reasoning, computational thinking and digital literacy, scientific temper, languages, and communication skills, in a manner that is developmentally appropriate and in the curricular/pedagogical style that is optimal for each stage.

Interactive and fun classrooms, where questions are encouraged, with creative, collaborative, and exploratory activities for deeper and more experiential learning.

4.2. Holistic development of learners:

The key overall thrust of curriculum and pedagogy reform across all stages will be to move the education system towards real understanding and learning how to learn — and away from the culture of rote learning present today.

The goal will be to create holistic and complete individuals equipped with key 21st century skills. All aspects of curriculum and pedagogy will be reoriented and revamped in order to attain these critical goals.

4.2.1 Reorientation of the content and process of school education:

The entire school education curriculum will be reoriented to develop holistic learners and develop in learners higher order skills of critical thinking, creativity, logical deduction, collaboration/teamwork, social responsibility, multilingualism, quantitative reasoning, and digital literacy.

Learning will thus move away from rote memorisation; if and when rote learning is used, it will always be pre- accompanied by context and motivation, and post-accompanied by analysis, discussion, and application.

4.3. Reduce curriculum content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking

The Policy recognises, from inputs of teachers, students, scientists, and educators, that the curriculum content is currently severely overloaded. Both the 1993 MHRD Yashpal Committee report 1993 “Learning Without Burden” and the NCF 2005 highlighted the great need for reducing our overcrowded curriculum content load in favour of a more engaging, holistic, experiential, and analysis-based form of learning.

4.3.1 Reduce curriculum load in each subject to its essential core content, in order to make space for more holistic, experiential, discussion-based, and analysis-based learning:

4.4. Empower students through flexibility in course choices

what they enjoy, and so that they can gradually assess what they may want to do with their lives. Specialisation should be delayed, so that students’ choices are not dictated simply by parents or society, but rather via their own experiences, interests, and self-reflections.

In particular, there should be no extra-curricular and co-curricular activities; all such activities must also be considered curricular

4.4.1 Increased flexibility in choice of subjects:

4.4.2 No hard separation of content in terms of curricular, extra-curricular, or co-curricular areas:

Including sports, yoga, dance, music, drawing, painting, sculpting, pottery making, woodworking, gardening, and electric work. NCERT will prepare syllabi and textbooks as per the National Curriculum Framework and SCERTs.

4.4.3 — No hard separation of arts and sciences

4.4.4 No hard separation of “vocational” and “academic” streams:

ll students will take vocational courses which will be an integral part of the formal curriculum, and will give learners in-depth exposure to areas such as agriculture, electronics, local trades and crafts, etc

4.5. Education in the local language/ mother tongue; multilingualism and the power of language

Children between the ages of 2 and 8 also have an extremely flexible capacity to learn multiple languages, which is a crucial social capacity that must be harnessed,

Since children learn languages most quickly between 2–8 years, and multilingualism has great cognitive benefits for students, children will be immersed in three languages early on, from the Foundational Stage.

Education in the home language/mother tongue

On the other hand, textbooks (especially science textbooks) written in India’s vernaculars at the current time are generally not nearly of the same quality as those written in English.

It is important that local languages, including tribal languages, are respected and that excellent textbooks are developed in local languages, when possible, and outstanding teachers are deployed to teach in these languages.

4.5.1 Home language/mother tongue as medium of instruction:

When possible, the medium of instruction — at least until Grade 5 but preferably till at least Grade 8 — will be the home language/mother tongue/local language.
home languages as is needed and feasible, e.g. via the Indian Translation and Interpretation Mission (see P4.8.4) or its State counterparts

4.5.2. Bilingual approach for those whose language is different from the primary medium of instruction

4.5.3 Exposure to three or more languages in schools:

To leverage the enhanced language-learning abilities of young children, all students from pre-school and Grade 1 onwards will be exposed to three or more languages with the aim of developing speaking proficiency and interaction, and the ability to recognise scripts and read basic text, in all three languages by Grade 3.

In terms of writing, students will begin writing primarily in the medium of instruction until Grade 3, after which writing with additional scripts will also be introduced gradually.

4.5.4 Standardising sign language:

Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardised across the country, and National and State curriculum materials developed, for use by students with hearing impairment. Local sign languages will be respected and taught as well where possible and relevant.

• Structures of expression, vocabulary, idioms, and literature of more than one language
• Moreover, Indian languages are very scientifically structured, and do not have unphonetic, complicated spellings of words and numerous grammatical exceptions;

Only about 15% of the country speaks English, and this population almost entirely coincides with the economic elite (compared with, e.g. 54% of Indians who speak Hindi) keeping them out of higher-paying jobs and the higher socio-economic strata.

For true equity and inclusion in society, and in the education and employment systems across the country, this power structure of language must be stopped at the earliest.

It is also strongly recommended that interactions between people within India be conducted in languages native to India; thus Indian languages must be heavily promoted again and with new vigour

4.5.5 — Continuation of the three language formula in schools:

The three language formula, followed since the adoption of the National Policy on Education 1968, and endorsed in the National Policy on Education 1986/1992 as well as the NCF 2005, will be continued,

4.5.6 Implementation of the three-language formula:

There will be a major effort from both the Central and State governments to invest in large numbers of language teachers in all regional languages around the country, and in particular all Schedule 8 languages.

4.5.7 Recruitment of teachers for language teaching:

Special schemes rolled out, to recruit teachers (including retired teachers) to that locality who speak that language

4.5.8 — . Learning science bilingually:

Students whose medium of instruction is the local/home language will begin to learn science bilingually in Grade 8 or earlier, so that by the end of Grade 10 they can speak about science both in their home language and English.

This will enable students to think about scientific concepts in more than one way, and enable future scientists to talk about their work and about science to their families and to local news channels, write about their work for regional newspapers, and speak to children about their work in their home States and towns to help inspire the next generation.

Being science-bilingual in this way is indeed a boon; most Nobel Prize winners in science indeed report being able to think and speak about science in more than one language.

In the current Indian system, many scientists have complained about their inability to think and speak about their subject in their mother tongue, and how this has hindered both their own thinking and their outreach capabilities in their communities.

4.5.9 — .Flexibility in the three-language formula:

In keeping with the principle of flexibility, students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying may do so in Grade 6 or Grade 7, so long as they are able to still demonstrate proficiency in three languages (one language at the literature level) in their modular Board Examinations

4.5.10 — Foreign language offerings in secondary school:

A choice of foreign language(s) (e.g. French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese) would be offered and available to interested students to choose as elective(s) during secondary school.

Such an elective would indeed be an elective and not in lieu of the three-language formula. Because of the need for excellent translators in the country, one aspect of teaching foreign languages will include translation exercises between Indian and foreign languages.

4.5.11 — Approach to language learning and teaching — fun and engaging:

(Samskrita Bharati and Alliance Francaise, which are organisations in India that teach Sanskrit and French, respectively,

These languages will also be enhanced through other arts, such as by playing and discussing music or film excerpts, or engaging in theatre in these languages.

(e.g. excerpts from the rich traditions of Khariboli, Awadhi, Maithili, Braj, and Urdu literature may be included in Hindi courses for inclusivity and enrichment).

Exposure to Languages of India: Modern and Classical

India’s languages are among the richest, most scientific, most beautiful, and most expressive in the world,

4.5.12 — Course on the Languages of India:

Every student in the country will take a fun course on “The Languages of India” sometime in Grades 6–8.

In this course, students will learn about the remarkable unity of most of the major Indian languages, starting with their common phonetic and scientifically- arranged alphabets and scripts, their common grammatical structures, their origins and sources of vocabularies from Sanskrit and other classical languages, as well as their rich inter-influences and differences.

They will also learn what geographical areas speak which languages, get a sense of the nature and structure of tribal languages. They will learn to say a few lines in every major language of India (greetings and other useful or fun phrases), and a bit about the literature (e.g. simple poetry or major uplifting works from a representative and diverse set of authors) of each.

4.5.13 — Incorporation of relevant excerpts from great works of Indian literature throughout the curriculum:

Rabindranath atgore word, in philosophy, writing, ethics, or history. incorporated as relevant throughout the curriculum across all subjects

Sanskrit, while also an important modern (Schedule 8) language, possesses a classical literature that is greater in volume than that of Latin and Greek put together, containing vast treasures of mathematics, philosophy, grammar, music, politics, medicine, architecture, metallurgy, drama, poetry, storytelling, and more,

India also has an extremely rich literature in other classical languages, including classical Tamil, as well as classical Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit;

4.5.14 — Study of Sanskrit and knowledge of its extensive literature:

Sanskrit has been a great repository of knowledge pertaining to numerous subjects including science, mathematics, medicine, mathematics, law, economics, politics, music, linguistics, drama, storytelling, architecture, and more, by authors from all walks of life. Sanskrit (and Prakrit) has played a great role in the Indian tradition of the quest for knowledge, including the study of the 64 kalas or liberal arts.

The plays of Kalidasa and Bhasa), will be made widely available in schools and higher educational institutions.

Bhaskara’s poems on mathematics and puzzles that help to make the study of mathematics more engaging, the incorporation of relevant Panchatantra stories in ethics classes,

Sanskrit will be offered at all levels of school and higher education as one of the optional languages on par with all Schedule 8 languages. Sanskrit textbooks at the Foundational and Middle school level may be rewritten in Simple Standard Sanskrit (SSS) in order to teach Sanskrit through Sanskrit (STS) and make its study truly enjoyable.

4.5.15 — Make available courses on all classical languages of India:

Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit, will also be widely available in schools. Sangam poetry in classical Tamil, the Jataka tales in Pali, the works of Sarala Dasa in classical Odia, excepts from Raghavanka’s epic Harishchandra Kavya in Kannada, Amir Khusro’s works in Persian, and Kabir’s poems in Hindi, etc.).

4.5.16 — A two-year relevant course on a classical language:

For the enrichment of our children, and for the preservation of these rich languages and their artistic treasures, all students in all schools, public or private, will take at least two years of a classical language of India in Grades 6–8, easy to read, enjoyable, and relatable, and written by authors from diverse sections of society,

If one is Sanskrit, then. For example, students in Hindi-speaking States who are taking Hindi, Sanskrit, and English as their three languages could take two years of a language from another part of India (e.g. Tamil) in order to satisfy this language requirement.

4.6.Curricular integration of essential subjects and skills

these skills include: scientific temper; sense of aesthetics and art; languages; communication; ethical reasoning; digital literacy; knowledge of India; and knowledge of critical issues facing local communities, States, the country, and the world.

4.6.1. Scientific temper

4.6.1.1 — Inculcate scientific temper and encourage evidence-based thinking throughout the curriculum:

In history, one could ask, “What are the possible historical scenarios consistent with the known archaeological and literary evidences?” In music/physics, one could ask, “What frequencies of notes should be used in musical scales, given that notes with resonant frequencies are the ones that sound good together to the ear?” In ethics, one could ask, “What are the positive benefits to society if every individual always acts according to certain ethical principles?”

Key ingredient in teaching students to “learn how to learn”, to adapt to new situations, and to establish themselves as lifelong learners.

4.6.2. Art and aesthetics

It is well established that people (including engineers and scientists) who are well educated in the arts as children tend to be more productive, creative, and innovative in their lives as adults.

Music, in particular, has been shown to build in children emotional well being and the ability to focus, be creative, and collaborate. Wide-scale research also clearly demonstrates that children who practice music score substantially higher reading and math scores; schools that have music programmes also have significantly higher graduation rates; and people who learned music as children had far lower rates of substance abuse as adolescents and adults. A survey of Nobel Prize winners in all fields revealed them to be six times more likely to be practicing musicians or have a musical hobby than general adults.

4.6.2.1 Music and art experiences in the early years:

Every student from the Foundational stage onwards will have basic exposure to the notes, scales, ragas, and rhythms of classical Indian music (Carnatic and/or Hindustani) through vocal exercises, singing, and clapping, as well as in local folk music, art, and craft in a hands-on way; they will have exposure to both vocal and instrumental music. Simple, inexpensive hand instruments such as shakers and xylophones would be available in pre-schools and schools,

Arts experiences will also include theatre, poetry, painting, drawing, and sculpture, and vocational arts such as carpentry and embroidery/sewing/ clothes-making.

Create a strong community of music and art educators. Community musicians and artists will also be recruited and trained to teach as special instructors in schools and school complexes.

4.6.2.2 Taking up at least one art for deeper study:

Be it through an instrument, singing, sculpting, drawing, painting, or a vocational craft

4.6.2.3 Technology use for bringing the arts to more students:

Professionally recorded classes/demonstrations by great, famous artists of the country could be played and teacher and kids will follow along.

4.6.2.4 Interaction with local artists :

Local artists and crafts-persons will be recruited and utilised in schools — from short demonstrations to full-fledged classes

4.6.3. Oral and written communication

People spend much of their daily lives communicating messages, requests, questions, opinions, feedback, anecdotes,

Around the world reveal that verbal communication skills are ranked first among potential job candidate’s “must-have” skills and qualities

The ability to speak, listen, question, discuss, and write with clarity and conciseness — and with confidence, eloquence, friendliness, and open-mindedness — is considered a truly essential skill for all managers and leaders.

4.6.3.1. “Show and tell” sessions in the Foundational and Preparatory years:

The concept of “Show and tell” (“Dikhao, batao” in Hindi with similar translations in other languages) Starting grade 1. “show and tell” session at least once every week

This will involve students and teachers bringing in their favourite toys, games, family photos, flowers, children’s books, original short stories, and personal anecdotes (about family members, friends, festivals, experiences, holidays, favourite lessons that week, favourite subjects, etc.

In middle school, one-period-per-week

4.6.3.2 Incorporation of communication in every subject in the Middle and Secondary years :

Discuss more sophisticated and course-specific topics,creative solution to a problem at the board , examples from their own lives.

Each student’s confidence is built up and fellow students are inspired,

At the Middle and Secondary stages, students will also formally learn to talk about social, scientific, technological, agricultural, medical, and environmental problems facing India and the world

4.6.4. Physical education, wellness, and sports

4.6.4.1 Incorporating physical education, mind-and-body wellness, and sports into the curriculum starting at the Foundational stage:

All students at all levels of school will have regular periods including sports, games, yoga, martial arts, dance, gardening, and more,

4.6.5. Problem-solving and logical reasoning

Games of strategy, logic and word puzzles, and recreational mathematics

Jigsaw puzzles, playing with blocks, and solving mazes , tic tac toe. Word and logic puzzles

Examples :

• If a drawer in a very dark room has 10 red socks and 10 blue socks, how many socks does one need to remove from the drawer to ensure that one has two socks of the same colour?
• A farmer traveling with a fox, a goat, and a head of cabbage needs to cross a river by boat. Alas, the boat only fits the farmer and one of the fox, goat, or cabbage, and the farmer cannot leave the fox with the goat on either bank of the river unsupervised (or the fox may try to eat the goat), and similarly she cannot leave the goat with the cabbage unsupervised. How can the farmer successfully bring the fox, goat, and cabbage across the river?
• A domino consists of two squares, 1x2, and covers two adjacent squares of the chessboard. Can 32 dominoes be used to perfectly cover an 8x8 chessboard? (Of course.) Can 31 dominoes be used to perfectly cover an 8x8 chessboard with 2 diagonally-opposite corners of the chessboard removed? Why or why not? (The answer is one sentence!)

[more challenging]

• Language puzzles teach students to think linguistically — e.g. in North and South Indian languages, competitions asking students to write a paragraph about some chosen topic, in which no labial sounds (“p”, “ph”, “b”, “bh”, and “m”) are used — or in English, where the letter “e” is not used — can be fun ways for students to understand and play with language.
• Take your favorite single digit number and multiply it by 9. Then multiply the result by 12345679. What happens? Why?
• Would you prefer to receive: (a) 1 crore rupees today, or (b) 1 rupee today, 2 rupees tomorrow, 4 rupees the day after, etc., doubling the amount received each day, for 30 days?
• For instance, the last puzzle above — which has its origins in Indian writings (in a famous story about a king agreeing to grant rice on each square of a chessboard, in this doubling fashion, to the poor but brilliant citizen who invented chess) — teaches students about the powers of 2, exponential growth, and large numbers.

At the moment, students generally only learn how to count up to 1 crore, which is hardly sufficient in today’s world

One, ten, hundred, thousand, 10 thousand, lakh, 10 lakh, crore, 10 crore, arab, 10 arab, kharab, 10 kharab, neel, 10 neel, padma, 10 padma, shank, 10 shank, mahashank,

From biology, astronomy, finance, and geology, could include: the number of brain cells in a human — and the number of stars in our galaxy — is each about one kharab; the GDP of India is approximately 20 neels; and the number of grains of sand on Earth is about one mahashank!

Poetry, e.g. as in Bhaskara II’s works — Riddles.

4.6.5.1 Seriously incorporating games, puzzles, and problem-solving activities into the curriculum: CHESS; and its coaching.

4.6.6. Vocational exposure and skills

4.6.6.1 Vocational exposure:

(Such as gardening, pottery, wood-work, electric work, and many others) will be taught at the Foundational and Elementary level,

Gardening or work with clay, will even be introduced in the foundational years (ages 3–8. and tutors may be shared across multiple schools in the school complex as needed.

4.6.6.2 Survey course on vocational skills and crafts in Grades 6, 7, or 8:

Every student will take a fun year-long course, during Grades 6–8, that gives a survey and hands-on experience of a sampling of important vocational crafts such as carpentry, electric work, metal work, gardening, pottery making,

4.6.6.3 Include ample vocational course options for all in secondary school curriculum:

For Grades 9–12. Wide option.

4.6.7. Digital literacy and computational thinking

4.6.7.1 Integration of digital literacy:

a. Computational thinking (the thought processes involved in formulating problems and solutions in ways that computers can effectively execute), a fundamental skill in the digital age;

b. Programming and other computer-based activities.

4.6.8. Ethical and moral reasoning

4.6.8.1 Incorporation of basic ethical and moral reasoning throughout the school curriculum:

Students will be taught at a young age the importance of “doing what’s right. “Will this hurt someone? ” Is that a good thing to do?” In later years, this would then be expanded along themes of cheating, violence, plagiarism, tolerance, equality, empathy,

Values such as patriotism, sacrifice, nonviolence, truth, honesty, peace, forgiveness, tolerance, mercy, sympathy, equality and fraternity.

4.6.8.2 Incorporation of ethical and moral principles and values:

Indian values of seva, ahimsa, swacchata, satya, nishkam karma, tolerance, honest hard work, respect for women, respect for elders, respect for all people and their inherent capabilities regardless of background, respect for environment, etc. will be inculcated in students, Using dustbins, using toilets and leaving toilets clean after use, standing in queues properly and patiently, helping the less fortunate and conducting charity work,

4.6.8.3 — Development of Constitutional values:

Some of these Constitutional values are: democratic outlook and commitment to liberty and freedom; equality, justice, and fairness; embracing diversity, plurality, and inclusion; humaneness and fraternal spirit; social responsibility and the spirit of service; ethics of integrity and honesty; scientific temper and commitment to rational and public dialogue; peace; social action through Constitutional means; unity and integrity of the nation, and a true rootedness and pride in India with a forward-looking spirit to continuously improve as a nation.

4.6.8.4 Development of ideas of personal freedom and responsibility among students:

Students will be taught not to cave into peer or societal pressure, and aim to pursue what they are most passionate about; it is best for the individual and for society if everyone attempts to do what they are best at and enjoy the most

4.6.8.5 Basic health and safety training, as a service to oneself and to those around us:

Mental health, nutrition, personal and public hygiene, and first-aid, alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Sex education, consent, harassment, respect for women, safety, family planning, and STD prevention.

4.6.8.6 Socio-emotional learning:

(SEL) improved cognitive and emotional resilience and promote constructive social engagement.

Ex- Carrying out work or tasks in teams/groups, organising get-togethers and games across different grades, role-playing and conflict resolution, discussing stories of kindness, and reflective writing, speaking, and art.

4.6.8.7 Inspiring lessons from the literature and people of India:

Of the Panchatantra, Jataka, Hitopadesh, and other fun fables

Excerpts from the Indian Constitution will also be considered essential reading for students, for the values of Equality, Liberty, and Fraternity that it espouses, parts from biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Swami Vivekananda, Guru Nanak, Mahavira Acharya, Gautam Buddha, Sri Aurobindo, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Shri Rabindranath Tagore, Dr. MS Subbulakshmi, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Dr. C.V. Raman, and Dr. Homi Bhabha, and indeed all Bharat Ratna awardees

Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela. [Not limited to]

4.6.8.8 Courses on ethical and moral reasoning:

A one-year course on ethical and moral reasoning will be required for all students sometime in Grades 6–8.

Drawing from arguments of India’s and the world’s great philosophers and leaders. Subjects such as seva, swacchata, nonviolence, respect and safety for women, cheating, helpfulness, tolerance, equality, fraternity, etc. will again be discussed in this context. More advanced semester courses on philosophy, ethics, and moral reasoning will be available in high school as well.

4.6.9. Knowledge of India

Disciplines, including mathematics, philosophy, art, logic, grammar, law, poetry, drama, astronomy, chemistry, metallurgy, botany, zoology, ecology, environmental conservation, medicine, architecture, water management, agriculture, music, dance, yoga, psychology, politics, fables, and education.

Indian literature, folk arts, and local oral and tribal traditions,

For example, in mathematics, the so-called Pythagorean theorem, Fibonacci numbers, and Pascal’s triangle were first discovered and mathematically described in history (in very artistic and fascinating ways) by Baudhayana, Virahanka, and Pingala, respectively

Concept of 0 in India, over 2000 years ago, Aryabhata

The negative numbers — and the algebraic rules governing zero and negative numbers — were first introduced and used by Brahmagupta in Rajasthan, while the seeds of calculus were first laid down by Bhaskara II and Madhava in Karnataka and Kerala, respectively

Not taught in India due to colonialism.

There are a number of excellent, truly scientific, and learned scholars in India who are experts in traditional knowledge systems of India in various subjects, including in tribal knowledge. We must get their help.

4.6.9.1 Incorporation of Indian knowledge systems into the curriculum:

Indian contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, psychology, yoga, architecture, medicine, as well as governance, polity, society, and conservation.

4.6.9.2 Inclusion of local and tribal knowledge systems in the curriculum and textbooks

4.6.9.3 Course on Indian knowledge systems: by NCERT

4.6.10. Current affairs

Much of the material in the school curriculum — though fundamental — is also “static”. Indeed, compiling knowledge into “textbook” format freezes it, often for decades!

4.6.10.1 Course on critical issues facing the community, the country, and the world for all students in Grades 7–8:

All students in Grades 7 and 8 will take a course (one period per week, for one session) on Critical Issues facing humans in their communities and around the world

Climate change, sanitation, water, Swatchh Bharat, gender equality, social justice, science and its interaction with society, universal education, and, e.g. problems with this national education policy.

4.6.10.2 Course on current affairs for all students in Grades 9–12:

one period each week, and be sourced from current newspapers, journals/magazines, books, and even films. This will encourage reading and awareness about current affairs and foster critical thinking.

4.7. National Curriculum Framework NCF 2005 Revision

4.8. National textbooks with local content and flavour

Where possible, teachers will also have choices in the textbooks they employ — from among a set of textbooks that contain the requisite national and local material

The aim will be to provide such quality textbooks at the lowest possible cost — namely, the cost of production/printing

Additional textbook materials would be funded by public private partnerships and crowdsourcing that incentivise experts to write such at-cost-priced high quality textbooks.

States will prepare their own curricula (which may be based on the NCERT Curriculum Framework) and prepare textbooks (which may be based on the NCERT textbook materials) having State flavour. The availability of such textbooks in all regional languages must be a top priority, so that all students have access to high quality learning.

4.8.1 . Revision of NCERT textbooks:

Following the shrinking of the curriculum content in each subject to its core (see Section 4.3), NCERT textbooks will be revised to first contain only the essential core material in each subject, keeping in mind a constructivist, discovery-based, analysis-based, engaging, and enjoyable style of learning in accordance with the revised NCF as in Section 4.7. In certain subjects, in addition to this core material, NCERT may also prepare a few supplementary units that may be used to enhance the core material in various States.

4.8.2 . Preparation of textbooks at the State level:

SCERTs will edit books for state flavour.

4.8.3 . Textbooks and materials for additional subjects: Must have local and Indian Flavour

4.8.4 . High quality translations:

An Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI)

4.8.5 Innovative textbook development for increased choice of textbooks in schools:

Local Book approval process ;

a. The national core curricular material and, where relevant, any local material deemed necessary by States;

b. Innovative, creative, and engaging presentation; and
c. Correctness and accuracy.

4.9. Transforming assessment for student development

tests higher-order skills such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity

Unfortunately, the current nature of examinations — and the resulting coaching culture of today — are doing much harm, especially at the secondary school level, replacing valuable time for true learning with excessive examination coaching and preparation.

• In particular, real understanding, thinking, analysing, doing, and learning takes a secondary seat to mugging, rote learning, and obtaining coaching for performing on these life-altering examinations.

Third, if life-determining Board Examinations are given on only two occasions, in Grade 10 and 12, then it is inevitable that these examinations will be mostly summative and not formative, which is a wasted opportunity.

• Students should be able to take a Board examination in a given subject in whichever semester they take the corresponding class in school
• Board Examinations in each subject may replace the in-school final examinations for semester or year-long courses
  AT least 2 or more attempts will be given per student for board exams and entrance exams.

4.9.2 Formative assessment to continually improve teaching-learning processes:

At least 1/month in all subjects. . online question banks of higher order questions will be made available to teachers and students for this purpose. . open book examinations may be used as well,

• Quizzes, examinations, and portfolio assessments in this spirit to track students’ progress

4.9.3 . Piloting adaptive computerised testing:

Formal official assessments, such as Board and entrance examinations, could eventually be conducted in this manner also, with students thereby being easily able to take such tests on more than one or two occasions to improve.

4.9.4 . Census examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8

To track students’ progress throughout their school experience all students will take State census examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8 in addition to the Board Examinations in Grades 10 and 12. Grade 3 census examination, in particular, would test basic literacy, numeracy, and other foundational skills.

4.9.5 Restructuring of Board Examinations

To eliminate the “high stakes” aspect of Board Examinations, all students will be allowed to take Board Examinations on up to two occasions during any given school year. After computerised system is in place, they can take multiple attempts.

As a suggested model, each student over the duration of secondary school would be required to take at least two semester Board Examinations in mathematics, two in science, one in Indian history, one in world history, one in knowledge of contemporary India, one in ethics and philosophy, one in economics, one in business/commerce, one in digital literacy / computational thinking, one in art, one in physical education, and two in vocational subjects.

In addition, each student would be required to take three basic language Board Examinations that assess basic proficiency in the three-language formula, and at least one additional Board Examination in a language of India at the literature level.

Additional Board Examinations in various other subjects, including more advanced subjects in mathematics, statistics, science, computer programming, history, art, language, and vocational subjects, will be available. Students will be expected to take a total of at least 24 subject Board Examinations, or on average three a semester, and these examinations would be in lieu of in- school final examinations so as not to be any additional burden on students or teachers.

Practical portions of certain Board Examinations would be assessed locally according to a pre-set State paradigm, and grades for the written and practical portions would be listed separately on a student’s assessment report.

Recall that students will be taking 40+ semester courses during secondary school, so 15 or more semester courses could be decided completely locally by the student and assessed locally by the school, including subjects that would traditionally have been considered co-curricular or extra-curricular.

4.9.6 National Testing Agency strengthened to conduct college and university entrance examinations:

It could also institute processes which would connect it directly to the bodies offering scholarships to students.

Tests will be offered in as many languages as possible .

At ICT-equipped adult-education centres and schools

NTA may also serve as a storehouse for assessment data in the country,

4.10. Support of students with singular interests and talents

The current curricular transaction arrangements involve a “One-size-fits-all” approach

Individual Interest will be encouraged to pursue further.

In mathematics, the idea of a “Mathematics Circle” has been a highly successful method (in Bulgaria, Russia, and more recently the United States) of enriching the mathematical horizons of young students who exhibit unusual inclinations and talents in mathematics — many of the world’s great mathematicians have come through this system typically from Grade 6 and up . A Math Circle generally meets once every week or two. After schools hours or on holidays.

In a similar manner, topic-centred and project-based Clubs and Circles in localities in all subjects where there is such interest from students are highly encouraged to be set up in this manner at the levels of schools, school complexes, districts, and beyond. Examples include Science Circles, Music Performance Circles, Chess Circles, Poetry Circles, Language Circles, Debate Circles, and so on.

4.10.1 Identify and foster singular interests and talents:

4.10.2 Establish topic-centered and project-based clubs at the school, school complex, block, and district levels:

4.10.3 Establish a system of centrally funded topic-based residential summer programmes across the country in various subjects for students with singular interests and talents:

New centrally-funded national residential summer programmes with rigorous merit-based subject-dependent admissions processes will be set up in various subjects, to be held once a year at institutions offering to host such programmes. The various clubs and circles mentioned in P4.10.2 may naturally lead up to participation in these national programmes.

4.10.4 Olympiads and competitions: Encouraged

4.10.5 Internet-based apps, assessments, and online communities for students with singular interests and talents:

Chapter 5: Teachers

Objective: Ensure that all students at all levels of school education are taught by passionate, motivated, highly qualified, professionally trained, and well equipped teachers.

“ Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) often have little correlation with teaching ability.”

“There are approximately 17,000 teacher education “institutions in the country, of which over 92% are privately owned.”

“According to government data, the country faces over 10 lakh teacher vacancies — a large proportion of them in rural areas — leading to PTRs that are even larger than 60:1 in certain area”

“The majority of schools have no music or art teachers whatsoever, and there is a major shortage of language teachers.”

“That at least some teachers are hired locally or speak the local language, so that they may communicate fluently and effectively with students and parents, and so that students may have local role models.”

“Teachers often speak of teacher development workshops as not particularly relevant to them,”

“Finally, salary, promotion, career management, and leadership positions in the school system and beyond tend not to have any formal merit-based structures, but rather are based on lobbying, luck, or seniority.”

What is the solution?

“a. Large number of merit-based scholarships will be instituted across the country for studies at outstanding four-year integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programmes.

In rural areas, special merit-scholarships will be established that also include guaranteed employment in their local areas upon successful completion of their four-year integrated B.Ed. programmes; such scholarships with guaranteed employment”

“Povision of local housing near or on the school premises.”

“The harmful practice of excessive teacher transfers will be halted with immediate effect, ”

“A classroom demonstration or interview will become an integral part of teacher hiring”

Local language speaking teachers will be given priority.

“School complex (a conglomeration of local area schools consisting of one secondary school and a number of pre-primary through middle schools ”

“In the long term, the minimal degree requirement for all permanent tenured teachers will be the four-year integrated B.Ed. degree. However, to promote local knowledge and expertise, schools and/or school complexes will be permitted and, indeed, supported with suitable resources to hire local eminent persons or experts as “specialised instructors” in various subjects, such as traditional local arts, vocational crafts, entrepreneurship, agriculture,”

“Teachers at very small schools will remain isolated no longer and will become part of and work with larger school complex communities.”

“School complexes will also share counsellors, social workers, technical and repair staff, and remedial instructors”

“Teachers will not be allowed any longer to conduct government work that is not directly related to teaching “teachers will not be involved in electioneering, cooking of midday meals, and other strenuous administrative tasks”

“Finally, teachers will be given more autonomy in choosing finer aspects of curriculum and pedagogy”

“Teachers will be recognised for novel approaches to teaching that improve learning outcomes in their classrooms.”

“Platforms (especially online platforms) will be developed so that teachers may share ideas and best practices. Each teacher may be expected to participate in, say, 50 hours of CPD opportunities every year for their own professional development. “Leaders such as school principals and school complex leaders will be have similar modular leadership / management workshops and online development opportunities and platforms to continuously improve their own leadership and management skills, 50hrs ”

“A robust merit-based promotion and salary structure will be developed, with multiple levels within each teacher rank, to incentivise and recognise excellent and committed teachers through promotions and salary increases. A system of multiple parameters for proper assessment of performance will be developed for the same, that would be based on peer reviews, student reviews, attendance, commitment, hours of CPD, and other forms of service to the school and the community.”

“Academic leadership positions in schools, school complexes, and at Block Resource Centres (BRCs), Cluster Resource Centres (CRCs), BITEs (Block Institutes of Teacher Education), and District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) for teachers.”

“The two-year B.Ed./D.El.Ed. (now to be referred to only as B.Ed.) programmes will also be offered, by the same multidisciplinary institutions offering the four-year integrated B.Ed.; the two-year B.Ed. will be intended only for those who have already obtained Bachelor’s Degrees in other specialised subjects. These B.Ed. programmes may also be replaced by suitably adapted to one-year B.Ed. ”

“Special shorter local teacher education programmes will also be available at BITEs, DIETs, or at school complexes themselves, so that eminent local persons may be hired to teach at schools or school complexes as “specialised instructors”, for the purpose of promoting local knowledge and skills, e.g.

Local art, music, agriculture, business, sports, carpentry, and other vocational crafts.

Secondary shorter post-B.Ed. certification courses will also be made widely available,”

“The thousands of substandard standalone Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) across the country will be shut down as soon as possible.”

“P5.1.1. Merit-based scholarships to encourage outstanding students to enter the teaching profession”

“Female students will be a special target of such scholarships to provide an increased number of local female role models.”

“P5.1.2. Teacher recruitment process”

“The requirement of qualifying through the TETs (either State or Central level examinations) and NTA examinations will be made mandatory also for teachers of private schools with immediate effect.

” With a second round of screening test to see teaching capabilities.

“P5.1.3. Achieving desired Pupil Teacher Ratios:”

“ Teachers in subjects such as art, music, vocational crafts, sports, and yoga will be shared across the school complex, as will be substitute teachers, student counsellors, and social workers”

“P5.1.4. Ensuring both local teachers as well as diversity”

“P5.1.5. Deployment of teachers to a particular school complex”

“P5.1.6. Incentives to teach in rural areas:”

“P5.1.7. Halting / slowing teacher transfers to ensure continuity of teacher-student-community relationships: ”

“P5.1.8. Stopping the practice of para-teachers:

All “para-teacher” (Shikshakarmi, Shikshamitra, etc.) Contractual teachers”

“P5.1.9. Induction of freshly trained teachers into schools:”

“All fresh teachers, in their first two years of teaching, will be registered with a centre for CPD such as the BRC, CRC, BITE, or DIET that is associated with the school complex where they are inducted, so that they can be mentored and integrated into a community of their peers”

“P5.1.10. Teacher-requirement planning:”

“P5.2. School environment and culture that is conducive to quality education”

“Happy and motivated teachers and students make for good learning. ”

“P5.2.1. Adequate physical infrastructure, facilities, and learning resources:”

“Funding will be allocated by the Centre and State governments on a priority basis for the design, development, and maintenance of infrastructure and resources that are effective and conducive to learning.”

“All schools will also be provided with computers and internet connectivity for pedagogical purposes, infrastructure and materials to support differently-abled students”

“Consultations will be held with leading educators, cognitive scientists, artists, and architects on Learning Space Designs”

“P5.2.2. Caring and inclusive school culture:”

“P5.2.3. Ensuring that teachers are able to teach with full dedication and at full capacity — no non-teaching activities:”

P5.2.4. Remedial education:

“Teachers will manage school remedial programmes, such as the NTP and the RIAP.”

“P5.2.5. Rejuvenating academic support institutions (SCERT, BITE, DIET, BRC, CRC, CTE, IASE)” Interconnected

P5.2.6. Community connect

“P5.2.7. Materials for teachers in Indian languages”

P5.3. Continuous professional development

Share their experiences, practices and insights, and opportunities to update their knowledge must be made available.” — [Govt wont build a chat service/social site for sharing, we have to]

5.3.1 . Flexible and modular approach to continuous professional development for teachers:

Teachers must have access to more short courses that are certified, for modular approaches that allow them to accumulate credits and earn certificates and diplomas, even leading to professional degrees (including an M.A. in Education or M.Ed. degrees).

Such courses must be offered in a range of formats including part time, evening, blended, and online in additional to full time programmes either by Departments of Education at Universities or at Centres of Professional Development that are accredited. Teachers must also have opportunities for research,

These requirements and avenues of professional development are over and above other avenues that are already well established presently, including workshops, seminars, short courses, teacher meets, and also certificate and diploma courses for various areas of pedagogy and related skills, understanding of education, school social work, administration and leadership.

P5.3.2. Revamping continuous professional development:

All CPD will be redesigned, keeping in mind the following considerations:

Teachers must be able to choose what they want to learn.

P5.3.3. Self-directed personal development of teachers

All States should adopt a technology-based system for enabling choice-based CPD and to track the professional trajectory of each teacher

P5.3.4. Online resources for continuous professional development:

ICT will also be utilised extensively for CPD. Teachers will be given access to the internet and to technology platforms both at school and from their homes. There will be no centralised determination of the curriculum, no cascade-model training and no rigid norms.

Coherent curriculum framework that addresses issues relevant to the practice of teaching, including perspectives in education, content, pedagogy, interrelated nature of subjects, school culture, governance, management, resource sharing, and leadership.

P5.3.5. In-school teacher development processes:

P5.3.6. Recognising outstanding teachers:

Truly outstanding teachers — as nominated and recommended by students, parents, principals, school complex leaders, and peers at the school, school complex, district, State, and national levels,

P5.4. Career management

P5.4.1. Tenure track system of hiring teachers:

A tenure track system for hiring teachers across all levels of education will be established. Under the tenure track systems, teachers will be on a three-year probationary/tenure track period followed by a performance-based confirmation.

P5.4.2. Parity in service conditions across all stages of school education:

The salary-and-promotion structure will also be made equivalent across all stages(foundational or primary or higher).

P5.4.3 . Professional progression via promotions and salary increases:

There will be at least five promotional levels as a teacher in each stage, which may be labelled Early Teacher (without tenure), Early Teacher (with tenure), Proficient Teacher, Expert Teacher, and Master Teacher. Within each promotional level / rank, there would be a preset range of salary levels through which teachers could progress based on merit and performance in that rank.

P5.4.4. Professional standards for teachers:

A common guiding set of National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by 2022, coordinated by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and NCERT, while involving the SCERTs

Promotions and salary increases will not occur based on the length of tenure or seniority, but only on the basis of such appraisal.

Such standards for performance appraisal would include both hard indicators which are non-negotiable (e.g. attendance regularity and punctuality, financial propriety, not using corporal punishment, participating in any mandatory school functions and meetings, etc.) and soft indicators (such as effective pedagogy and classroom practices, effective developmental assessment of progress of students, effective use of teaching-learning material, quality of engagement and interaction with parents and students, organisation of quality school events, etc.) which are related to professional practice and competencies.

Performance Indicators for Elementary School Teachers (PINDICS) already developed by NCERT can be a useful document to serve as a starting point for this exercise

P5.4.5. Periodic (annual or higher frequency) performance appraisal of teachers:

It will always be important to remember that empowerment and autonomy are preconditions for true accountability — a threatening environment is the nemesis of sustainable quality.

P5.4.6. Professional progression via vertical mobility:

Teachers-in-training would thereby be able to interact with peers from other disciplines and be taught by faculty in allied disciplines of education such as psychology, child development, and social sciences

In terms of areas for further reform within the education component of the B.Ed. programme, multilevel, discussion-based, and constructivist learning, and a concentration on foundational literacy/numeracy, inclusive pedagogy and evaluation, knowledge of India and its traditions, and the development in students of 21st century skills such as problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, ethical and moral reasoning, and communication and discussion abilities, are among the key areas of the curriculum for teacher preparation that will be reformed and revitalised.

By 2030, the goal will be to have all B.Ed. programmes moved into multidisciplinary colleges universities.

Teacher education for all levels will take place within the university / higher education system as a stage-specific, 4-year integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programme that combines high- quality content, pedagogy, and practical training

P5.5. Approach to teacher education

P5.5.1. Moving teacher education into the university system; the four-year integrated B.Ed. programme:

Teacher education for all levels — Foundational, Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary — will take place within the university/higher education system

Every B.Ed. programme will be affiliated with 10–15 local schools where student- teacher internships would take place

P5.5.2. The two-year B.Ed. programme for lateral entry into teaching: To Bachelor degree holders

The two-year programme will continue to be offered at institutions such as Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs), RIEs

P5.5.3. Specialised instructors for specialised subjects:

ncluding but not limited to local traditional art, music, vocational crafts, language, poetry, literature, or business

P5.5.4. Closing down substandard standalone teacher education institutions:

A sound legal strategy to weed out poorly performing programmes and shutting them down will be put in place by the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog (RSA) (see Chapter 23), in collaboration with the National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA)

P5.5.5. Pedagogical aspects of the four-year integrated B.Ed. programme:

They will be taught techniques to simultaneously teach students at multiple levels:

• Their courses will include diversity training — regarding how to enable underserved groups to thrive — ranging from women to socio-economically disadvantaged to differently-abled students
• Projects, rubrics, portfolios, concept maps, and mock classroom observations will replace or significantly supplement written tests, so that continuous assessment of higher order objectives will become the norm.

P5.5.6. Specialist teachers

Chapter 6: Equitable and Inclusive Education

Objective: Achieve an inclusive and equitable education system so that all children have equal opportunity to learn and thrive, and so that participation and learning outcomes are equalised across all genders and social categories by 2030.

Education is the single greatest tool for achieving social justice and equality.

Dropouts:

According to U-DISE 2016–17 data, about 19.6% of students belong to SC at the primary school level, but this fraction falls to 17.3% at the higher secondary level. These enrolment drop-offs are even more severe for ST students (10.6% to 6.8%), Muslim students (15% to 7.9%), and differently-abled children (1.1% to 0.25%), with even greater declines for female students within each of these URG. The declines in URGs enrolment in higher education is even steeper.

Poverty plays a major role in both exclusion and discrimination. Poor families struggle to send their children to school (even when there is access),

The lack of good libraries, laboratories, and learning supplies at school hits children from disadvantaged communities the hardest, as they generally will not have as many educational resources at home.

Biased picture of life where the view of the “powerful” prevails: for example, the earning member of a family is almost always male in our textbooks; names of children in stories might not reflect all communities; there are almost no references to people that are differently-abled. Thus many of our classroom processes do not welcome or encourage children from disadvantaged or underrepresented communities.

Targeted scholarships, conditional cash transfers to incentivise parents to send their children to school, providing bicycles for transport, etc.

One-on-one tutors and open schooling can be particularly effective for certain CWSN.

Certain regions of the country with large populations from URGs should be declared Special Education Zones (SEZs), where all the above schemes and policies are implemented to the maximum through additional concerted efforts and funding from the Centre and States in order to truly change the educational landscape of these Zones.

The Policy thus states that the policies and schemes designed to uplift students from URGs should be especially targeted towards the girls in these URGs.

What will also be required is a change in school culture. in turn, will enable society to transform into one that is responsible towards its most vulnerable citizens

The school curriculum will include material on human values such as respect for all persons, empathy, tolerance, inclusion, and equity early on; any biases in school curriculum will be removed, and more material will be included that is relevant and relatable to all communities, and which develops these human values.

P6.1. Upliftment of underrepresented groups in education

P6.1.1. Emphasis on the Policy actions of Chapters 1–3 for students from underrepresented groups

P6.1.2. Establishment of Special Education Zones:

P6.1.3. Availability and capacity development of teachers:

Educational needs of all learners, particularly from URGs and including those with certain disabilities, developmental delays or trauma who require additional attention

Universities will be encouraged to offer certificate courses on topics related to equity and inclusiveness, and teachers will also be encouraged to undertake such courses

P6.1.4. Creation of inclusive school environments:

Establishing mechanisms to address discrimination, harassment and intimidation:

P6.1.5. Maintenance of databases:

Up to date information for each student will be maintained in the National Repository of Educational Data (NRED). NIEPA and CESD

P6.1.6. Financial support to individual students:

• Targeted scholarships:
• Alternative means of support:

Recruitment of talented and meritorious students from URGs to participate in NTP and RIAP programmes as educational role models, tutors, and instructional aides.

Breakfast, Special internship opportunities

P6.1.7. Targeted funding and support for inclusion and access to districts and institutions:

a. District-wise financial assistance:

b. Adequate financial and other resources for institutions:

c. Funding will be made available for independent research on inclusive education:

P6.1.8. Coordinated and integrated policy implementation to support underrepresented groups:

A special National Fund will be created for providing scholarships and developing resources and facilities for students from underrepresented groups.

6.2. Education of girls as a cross-cutting theme

Girls’ access to education is the clearest path to disrupt poverty and violence, promote community health and well being, and foster development dividends that carry on into the next generation.

P6.2.1. Partnerships with States and community organisations for girls’ education:

The Government of India will develop a ‘Gender-Inclusion Fund’

The fund will authorise two funding streams — formula and discretionary grants

P6.2.2. Fostering women’s participation and leadership in education:

Resources will be made available to increase the number of women in positions of leadership in schools, including but not limited to institutional heads, teachers, hostel wardens, health workers, security guards, and sports instructors.

To facilitate the hiring and retention of women in education, the amended Maternity Benefit Act will be implemented to provide cre`che facilities for educators

Working female-only toilets with a regular stock of menstrual hygiene products will be constructed and available.

Girls’ safety outside of school is also recognised as critical to their attendance and overall educational attainment

P6.2.4. Addressing social mores and gender stereotypes that encourage school non-attendance:

Schools and social workers will hold regular discussions with parents, e.g. on social issues like child marriage, not sending girls to high school or for further studies, placing financial expectations on boys pre-maturely, forming negative perceptions around women employment, involving school-going children in the family profession or household work, and in general, according external factors precedence over formal education.

P6.2.5. Gender sensitisation in schools:

All educational institutions and affiliated offices will be mandated to conduct awareness sessions on gender issues. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, the Maternity Benefit Act (along with its Amendment), and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act. Training will aim to raise teachers’ and educational administrators’ awareness of gender-sensitive and inclusive classroom management.

P6.2.6. The importance of focusing on girls from URG:

P 6.3. Education of children belonging to Scheduled Caste Communities and Other Backward Classes

P6.3.1. Recruitment of teachers from SC and OBC communities:

P6.3.2. Translated learning material :

Such learning materials will be prepared locally under the supervision of BITE/DIET faculty. ST languages.

6.4. Education of children from tribal communities

Children from tribal communities often report finding their school education irrelevant and foreign to their lives, both culturally and academically

Contextualising curriculum and incorporating tribal knowledge traditions will be an immediate action, while encouraging students from the community to gain qualifications as teachers will be a longer-term one.

P6.4.1. Relevant education:

One of the foremost issues children face today is the lack of relevance of the education that takes place in their schools

Local tribal languages, and also teach in these languages (as a medium of communication, transaction, or instruction), especially in children’s early years, whenever possible. Bilingual textbooks will be prepared and bilingual education will be pursued

P6.4.2. Community coordinators:

Support the activities of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and education departments and ministries in order to ensure that children of these

Communities receive the benefits earmarked for them.

6.5. Education of children from educationally underrepresented groups within minority communities

P6.5.1. Supply-side interventions to incentivise Muslims and other educationally underrepresented minorities to complete school education:

By hiring teachers who speak and write Urdu or other home languages.

P6.5.2. Strengthening madrasas, maktabs, and other traditional or religious schools, and modernising their curriculum:

Existing traditional or religious schools, such as madrasas, maktabs, gurukuls, pathshalas, and religious schools from the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and other traditions may be encouraged to preserve their traditions and pedagogical styles.

• Financial assistance will be provided to introduce science, mathematics, social studies, Hindi, English, or other relevant languages
• Students in madrasas, maktabs, and other traditional or religious institutions such as schools in Buddhist monasteries, etc. will be allowed and indeed encouraged to appear for State Board Examinations and assessments by the National Testing Agency in order to enrol in higher education institutions.
• Libraries and laboratories

6.6. Education of children from urban poor families

1 crore children from urban poor families and increasing. About half of all urban poor children are severely malnourished, while nearly three-quarters are illiterate

One third of street children are dealing with substance abuse.

P6.6.1. Focused efforts on educational access:

P6.6.2. Role of social workers and counsellors:

P6.6.3. Curricula that take into account the needs of the urban poor:

Will include: matters of health and safety, clean drinking water, the harmful effects of substance abuse, ethics, nonviolence, matters of gender equality, respect for women, tolerance and empathy for people of all backgrounds, multilingualism, the harmful side of improper use of technology such as smartphones, beneficial uses of technology, financial literacy, aspirations for employment and higher education, and skills and vocational training.

6.7. Education of transgender children

P6.7.1. Ensuring participation of transgender children in school education:

A reliable national database on transgender children will be created.

P6.7.2. Involvement of civil society groups:

More active engagement of the Directorate of Education in the States as well as NCPCR/SCPCR will be sought to ensure that all transgender children of school age are enabled to receive quality school education.

6.8. Education of children with special needs

In fact, the RTE Act ensures CWSN free and compulsory education either until the completion of the elementary stage of school education or till the age of 18 years.

Further, the RTE Act also provides to parents of children with severe and profound disabilities the right to opt for home-based education

P6.8.1. Inclusion of children with special needs in regular schools:

Physical access to schools for children with special needs will be enabled through prioritising barrier- free structures, ramps, handrails, disabled-friendly toilets, and suitable transportation.

P6.8.2. Financial support for initiatives for educating children with special needs:

(including in ISL or other local sign languages if they exist, and accessing provisions available through NIOS).

P6.8.3. Physical access to schools for children with special needs

While in the long-term, the goal will be for all schools to have such facilities, finding by school complexes.

P6.8.4. Inclusion of children with special needs:

Assistive devices and appropriate technology-based tools, as well as adequate and language-appropriate teaching-learning materials (e.g. textbooks in accessible formats such as large print and Braille)

The other components of interventions will include functional and formal assessment, appropriate educational placement, and preparation of Individualised Educational Plans (IEP).

P6.8.5. Provisions for home-based education:

P6.8.6. Availability of open schooling for hearing-impaired students:

NIOS will develop high quality modules to teach ISL, and to teach other basic subjects using ISL.

P6.8.7. Special educators and therapists with cross-disability training

P6.8.8. Scholarships for differently-abled students

CHAPTER 7 : Efficient Resourcing and Effective Governance through School Complexes

Objective: Schools are grouped into school complexes to facilitate the sharing of resources and render school governance more local, effective, and efficient.

Driven by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA),

According to U-DISE 2016–17 data, nearly 28% of India’s public primary schools and 14.8% of India’s upper primary schools have less than 30 students.

• Physical resources such as experimental kits, laboratory equipment, library books etc., are very inadequate across schools.
• One, optimal learning environments require a certain cohort size (about 15 at least) of same-age students.
• Second, teachers function effectively and optimally in teams. Our structural situation has led to 80% of elementary schools having three or fewer teachers

Schools will be organised into school complexes which will be the basic unit of governance and administration.

A radius of five to ten miles, was first made by the Education Commission (1964–66) but was left unimplemented.

• Share key material resources such as libraries, science laboratories and equipment, computer labs, sports facilities, as well as human resources such as social workers, counsellors, and specialised subject teachers, such as those for music, art, languages, and physical education, amongst schools in the complex;
• Develop a critical mass of teachers, students, supporting staff, as well as equipment, infrastructure, labs, etc., resulting in more effective leadership, governance, and management of schools and the schooling system.

P7.1. Ending the isolation of small schools through school complexes

P7.1.1. Public school complexes:

Students will be able to get all the facilities they need until Grade 12, within their own school complex.

P7.1.2. Composition of the school complex:

Each school complex will be a semi- autonomous unit that will offer education from the Foundational stage (age 3–8 years) till Grade 12 (age 18). The complex will consist of one secondary school (covering Grades 9–12) and all the public schools in its neighbourhood that offer education from pre-primary till Grade 8.

All the schools that are part of a complex will be chosen due to their proximity to each other, forming a logical geographical group. If for any reason a school complex does not have a secondary school where Grades 9–12 are being taught, then these grades must be introduced in one of the schools. The school complexes will also have pre-school centres/Anganwadis, vocational education facilities, an Adult Education Centre (AEC) etc., associated with them.

P7.1.3. Leadership of school complexes:

The principal of the secondary school will be the head of the school complex.

P7.2. Better resourcing of schools through school complexes

P7.2.1. School infrastructure:

P7.2.2. Teachers:

Teachers can also be shared.

For instance, language teachers, sports teachers, art and music teachers, yoga teachers, school nurses, and counsellors can all be appointed to the staff of the secondary school and be shared across the schools in the complex.

P7.2.3. Social workers:

The State departments of education will coordinate with the departments of health and of law enforcement to establish mechanisms to provide support to the social workers when needed, e.g. in cases where students’ attendance is affected by illness, there are cases of abuse, there is lack of safety, etc.

P7.2.4. Counsellors:

• Counselling on choice of subjects in secondary grades, including vocational subjects, and on choices in higher education, leading to potential career choices
• Support and counselling on age related growth and development issues, especially during the adolescent years
• Support and counselling on mental health issues, including stress and mood disorders

Training some of the teachers or social workers to be able to play the role of counsellors, appointing full time counsellors for one or more school complexes, and arranging for counsellors to visit the schools frequently.

P7.2.5. Optimal utilisation of institutional facilities:

Since the physical infrastructure of educational institutions is investment intensive, it is important to utilise these as fully as possible, for the longest time during each day and for all the days in the year

However, the libraries, laboratories, workshops, craft sheds, sports fields, play grounds etc., should be open all the year round and should be utilised for at least eight hours a day, if not longer, by anyone interested in learning through the use of these facilities. Even the classrooms can be used post school hours as needed.

P7.3. Fostering integrated education through school complexes

P7.3.1. Integrating early childhood care and education:

The school complex will provide specific support to Anganwadis in its vicinity.

Each State government will promote interactions between its Department of Women and Child Development and Department of School Education to facilitate the tighter coordination that will be needed for this purpose. The RSA, through its Standing Committee on Coordination (SCC), will also work towards formalising such programs of support and integration.

P7.3.2. Integrating vocational and adult education:

School complexes will collaborate with institutions such as ITIs, Polytechnics, etc., with local businesses (industry, service, agrarian, etc.), health centres and hospitals, artists and artisans, and those with expertise in local crafts and traditions, to offer a range of vocational education courses

P7.3.3. Children with special needs

P7.3.4. Role of higher education institutions:

Each college will be functionally related to one or more school complexes in their neighbourhood and provide such support.

Many such possibilities of support will emerge, as the HEIs integrate community service into their Institutional Development Plans (IDPs), including with regard to school education and adult education.

The DEO and the BEO will work with the HEIs in the district to plan and enable their support to the schools. The support to the local schooling system will be a part of the mandate of all HEIs.

P7.4. Improved support to teachers through school complexes:

School complexes will be organised in such a way that they will have 80- 100 teachers each

P7.4.1. Continuous professional development for teachers:

The SCERT and BITEs/DIETs will create special programmes for learning how to develop and run effective peer learning communities. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) will be encouraged to contribute and engage with the development and functioning of these peer learning communities.

P7.4.2. Aligning the teacher support systems:

The academic and teacher support system, and its institutions, will be aligned to the school complex system by the DSE and the SCERT. This will include the CRCs, BRCs, BITEs, and DIETs.

The States may consider integrating the CRCs within the school complexes, depending on the geography.

These CRCs may develop into Teacher Learning Centres (TLCs) for the school complex. The TLC may have books, periodicals, experimental kits, online resources, etc.

The school complexes, BRCs and BITEs/DIETs will develop their plans for teacher development and academic support collaboratively and consultatively, this must be facilitated by the DEOs and the SCERT.

P7.5. Administration and management of school complexes

P7.5.1. Organisation of schools into school complexes:

State governments will complete the process of organisation of schools into school complexes by 2023.

P7.5.2. Upgrading infrastructure of schools and ensuring maintenance through school complexes:

Adequacy of classrooms, toilets, water, electricity, safety features such as boundary wall and other important facilities and educational resources that may be identified as missing must be recorded and provided for at the earliest

P7.5.3. School Complex Management Committee:

The SCMC will consider creating smaller teams/ committees to look into specific long-term goals such as integration of vocational education, development of professional learning communities among teachers and so on.

P7.5.4. Managing school complexes:

Only a small fraction of schools in the country have support staff associated with them, with the result that teachers are generally in-charge of everything, from the midday meal to accessing supplies for the school. With the creation of school complexes this will change. School complexes will be assigned an adequate number of staff members by the DSE,

P7.6. Effective governance through school complexes:

District Education Councils (DEC) as an intermediate stage between school complexes and the DSE to help in making local district-level decisions at the district level.

P7.6.1. Improved governance through school complexes:

This school complex will be given significant autonomy by the DSE to innovate towards providing integrated education and to experiment with pedagogies, curriculum etc., while adhering to the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and State Curriculum Framework (SCF).

P7.6.2. Nurturing the culture of planning:

The plans will include human resources, learning resources, physical resources and infrastructure, improvement initiatives, financial resources and educational outcomes

P7.6.3. District Education Council — Zilla Shiksha Parishad

P7.6.4. Planning and review for development at every level

P7.7. Effective governance and management of individual schools within school complexes:

However, the desirable state in which all SMCs actively participate in school governance is still not a reality.

It has been observed that meetings of the SMC are often not held, or held without sufficient representation, or with no influence on the matters of the school.

The membership of the SMC could also include local people with expertise in relevant areas of school functioning, and those with exemplary public spirit.

P7.7.1. School Management Committees as a mechanism for community support and supervision:

Functioning of all schools (government/public, private- aided and private-unaided) will be supervised by the SMC, the constitution of which is mandatory since the enactment of the RTE Act.

P7.7.2. Enabling the School Management Committees to function effectively:

SMC meetings shall have minutes recorded, which shall be made available publicly.

P7.7.3. Performance management of teachers:

Promotion and compensation increases of teachers and principals will be done only upon endorsement by the SMC based on their adherence to the basic code of conduct.

P7.7.4. Addressing School Management Committee issues and grievances

P7.7.5. Leadership of schools

P7.7.6. Managing schools as a team

CHAPTER 8: Regulation and Accreditation of School Education

Objective: India’s school education system is invigorated through effective regulation and accreditation mechanisms that ensure integrity and transparency and foster quality and innovation for continually improving educational outcomes.

On the one hand, we want our education system to develop citizens who are responsible, creative, autonomous, independent, and humane, and creative; and on the other, the regulatory and governance culture is sclerotic and disempowering.

The private philanthropic school sector must also be encouraged and enabled to play a significant and beneficial role.

The three distinct roles of policymaking, the provision/operation of education, and the regulation of the education system will be conducted by separate independent bodies, in order to avoid conflicts of interest and concentrations of power, and to ensure due and quality focus on each role.

Certification of competencies of students at the school-leaving stage will be handled by the Boards of Certification/Examination in each State, which will conduct meaningful examinations for this purpose. The Boards will assess core capacities in each subject (see x4.9), but will have no role in mandating curricula (including syllabi or textbooks).

Public and private schools will be regulated on the same criteria, benchmarks, and processes, emphasising public disclosure and transparency

For a periodic ‘health check-up’ of the overall system, a sample-based National Achievement Survey (NAS) of student learning levels will continue to be carried out by the NCERT. States will also be encouraged to conduct their own census-based State Assessment Survey (SAS)

P8.1. System architecture and roles in school education system

P8.1.1. Separation of functions of policymaking, regulation, operations, and academic standards

P8.1.2. Apex body for policy and overall coordination

P8.1.3. A single independent regulator for the school education sector

P8.1.4. Responsibility for operations and running of the public school system:

All existing missions (e.g. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan which combines Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, teacher education, etc.) will be merged/mainstreamed with the DSE

P8.1.5. Enabling the change in role of the Directorate of School Education:

The Directorate of School Education will be responsible for running the public school system.

P8.1.6. Apex body for academic matters:

• It will also lead the other academic support institutions of the public system, e.g. CRCs, BRCs, and DIETs.
• All curricula will be reviewed and revised every 5 years.
• The SCERT will be led by an educationist who has high competence and a track record of unimpeachable integrity; the SCERT will report to the Department of Education.

The SCERT will lead a “change management process” similar to that of the DSE for the reinvigoration of these institutions, which must change the capacity and work culture of these institutions in 3 years, developing them into vibrant institutions of excellence.

P8.1.8. Boards of Assessment

Students at some schools may also have the option to be assessed by central BOAs, or other (international) BOAs.

There may be private not-for- profit BOAs, which may be entirely independent, only with oversight by the Department of Education or MHRD to ensure that they continue to abide by the approval conditions. Universities may also start BOAs, if approved through the aforementioned process.

The BOAs will not determine or have any role in determining the curriculum or syllabus or text books, for any school in any way

More than one BOA may operate in all states including some that operate nationally, including the existing Central BOAs (e.g., CBSE, ICSE, NIOS).

BOAs will not affiliate schools but will offer their services for schools and students to choose; schools may decide which Board(s) of Assessment they use, based on the curricula they set.

Schools that opt for international Boards will supplement their curricula suitably so that they are in line with the NCF/SCF (e.g., with regard to the three language formula, and suitably covering art, music, history, philosophy, etc. with respect to the Indian context).

P8.1.9. Flexibility to choose curriculum:

Schools and schools system will have full flexibility to choose their curriculum.

P8.1.10. Planning and review for development

P8.2. Accreditation for autonomy with accountability

P8.2.1. School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework:

The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) for each State.

The SQAAF will be developed with wide consultation from all stakeholders in education, including teachers, other educators, school leaders, schools, parents, SMCs, SCMCs, and civil society organisations. It will incorporate the learnings from the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) and implementation of the Shala Siddhi (National Programme on School Standards and Evaluation).

The school will have full freedom to choose any curriculum, or develop its own, so long as it is aligned with the NCF and SCF;

P8.2.2. School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework and Licence to Start a School as the basis for accreditation based regulation:

P8.2.3. Self-accreditation:

On the basis of SQAAF, all schools must self-accredit

P8.2.5. Public availability of information relating to accreditation and its audit:

The SSRA will develop and operate a public website where all this information will have to be uploaded and maintained by the schools. This website will be developed in all States by 2024.

8.3. Regulation, accreditation, and oversight of private schools

Education and schools are not ‘marketable goods’.

Private schools will not use the word ‘public’ in their names. ‘Public’ schools will only be those that are funded publicly, i.e., government schools and government-aided schools.

This change will be effected by all private schools within 3 years.

P8.3.4. Public disclosure of all information:

To achieve this, all relevant information of schools must be available in the public domain; this will include information in addition to what is available as a part of the accreditation process, including fees structure, facilities, learning outcomes, details of teachers and their qualifications, and other matters

P8.3.5. School Management Committees for private schools:

All private schools must form an SMC like any public school and have an SDP reviewed and endorsed by the SMC on a continuous basis. They must also transparently report their annual audited financial statements and other reports submitted to the Income Tax Department, the SMC and the public.

P8.3.6. Fees in private schools:

P8.3.7. Schools must be not-for-profit:

P8.3.8. Diversity in private schools:

All private schools to build diversity and inclusion within their student populations, through recruitment, lotteries, and scholarships.

P8.3.9. Improvement of educational outcomes of private schools:

P8.4. Implications for the RTE Act

This Policy envisages a comprehensive and detailed review of the RTE Act, to ensure enablement of this Policy.

Empower public and public spirited private schools with the ability to locally determine optimal practices regarding infrastructure, curricula, pedagogical methods, syllabi, Boards of Assessment, admissions, teachers, diversity of student body, service to students from underprivileged backgrounds, scholarships, and so on, in accordance with local needs and local constraints.

P8.4.1. Extension of the RTE Act, 2009 to include early childhood education through secondary school education:

The RTE Act must be responsive and enabling — it must focus more on educational outcomes and less on inputs.

P8.4.2. Review of the RTE Act:

If the review suggests that 12(1)© be kept as it is, then it must be bet- ter enforced, in the following manner.

• Admissions of students from disadvantaged sections, under Clause 12(1)©, will be fairly and fully implemented in all private schools. A transparent common public IT platform-based system, as is already being used in some States, should be developed and used for all such admissions by all schools. All schools must receive the requisite funding guaranteed to them on time and in a punctual manner so as not to disrupt the school’s educational activities.
• This Policy states that there should be no detention of children in Grades up to 8;

P8.5. Assessment of functioning of the school education system

P8.5.1. National Achievement Surveys and State Assessment Surveys:

the State Assessment Survey (SAS). This may be considered for Grades 3, 5, and 8. The SAS results should be made available transparently to teachers, students, and their parents, the SMC, and the community.

P8.6. Protection of rights of the child and adolescent education:

Protection of child rights goes beyond personal safety of children and includes: prevention of corporal punishment; absence of emotional and physical harassment or abuse; precautions against injury during school activities; safe infrastructure; use of child friendly language and actions; non-discrimination; etc.

Every principal and teacher will be made aware of the provisions of the relevant Acts, Rules, Regulations, etc. relating to child rights, and what constitutes their violation, by including a module in the teachers’/principals’ education/training programs and refresher courses.

P8.6.3. Self-learning online programs on child rights will be developed for the benefit of students, teachers, and parents.

P8.6.5. The Adolescent Education Programme and National Population Education Programme will be integrated into the curriculum of schools in a phased manner.

P8.6.7. School and school complex counselors and social workers will be trained to confidentially advise parents and teachers on adolescent problems faced by growing boys and girls.

NEP 2020 P-II

Part II — Higher Education

Chapter 9. Quality Universities and Colleges: A New and Forward Looking Vision for India’s Higher Education System

Objective: Revamp the higher education system, create world class multidisciplinary higher education institutions across the country — increase GER to at least 50% by 2035.

Higher education is a critical contributor to sustainable livelihoods and economic development of the nation. Higher education also plays a large and equally important role in improving human well being, and developing India as envisioned in the Constitution — a democratic, just, sociallyconscious, self- aware, cultured, and humane nation, with liberty, equality, fraternal spirit, and justice for all.

Higher education aims to serve as a hub for developing ideas and innovations that enlighten individuals and help propel the country forward socially, culturally, artistically, scientifically, technologically, and economically.

Building character, ethical and Constitutional values, intellectual curiosity, spirit of service,

And 21st century capabilities across a range of disciplines including the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, as well as professional, technical, and vocational crafts

Construct and implement robust solutions to its own problems

Develop the abilities of independent, logical, and scientific thinking, creativity and problem solving, and decision making. It must engage young people in national issues and concerns of the day. Finally, it must generate human capacity to build new knowledge and foster innovation. The structure, curriculum, and processes of higher education must all work together coherently towards attaining all of these characteristics in order to deliver its lofty end goals.

The future workplace will demand critical thinking, communication, problem solving, creativity, and multidisciplinary capability. Single-skill and single-discipline jobs are likely to become automated over time

By focusing on such broad based, flexible, individualised, innovative, and multidisciplinary learning, higher education must aim to prepare its students not just for their first jobs — but also for their second, third, and all future jobs over their lifetimes. In particular, the higher education system must aim to form the hub for the next industrial revolution.

Happily and coincidentally, the aforementioned multidisciplinary education and 21st century capabilities necessary for the employment landscape of the future — such as critical thinking, communication, problem solving, creativity, cultural literacy, global outlook, teamwork, ethical reasoning, and social responsibility — will not only help to develop outstanding employees but also outstanding citizens and communities.

Fragmentation of the higher education system: India has over 800 universities and approximately 40,000 colleges, reflecting the overall severe fragmentation and small size of HEIs currently in the country. Remarkably, over 40% of all colleges in the country run only a single programme, far from the multidisciplinary style of higher education that will be required in the 21st century.

In fact, over 20% of colleges have enrolment below 100, while only 4% of colleges have enrolment over 3000 (AISHE 2016–17). To make matters worse, thousands of the smaller colleges hardly have any teaching faculty at all, and there is little or no education taking place — thus affecting severely the integrity of the higher education system in the country.

Even in institutions that offer programmes across more than one discipline, there are silos that separate disciplines within these institutions, e.g. students in engineering are generally not encouraged or even allowed to take courses outside of their single programmes (e.g. in the arts, humanities, social sciences, or even in the pure sciences), thereby producing thousands of students with identical educations rather than true individuals and humans exercising their own creativity, and developing their own talents and interests.

While the GER of higher education has risen over the last several years, to around 25%, and notable progress has been made, this Policy aims for GER to reach 50% by 2035, from the present base of 35 million students.

The lack of teacher autonomy has led to a severe lack of faculty motivation and scope for innovation.

The lack of research at most universities and colleges, and the lack of transparent and competitive peer reviewed research funding across disciplines:

At the current time, there is no mechanism to seed or mentor research at universities and colleges where research is in a nascent stage particularly at State Universities where 93% of all students in higher education are enrolled

A regulatory system allowing fake colleges to thrive while constraining excellent, innovative institutions:

P9.1. Moving towards a higher educational system consisting of large, multidisciplinary universities and colleges:

Each of which will aim to have upwards of 5,000 or more students.

• The ancient Indian universities of Takshashila and Nalanda which had thousands of students from India and the world studying in such vibrant multidisciplinary environments,
• It is time that India brings back this great Indian tradition, that is needed more today than ever to create well-rounded and innovative individuals, and which is already transforming other countries educationally and economically.

Also establishing at least one large high quality multidisciplinary HEI in (or close to) every district.

P9.2. Moving towards a more liberal undergraduate education:

Critical 21st century capacities in fields across the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and professional, technical, and vocational crafts, an ethic of social engagement, and rigorous specialisation in a chosen field or fields.

India has a long tradition of holistic and multidisciplinary learning in the so-called ‘liberal arts’, from universities such as Takshashila and Nalanda to extensive literatures combining subjects across fields. Ancient books described education as knowledge of the 64 Kalas or arts, and among these 64 arts were included subjects such as singing, playing musical instruments, and painting, but also ‘scientific fields’ such as engineering, medicine, and mathematics.

The notion of ‘knowledge of many arts’- i.e. what is called ‘liberal arts’ in modern times — must be brought back to Indian education, as it is exactly the kind of education that will be required for the 21st century.

P9.3. Moving towards faculty and institutional autonomy:

Through institutional academic and administrative autonomy, institutions will be enabled to start and run novel and cutting-edge programmes, develop innovative curricula,

financial probity through full transparency and public disclosure of all finances.

P9.4. Curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and student support will be revamped:

Faculty will be supported to achieve these transformations. Quality higher education in Indian languages will be offered across fields.

ODL programmes will be reimagined to ensure that their quality is equivalent to the best in class programmes. ODL will help expand the reach of higher education and thus improve access

P9.5. Reaffirming the integrity of faculty positions and institutional leadership through merit based appointments and career management:

The practice of contract employment will be stopped.

Institutional leaders will help create a culture of innovation and excellence that will encourage and incentivise outstanding and innovative teaching, research, institutional service, and community outreach from faculty and HEI leaders.

P9.6. Establishment of a National Research Foundation:

P9.7. Higher education institutions will be governed by Independent Boards, with complete academic and administrative autonomy:

P9.8. “Light but tight” regulation:

Public disclosure of all relevant information by HEIs will be enforced and used for public scrutiny and informed decision making.

Private and public institutions will be treated on par by the regulatory regime. Commercialisation of education will be stopped and philanthropic efforts will be highly encouraged.

Chapter 10 : Institutional Restructuring and Consolidation

Objective: Vibrant multidisciplinary institutions of high quality that increase capacity of higher education in India and ensure equitable access.

The definition of universities will thus allow those that place equal emphasis on teaching and research (‘research universities’) as well as those that place greater emphasis on teaching but still conduct significant research (‘teaching universities’).

It is the vision of this Policy that all HEIs evolve into one of these three types of institutions, which we will refer to as Types 1, 2, and 3: research universities, teaching universities, and colleges.

(such as, e.g. China and Brazil, which have GERs in higher education of 44% and 50%, respectively).

Growth will be in both public and private institutions, with strong emphasis on developing a large number of outstanding public institutions of Types 1, 2 and 3.

Access to high quality institutions in disadvantaged geographies will be a priority.

P10.1. Nationwide ecosystem of vibrant multidisciplinary universities and colleges:

An HEI will be called multidisciplinary if it offers at least two programmes or majors in the arts and humanities, at least two in science and mathematics, and at least one in the social sciences, and will also include professional and vocational programmes.

Professional education will be an integral part of higher education.

P10.2. Public higher education will be expanded and improved

P10.3. New institutional architecture for higher education:

All HEIs, by 2030, will develop into one of three types of institutions.

These three types of institutions are characterised as follows.

• Type 1: Research universities:
  These will focus equally on research and teaching: they will dedicate themselves to cutting-edge research for new knowledge creation while at the same time offering the highest quality teaching across undergraduate, masters, Ph.D., professional, and vocational programmes.
  Say 150–300, will belong to the Type 1 category, and each will aim for on-campus enrolments between 5000 to 25000 or more students. They will aim to become world-class research universities and compete with global institutions.
• Type 2: Teaching universities:
  Such institutions will target enrolments between 5,000 and 25,000 or more on their campuses. It is expected that there will be several hundred such universities, say, between 1000 to 2000, created over a period of two decades
• Type 3: Colleges.:
  These will focus almost exclusively on the goal of high quality teaching. These institutions will largely run undergraduate programmes, in addition to diploma and certificate programmes, across disciplines and fields, including vocational and professional. A large number of such autonomous colleges, say 5,000–10,000, will provide high quality liberal undergraduate education, with a target of on-campus enrolments of 2,000– 5,000 or higher.
  These colleges will also be expected to offer certificate, diploma, and degree courses in vocational education, and in some fields of professional education. Given that teaching is strengthened through research and vice-versa, faculty at these colleges will be encouraged to apply for research funding and conduct, and be able to give senior undergraduate students a flavour of research. Over time, such autonomous colleges can begin to conduct quality research across disciplines and introduce graduate programmes, and may thereby aim towards becoming either Type 2 or Type 1 institutions.

P10.4. Liberal education and programmes/departments/schools of higher education institutions:

The notion of ‘streaming’, where science, arts, and vocational students are separated, based on their academic performance, majors, interests, or any other such criteria, will end. Courses across all subjects will be available for all students across majors.

All HEIs, including all universities (Type 1 and 2), shall be required to offer liberal education undergraduate programmes. All universities shall also offer the four-year teacher education programmes, to enable the preparation of outstanding school teachers;

All Type 1 and 2 HEIs will offer graduate programmes.

To enable these programmes, the HEIs will establish quality departments and schools across all basic disciplines and fields, particularly languages, social sciences, humanities, physical sciences, education, mathematics, arts, music, sports, etc., and also in application fields such as engineering, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, forestry, etc.

Each HEI will chart out a course for its own development through its IDP (see P17.1.7 ), including choosing the kind of institution it wants to be, the action plan for reaching there, and the continuing growth thereafter.

P10.6. Fair and transparent system for determining public funding:

There will be a fair and transparent system for determining (increased) levels of public funding support for public HEIs. This system will give equitable opportunity for public institutions to grow and develop.

The framework for this system will be developed by the apex body of Mission Nalanda (see P10.15 below), with wide consultations with the states, by 2021, and approved by the RSA. This will be reviewed and revised in 2024 and 2030.

P10.7. Central government funded higher education institutions to develop into Type 1 institutions:

The existing Central Universities (CUs), Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), Institutions of National Importance (INIs) and other institutions substantially (around 50% or more) supported by the Central government (e.g., National Institutes of Technology), and Research Institutions (RIs) will all be supported to become Type 1 institutions.

P10.8. State level plans for new institutional architecture:

• All State governments should prepare and execute a comprehensive 10-year plan for the development of this institutional architecture in their states.
• The plans will target approximately the following numbers of different types of institutions: one each of Types 1, 2, and 3 for 50 lakhs, 5 lakhs, and 2 lakhs of population, respectively.
• The plan may build on the momentum and progress of the Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

P10.9. Support from the National Research Foundation:

• The NRF will run a special programme till 2040 to support State Universities to enhance their research capacities, thus enabling them to transition to Type 1 or 2 institutions. Under this programme, the NRF will select and offer 500 National Postdoctoral Fellowships (NPDF) and 500 National Doctoral Fellowships (NDF) every year across disciplines and fields. The fellowships will be for 3 and 5 years, and will be awarded on the basis of a national selection process organised by the NRF.

P10.10. Equal encouragement and empowerment for private higher education institutions:

The private HEI, the government will treat them on par with public institutions, and empower them equally. The private HEIs will have equal access to NRF funding for research support as public institutions.

P10.11. Quality transformation of open and distance learning and expansion for access:

Disadvantaged geographies will be a priority — there will be at least one Type 1–3 institution for every district within 5 years.

P10.12. Simplified institutional categories, and streamlining university nomenclature:

A university has only one definition worldwide, namely, a multidisciplinary institution of higher learning that offers undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. programmes, and engages in high quality teaching and research.

The present complex nomenclature of HEIs in the country as ‘deemed to be university’, ‘affiliating university’, ‘unitary university’, and so on will be phased out. Universities will be characterised only as public, private, or private-aided; and as multidisciplinary research universities (Type 1) or comprehensive teaching universities (Type 2).

P10.13. Degree-granting powers:

Degree-granting powers are, at present, vested only with universities. This will change, as autonomous colleges will also gain the freedom to grant their own degrees. All institutions of education and research, public as well as private, will be allowed to award degrees in their own names, irrespective of whether the word ‘university’ figures in their name or not.

Universities will be distinguished from degree-granting colleges by the fact that they offer graduate programmes in a broad range of subjects, especially quality PhD programmes, and are of relatively larger sizes. By 2032, all higher educational qualifications — including all degrees and diplomas — shall be granted only by accredited (see Section 18.2) Type 1, 2, or 3 institutions.

P10.14. Transforming affiliating universities:

• Universities will have no affiliated colleges.
• All affiliating universities will transition to a Type 1 or 2 institution, with one or more campuses. Universities will have no affiliated colleges.
• All (currently) affiliated colleges, must develop into autonomous degree granting colleges (Type 3) by 2032, or merge completely with the university that they are affiliated to, or develop into a university themselves (Type 1 or 2). These transitions will be a part of State level plans for developing the new higher education institutional architecture (see P.10.3).
• There will be an adequate time period provided for this transition to happen. This time period may extend up to twelve years. Thus, there will be no affiliating universities or affiliated colleges after 2032.

P10.15. Missions Nalanda and Takshashila for catalysing the new institutional architecture:

Mission Nalanda (MN) and Mission Takshashila (MT) will be launched in tandem.

Mission Nalanda will ensure that there are at least 100 Type 1 and 500 Type 2 HEIs functioning vibrantly by 2030, with equitable regional distribution. Mission Takshashila will strive to establish at least one high quality HEI in or close to every district of India, with 2 or 3 such HEIs in districts with larger populations, each with residential facilities for students.

A few new model institutions may also be set up and developed as a part of this mission, e.g., the Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) (see P11.1.4) which will be pace-setting institutions for multidisciplinary undergraduate education and research. The missions will also enable and support private HEIs aspiring to develop into Type 1 or 2 HEIs.

The private HEI, the government will treat them on par with public institutions, and empower them equally. The private HEIs will have equal access to NRF funding for research support as public institutions.

Chapter 11 : Towards a More Liberal Education

Objective: Move towards a more imaginative and broad-based liberal education as a foundation for holistic development of all students, with rigorous specialisation in chosen disciplines and fields.

Numerous ancient books in India going back over 2000 years (including Banabhatta’s Kadambari, written 1400 years ago and one of the world’s first- ever novels) described the 64 kalas or arts, wherein a truly educated person was described as one who mastered all the 64 kalas.

These 64 kalas included music, dance, painting, sculpture, languages, and literature, in addition to subjects such as engineering and mathematics as well as vocational subjects such as carpentry — this is very close to what the ‘liberal arts’ refers to today!

The number of kalas grew over time, with 86 described in the Lalitavistara Sutra, and 512 kalas across various human endeavours mentioned in Yasodhara’s Jayamangala in the 13th century!

Indian literature is replete with instances of cross-disciplinary works combining various subjects across the arts and sciences (such as Bharata’s Natyashastra, c. 300 BCE, a text largely about music and dance but which also delves deeply into connections with principles of mathematics and physics).

Indian universities such as Takshashila and Nalanda were the oldest universities in the world, and of the very highest quality. These ancient universities definitively emphasised the liberal arts and liberal education tradition. Students from across the world came to study grammar, philosophy,

Medicine, politics, astronomy, mathematics, commerce, music, dance, and much more. Among the eminent graduates and scholars of Takshashila and Nalanda were the philosopher and economist Chanakya; the Sanskrit grammarian, mathematician, and discoverer of generative grammar, Panini; the leader and statesman Chandragupta Maurya; and the mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhata.

Liberal arts education of this kind is already being extensively implemented today (e.g. in the United States in Ivy League schools)

It is time India also brought back this great tradition to its place of origin.

A liberal arts education, as so beautifully described and practiced in India’s past, enables one to truly develop both sides of the brain — both the creative side and the analytical side.

The overly pragmatic and sceptical student will, of course, always ask: “Why do I need to know about disciplines that seemingly have nothing to do with the job I intend to work in?” There are many answers to this question. Firstly — and perhaps most importantly — a liberal arts education greatly enriches one’s life, and makes it so much more meaningful and joyful when one is able to appreciate many worlds.

Secondly, one never actually knows what one’s job is going to be in the long- term, or what work it will entail! As remarked by journalist Fareed Zakaria, the purpose of a

Liberal arts education is not simply to prepare for one’s first job, but also for one’s second job, third job, and beyond

Music is another subject that has had incredibly interesting influences on and has in turn been influenced by many areas: psychology, physiology, sociology, engineering, physics, and mathematics.

Many of the world’s top entrepreneurs have often spoken about how having team members with a liberal education allowed their enterprises to truly excel. For example, Steve Jobs was famous for ideas for products that married top-notch aesthetics with top-notch engineering.

When asked about why the Macintosh computer revolutionised computing, he remarked: “I think part of what made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians and poets and artists and zoologists and historians who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world.”

Institutions offering a single stream must be phased out, and all universities and colleges must aim to become composite multidisciplinary HEIs.

Breaking silos within universities.

Imaginative curriculum and pedagogy.

Pedagogy for courses will strive for significantly less rote learning and an increased emphasis on communication, discussion, and opportunities for cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking.

Establishment and strengthening of departments needed for multidisciplinarity and cross-disciplinarity:

Departments of languages (especially Indian languages), literature (especially Indian literature), music (including Carnatic, Hindustani, folk, and film), philosophy (especially Indian philosophy, including Buddhist and Jain philosophy), Indology and the study of India, art, dance, theatre, education, statistics, pure and applied sciences, sociology, economics, sports, and other such departments truly needed for a multidisciplinary and stimulating Indian education and environment will be established and strengthened at HEIs across the country.

Liberal education to be accompanied by rigorous specialisation

Inclusion of lessons in seva / service as part of liberal education:

Universities and colleges will take the lead in community service — using their multidisciplinary repository of knowledge, research, and knowhow, and their capable faculty and students — to address local needs such as clean water, energy, adult education, issues with school education, and more.

Students will think about questions such as “How can the art, science, engineering, professional, or vocational craft that I study be used to improve the lives of others?” When possible, courses will strive to include relevant and educational local community service opportunities (inside or outside of the university premises) as part of their curricula to help develop socially conscious individuals, and to help connect the subjects that students study to life.

Internships and research opportunities:Flexible Bachelor’s degree options:

A four-year Bachelor of Liberal Arts (BLA) or Bachelor of Liberal Education (BLE) degree (or BLA / BLE with Research) will be offered by those institutions which are ready to run such programmes consisting of a broad-based liberal education together with rigorous specialisation in a field or fields. The three-year traditional B.A., B.Sc., as well as B.Voc. degrees will continue as well for those institutions that wish to continue such programmes,

Liberal education approach for enhancing graduate programmes and research in HEIs:

It will encourage collaboration across departments to tackle local issues relating to, e.g. clean water, energy, environmental sustainability, gender equality, preservation of endangered languages, preservation of local arts, etc.

Internships and research opportunities

11.1. Liberal education to energise undergraduate programmes:

Institutions offering courses and programmes across the humanities and arts, social, physical and life sciences, mathematics, and sports, alongside vocational and professional fields.

Give them the option to choose the number of years they devote to a programme through credit-based systems and multiple exit and entry options. To enable this overall transformation, all undergraduate programmes will be developed on an underlying foundation of liberal education, which develops the intellectual, social, ethical, analytical, and aesthetic capacities of all students.

11.1.1 Redesigning undergraduate programmes for liberal education:

Across all disciplines and fields: arts, physical and life sciences, mathematics, social sciences and humanities, vocational and professional fields.

• A common core curriculum / subject distribution requirement for all students; and
• One or two area(s) of specialisation.

Including but not limited to: critical thinking (e.g. courses on statistics, data analysis, or quantitative methods); communication skills (e.g. courses on writing and speaking); aesthetic sensibilities (e.g. courses in music, visual art, or theatre); scientific temper and the scientific method; an understanding of India, our context, and our challenges (e.g. courses on India’s history and diversity, or on the social realities of contemporary India); Constitutional values and their practice; social responsibility and moral and ethical reasoning; an adequate exposure to multiple disciplines and fields including the arts, humanities, and sports; and science in relation to society and the environment.

Students will be given adequate flexibility in deciding which courses to take in order to satisfy the core curriculum requirements.

Students shall furthermore be required to choose an area of specialisation called their ‘major’ (e.g. history, chemistry, philosophy, mathematics, or electrical engineering) and optionally an area of additional study called their ‘minor’ (e.g. music, Tamil, physics, geography, or pharmacy), or they may choose to double-major. Students shall gain deep disciplinary knowledge through theory and practical experiences in their area of specialisation (major).

They shall gain additional understanding of any additional area of study (minor) that they choose. Students will be allowed to choose subject combinations across the current so-called ‘streams’, including professional and vocational streams, e.g. a student will be able to choose a ‘major’ in physics with a ‘minor’ in history. Again, students will be given some degree of flexibility in deciding which courses to take in order to satisfy the requirements for the major or minor.

All HEIs will create mechanisms for social engagement of students at the undergraduate level, by contributing to issues of justice, equity and development. These engagements should be designed and run to offer exposure of students to the pressing issues of the local community, State, and country. To the extent possible, these will be integrated within the programme curriculum. The time allotted for social engagement for each student should be at least equal to a full one-semester course, across the duration of the programme.

This could be attained through volunteering in local communities, through engagement in public social welfare programmes, or through collaboration with civil society institutions. It could also be attained through programmes such as the National Service Scheme, the National Cadet Core, and the youth wing of the Indian Red Cross.

Practical engagement with the world

Focus on language, literature, arts, sports, and music:

Students will be required to attain proficiency in discussing their major in at least one Indian language, through an appropriate written project or presentation in that language.

All undergraduate programmes will also emphasise music, visual arts, performing arts, and sports. This shall include India’s deep traditions in the arts, music and sports, including the numerous remarkable local regional traditions. Yoga shall form an integral part of such efforts as well. Institutions will be encouraged and funded to offer full-fledged programmes and courses in these areas.

Professional competence within liberal education:

Professional and vocational subjects :

Professional and vocational areas of study (e.g. engineering, medicine, law, and teacher education)

P11.1.2. Liberal education to develop Constitutional values:

HEIs will develop an understanding of our Constitutional values,

Some of the Constitutional values that will be thus developed, as evidenced in action through the life of the students, are: democratic spirit and commitment to liberty and freedom; commitment to equality, justice, and fairness; embracing diversity, plurality, and inclusion; humaneness and fraternal spirit; social responsibility and the spirit of service; spirit of universalism, with rootedness in India; scientific temper and commitment to rational dialogue and public reasoning; and an ethic of integrity and honesty.

P11.1.3. High quality Bachelor of Liberal Arts in every district:

New Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities or Indian Institutes of Liberal Arts: As with the establishment of the first IITs in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the first IIMs in the early 1960s, central universities in the 1970s and 1980s, IIITs in the 1990s, the IISERs in the 2000s, and other new institutions, this Policy must result in the creation of new pace- setting institutions in the liberal arts and in multidisciplinary education and research

Tsinghua is playing a major role in the development of China in recent years,

State government’s ability to make available a large tract of land, say 2,000 acres, in an attractive location and provide up to 50% of the funding requirements of these universities.

These residential Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) / Indian Institutes of Liberal Arts (IILAs) will aim to become model multidisciplinary liberal arts institutions

and will grow to support 30,000 or even more students at peak capacity.

11.1.4 : New Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities or Indian Institutes of Liberal Arts:

11.2. Liberal education approach to energise graduate programmes

Masters and Doctoral programmes will be called ‘graduate’ programmes, as these programmes will follow undergraduate education.

The aim will be for graduate students to become increasingly involved in teaching undergraduates

Enhancing graduate programmes through the liberal education approach:

On research that helps local, State and National communities; and generally on more relevant research. Research conducted by graduate students will increasingly include collaborations with faculty, with industry, and with undergraduates.

In particular, all Doctoral students will take a one-semester course/seminar on teaching — both the general aspects of good pedagogy as well as aspects more specialised to their specific subject.

All Doctoral students will take a unit on communication in at least one Indian language other than English

This is considered important to, e.g. write newspaper articles and conduct interviews in Indian languages, and to visit and speak in areas (e.g. at schools) about their subject where that language is prevalent. (This requirement is of course automatically satisfied for programmes that are directly conducted in — or where theses are written in — Indian languages.)

The NRF will also provide prestigious fellowships for postdoctoral fellows (including foreign applicants) to pursue high quality research at universities, in areas identified by the NRF.

P11.3. Enhancing professional education through a liberal education approach

P11.3.1. Transforming professional education and single-field programmes:

Special initiatives will be envisioned and implemented to enable and foster the culture of liberal education in such institutions, e.g. through programmes such as ‘artist-in-residence’ and ‘writer-in-residence’, musical concerts, organising conferences and lectures in humanities and social sciences, engagement with school education, etc.

11.4. Liberal education and research to foster and bolster each other:

The fact that so many Nobel Prize winning scientists have had serious hobbies in the arts is indeed strong evidence for this important synergy.

Liberal education culture to enhance research:

Including on interdisciplinary subjects of high importance to society such as clean water, energy, environmental sustainability, gender equality, preservation of endangered languages, preservation of local arts, and more.

Initiatives to promote quality research and teaching that foster quality liberal education:

• Promoting Inter-University Centres for collaborative research and teaching:
• everal new research-based Inter-University Centres (IUCs) in different areas will be established.
• Research and teaching in languages, language education, literature, arts, philosophy, Indology, and related cultural areas:
• Research in languages, language education, literature, arts, philosophy, Indology, and related cultural areas will be supported by the NRF with adequate funds.
• Research and teaching in the culture and history of India’s neighbours:
• Understanding and knowledge of our neighbours contributes to regional peace and mutual economic growth.
• Dynamic and proactive introduction of research and teaching programmes in fields of national importance:
• Some currently relevant examples of such fields are: strategic areas (e.g. aerospace, rocket propulsion, advanced materials), areas of critical economic importance (e.g. geology, exploration and mining), and emerging fields (e.g. bio-informatics, artificial intelligence).

Enhancing access to libraries and online journals:

P11.5. Programmes, degrees, and other certifications in higher education

P11.5.1. Programmes and certification in higher education:

The undergraduate degree will move towards a strong liberal education approach, regardless of subjec

The three-year programme will lead to a Bachelors degree. Both programmes may lead to a degree “with Research”,

HEIs will have the flexibility to offer different designs of Masters programmes, e.g. there may be a two-year programme with the second year devoted entirely to research, for those who have completed the three-year undergraduate programme; there may be an integrated five-year Bachelor’s/Masters programme; and for students completing a four-year BLA or BLE with Research, there could be a one-year Masters programme.

Undertaking a PhD shall require either a Master’s degree or a four-year Bachelor’s degree with Research. The MPhil programme shall be discontinued.

Chapter 12 : Optimal Learning Environments and Support for Students

Objective: Ensure a joyful, rigorous, and responsive curriculum, engaging and effective pedagogy, and caring support to optimise learning and the overall development of students.

Curriculum that is engaging, relevant, and clearly articulates a vision for the desired outcomes and how to attain them.

Young people enrolled at the higher education level are capable of intense effort, commitment, and purposefulness.

Current challenges to effective learning environments.

First, curricula remain rigid, narrow, and archaic.

They have too often not responded to the modern advances in disciplinary knowledge or in educational practice.

Room for critical thinking, creative projects, and discussion.

Finally, student support is currently almost non-existent at most institutions. While some form of academic support may be available in a few institutions, the quality care that young people may need is generally missing.

Ensuring that learning environments are engaging and supportive for all students to succeed

Each institution must integrate their academic plans — ranging from curricular improvement to quality of classroom transaction — into the larger IDP.

Universities and colleges must be required to set up high quality academic support for educationally disadvantaged groups and must be given adequate funds and academic resources to carry this out effectively.

ODL provides a natural path to increase access to high quality higher education.

This would also help in having larger numbers of international students studying in India, and provide greater mobility to students in India who may wish to visit, study at, transfer credits to, or carry out research at institutions abroad, and vice versa.

Courses and programmes in subjects such as knowledge of India and its languages, arts, history, culture, and global context; global literacy; internationally relevant curricula in the sciences, social sciences, and beyond; quality residential facilities and on-campus support; etc. must be fostered to attain this goal of global quality standards and ‘internationalisation at home’.

12.1. Innovative and responsive curriculum and pedagogy Autonomy on curriculum, pedagogy and assessment:

Development of vibrant and rigorous curricula:

The Board of Governors (see Section 17.1) must approve a plan for developing and running programmes of the HEI and this must form an integral part of the IDP.

National framework for learning goals:

P12.1.3. National framework for learning goals:

A National Higher Education Qualifications Frame-work (NHEQF) outlining the learning outcomes associated with degree/diploma/certification shall be the guiding document for curricula across all disciplines and fields, which do not have their individual PSSBs

P12.1.4. Stimulating learning experiences through effective teaching-learning and pedagogical practices:

Seminars, symposia, independent reading scaffolded by the teacher, and group and individual projects are some examples of pedagogical strategies that can be adopted.

To complement conceptual learning in the classroom, as well as to help students gain significant exposure to field realities, field experiences, projects, practicums, and internships will be widely integrated within programmes.

Meaningful opportunities for social engagement for all students in higher education institutions:

Be at least equal to a full one semester course

Assessment for development and not judgement:

A range of tools and processes for assessment should be used for this purpose, e.g. peer and self-assessment, portfolios, assignments, projects, presentations, and dissertations.

Curriculum and pedagogy to be integral to institutional assessment and development:

12.2. Student support for learning and development Academic support for students:

Initiatives for improving capacities in given languages, academic reading, academic writing, academic speaking, reasoning, and analysis; focussed support for a particular subject; special (sensible and sensitive) bridge programmes/centres for additional/remedial support; and special tutorials and tutoring programmes and centres.

Universities/colleges may choose to offer bridge programmes to students before they enter higher education — this should primarily aim to lessen the impact of social or educational disadvantages.

Career support for students:

And set up interactions with potential employers; and workshops and short courses on specific workplace skills that may not be part of the regular curriculum.

Physical and emotional health support for students:

Institutions shall create systems and processes, and allocate time to ensure students’ physical health and emotional wellness. Facilities for medical care, counselling services, therapy, and treatment in cases of illness or distress will be made available.

Financial support for students:

No student will be deprived of higher education because of financial inability. A National Scholarship Fund will be established which will ensure that all students who require financial support to attend a public HEI will receive it — this could also cover stipends, and boarding and lodging, and not just waivers of tuition fees. Private HEIs will offer scholarships ranging from 100% to 50% for at least half of their students

Facilities for sports and arts:

All institutions will offer facilities, classes, and clubs for students to participate in activities related to sports and to visual and performing arts. There will be funds set aside for the development and maintenance of such facilities and programmes, including ‘artist-in- residence’ programmes at all HEIs.

Topic-centred clubs and activities:

Involving students in institutional processes:

Such as clubs and events dedicated to science, mathematics, poetry, language, literature, debate, music, table tennis, etc. Over time, such activities could be incorporated into the curriculum once appropriate faculty expertise and campus student demand is developed.

Adequate grievance redressal:

P12.3. Open and distance learning:

Curriculum and pedagogy for enhancing access and opportunities for life-long learning

P12.4. Internationalisation of higher education:

Transforming the quality of open and distance learning:

Leveraging open and distance learning for improving access to quality learning experiences:

Support the continuous professional development of teachers in school and higher education.

Both traditional and open and distance learning modes to be offered by institutions:

All Type 1 and Type 2 institutions will be encouraged to offer innovative ODL programmes

Ensuring quality of open and distance learning:

HEIs will use their highest-rated. Faculty, courses, and programmes, and invest in adequate facilities and support staff, amongst other such initiatives to produce the highest-quality content with innovative curricula and pedagogical practices.

ODL must play a significant role in increasing GER to 50%. Innovation and expansion of ODL must be encouraged, while ensuring quality.

Online digital repository: To ensure efficient utilisation of resources and to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, all content developed for ODL will be included in an online digital repository (see P19.4.6). An appropriate mechanism will be put in place for creating and continually reviewing content to ensure their quality. The content will be available freely to all students and faculty across the country.

Funding for research to improve the quality of open and distance learning:

P12.3.7. Support services for students enrolled in open and distance learning:

Services will include providing learning material (e.g. hosting courseware, repositories, Open Educational Resources or OERs, MOOCs), support from help desk services, tutoring and counselling, conduct of classes (through webinars, discussion forums, webcasting), library facilities, virtual labs, e-learning modules, timely feedback on performance, online examinations, declaration of results, granting of certifications, redressal of grievances, etc.

Capacity development for expertise in open and distance learning:

Massive Open Online Courses:

MOOCs have emerged as an important form of ODL. The demand for enrolment in high quality MOOCs continues to increase. Although MOOCs have not yet fulfilled the initial projections made about their usage, they continue to be a useful way to reach large numbers of students without boundaries, and are still being experimented with to improve their quality of engagement and learning outcomes.

Presently, India enrols the second largest number of students in MOOCs after the USA. The SWAYAM (Study Web of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) platform is a recently-launched Indian platform for offering MOOCs that will be used to help individual educators and HEIs to cater to this demand.

Meeting the growing demand for MOOCs:

HEIs will be encouraged, through funding and other support mechanisms, to put some of their best courses online. This could be either by setting up their own open learning platforms or putting them on the SWAYAM platform to meet the growing demand for MOOCs for the continuous upgrading of knowledge for young students and adult learners alike. Students will have the freedom to opt for online courses offered by various universities and institutions across the country.

Well known experts and teachers in the country will be encouraged and supported to design and deliver MOOCs on topics in their area of expertise. Faculty and HEIs offering MOOCs will ensure reliable and credible student assessment and institutionalise an appropriate mechanism for providing timely feedback to enrolled students on their performance.

Recognition and accumulation of credits earned by MOOCs.

A mechanism for the recognition and accumulation of credits earned through MOOCs will be put in place by the GEC as part of the NHEQF. MOOCs offered by universities anywhere in the world will be suitably recognised, after ascertaining the alignment of their contents with the NHEQF, and appropriate checks on their delivery methods, modes of interaction with students, and assessment procedures. HEIs may allow their students to take part of their total requirement

in a particular semester (especially for subjects not yet represented at the HEI) through recognised MOOCs, as per their choice. The details will be left to individual HEIs to specify as per their needs.

Ensuring the quality of MOOCs:

HEIs must take the lead to ensure rigorous nomination and review processes for MOOCs (and all forms of ODL) so that the MOOCs offered by their faculty, and taken by students for credit, are run as per the guidelines from the GEC, and achieve standards of quality equivalent to the very best and most highly-rated courses at the HEI, with due attention being paid to student interaction and support to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

Being requested by an HEI to transform an in-class course into a MOOC (or other ODL course) will be considered a prestigious honour and task for a faculty member to receive and undertake, and faculty members so requested will be well-supported with resources (human, material, and technological) to carry out such a transformation to ensure a resulting MOOC of the highest quality.

P12.4. Internationalisation of higher education

only approximately 45,000 (11,250 per year) international students study in Indian higher education institutions, making India the 26th ranked country among the top destinations for international student mobility. This accounts for less than 1% of global international student mobility, given that globally, nearly 5 million students were reported to be studying outside their home countries in 2014.

Internationally relevant education:

The curriculum, its delivery, assessment processes, and the entire educational experience of students must equip them with the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to become global citizens.

Courses on Indian languages, arts, culture, history, and traditions:

Universities seeking to become attractive destinations for foreign students will receive funds to develop and offer specially designed courses on Indian languages, arts, history, Ayurveda, yoga, etc.

Other areas of strength in India such as STEM subjects, computer science, gaming, and related topics are also attractive to foreign students,

Departments for Indic studies will also be funded in several institutions on a competitive basis, so that even Indian students do not have to go abroad to learn Indology as is often the case today with the rising cost of education in the U.S. and Europe, students around the world could also find low-cost high quality education in India very attractive.

P12.4.4. Facilitating entry of international students and researchers:

A ‘Study in India’ Portal that will be set up by MHRD.

The visa and Foreigner Registration Regional Office (FRRO) processes, extension of stay, and internship policies will be simplified to attract high quality students from all over the world.

Students who have completed a degree in India will be allowed to seek employment in the country for a pre-decided period of time so that they can gather some work experience before they return to their respective countries if they so desire.

Facilitating stay and integration of incoming students within local communities:

Admissions for international students are facilitated by the 15% supernumerary quota that has already been in place for some time.

HEIs can also introduce scholarships to attract meritorious international students. At present, most of the foreign students studying in India are doing so at private institutions because they offer the best student experience available, but in time the influx into Central and State universities must increase.

P12.4.6. Student exchange:

Scholarships and/or educational loans for students and researchers aspiring to pursue higher studies abroad and return to India will be enhanced.

P12.4.7. Faculty mobility:

Additionally, Indian institutions hosting visiting scholars under the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) scheme will be encouraged to provide such analogous opportunities for selected faculty from their institutions to visit foreign institutions.

P12.4.8.

Term assignments/jobs and short-term training programmes in India and abroad. Faculty at Indian higher education institutions will be eligible for sabbatical leave which they can use for availing of such opportunities.

Additionally, Indian institutions hosting visiting scholars under the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) scheme will be encouraged to provide such analogous opportunities for selected faculty from their institutions to visit foreign institutions.

Research collaborations:

Offshore campuses:

MOOCs and open and distance learning:

In turn, MOUs for the recognition of mutual degrees, signed between the two countries

Inviting foreign universities into India:

Select universities (i.e. those from among the top 200 universities in the world) will be permitted to operate in India.

An Inter-University Centre for International Education:

Outreach and branding:

A systematic brand building campaign will be undertaken for attracting students from abroad.

A large number of scholarships for outstanding international students to study in India must be made available.

Chapter 13 : Energised, Engaged and Capable Faculty

Objective: Empowered faculty with high competence and deep commitment, energised for excellence in teaching and research.

Essential facilities such as clean drinking water, clean working toilets, as well as blackboards, offices, teaching supplies, laboratories, pleasant classroom spaces and campuses, etc. must be provided and maintained at all institutions for faculty to want to come and spend significant time working at and for their institution.

Faculty vacancies in the new Central Universities are reported to be over 50% and 35% in the new IITs; at other universities, the numbers are generally even worse. Ad hoc and contractual appointments have become the norm, compromising institutional processes and depleting the energies and motivation of all faculty members. This is true for both public and private HEIs.

In addition, heavy teaching loads (often as much as 36 hours a week), with high student-teacher ratios in each class (sometimes higher than 50 to 1),

Finally, the institutional leadership system is broken.

in fact, in too many cases, institutional leadership is chosen based on totally corrupt practices.

P13.1 Putting faculty back into the heart of higher education institutions

Motivating and energising faculty to achieve high quality in higher education:

Ensuring service conditions conducive to excellent teaching and research:

Faculty must be appointed to individual institutions and not be transferable across institutions,

Enabling vibrant university communities through faculty empowerment:

To motivate faculty members, it is important that they be trusted and empowered; they must have the freedom to creatively design their own curricular and pedagogical approaches, including with respect to syllabi, pedagogy, assignments, and assessments, and to choose their textbooks and other learning materials.

Incentivising excellence through merit-based career management:

Creating a culture of excellence through outstanding institutional leadership:It is the institutional leaders that would be held to account for the quality and direction of the institution

It is the institutional leaders that would be held to account for the quality and direction of the institution

Adequate physical infrastructure and facilities:

All HEIs will have adequate physical infrastructure and facilities with basic hygienic requirements by 2023, including: safe drinking water and functioning toilets; faculty office space;

Conducive learning environments through pleasant classrooms with adequate furniture; materials and infrastructure to support differently- abled students; well-designed campuses; computers and computer rooms, internet connectivity, and institutional e-mail; science laboratories; vocational education spaces; materials for arts/crafts, etc.

Ensuring faculty availability:

Student-teacher ratio (not more than 30:1)

The prevalent approach of adhoc, contractual appointments must be stopped immediately.

Judicious mix of capacities within each institution:

Institutional autonomy for recruitment:

Recruitment will be based on rigorous and transparent criteria and processes; both the criteria and processes will be available in the public domain.

Empowering and motivating institutional culture:

Permanent (tenure) employment track for university staff including faculty:

The probation period will typically be five years, which may be reduced or increased upon evaluation.

This could include 360 degree feedback (supervisor, peer and student review)

Faculty development plan:

The HRDCs will be integrated into the Universities presently hosting them,

HRDCs will be allowed to train teachers of private HEIs, and charge for the same.

A national programme for the professional development of teachers (faculty) in higher education will be launched, the curricular framework for which will be designed by the HRDCs,

Orientation programme for new faculty:

Mentoring by senior academics:

A large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty, willing to provide short term mentoring/professional support to University/ College teachers must be funded and established, particularly those with the ability to teach in Indian languages.

Career and compensation management of faculty and other employees:

The evaluation could include 360 degree feedback (supervisor, peer and student review)

Academic staff would have three levels — Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor

Faculty recruitment and development, career progression and compensation management to be part of the Intitutional Development Plan

Chapter 14 : National Research Foundation

Objective: Catalyse and energise research and innovation across the country in all academic disciplines, with a special focus on seeding and growing research at universities and colleges — create a conducive ecosystem for research through competitive peer-reviewed funding, mentoring, and facilitation.

Knowledge creation and research are well-known to be centrally critical to growing and sustaining a large and vibrant economy, uplifting society, and continuously inspiring a nation to achieve even greater heights. Indeed, some of the most prosperous civilisations throughout history, from ancient times (such as India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and Greece) to the modern era (such as the United States, Germany, Israel, South Korea, and Japan)

Research has never been more essential for the economic, intellectual, societal, environmental, and technological health and progress of a nation.

The above observations are borne out by recent data and economic studies from around the world. For example, in a policy brief released by the European Union, titled ‘The Economic Rationale for Public R&I funding and its Impact’ (2017), it was reported that: two-thirds of the economic growth of Europe from 1995 to 2007 came from research and innovation (R&I); R&I accounted for 15% of all productivity gains in Europe during the period 2000 and 2013; and that an annual increase of 0.2% of GDP in R&D investment would result in an annual increase of 1.1% in GDP — a five-fold return

Unfortunately, levels of R&I investment in India have not grown but instead have steadily dropped over the last decade — from 0.84% of GDP in 2008 to around 0.69% in 2014, where it remains today. For the sake of comparison, the levels of R&I investment as a proportion of GDP in some other countries are: United States (2.8%), China (2.1%), Israel (4.3%), and South Korea (4.2%); i.e. all invest at least three times as much as a proportion of GDP.

The number of researchers per lakh of population was shockingly only 15 in India, compared to 111 in China, 423 in the United States, and 825 in Israel

India severely lags behind in the number of patents and publications produced: according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), China made as many as 13,38,503 patent applications, with just 10% being made by non-resident Chinese, the USA made 605,571 patent applications, while India made a mere 45,057, of which over 70% were by non-resident Indians.

In terms of publications, India has been doing somewhat better, showing a steady growth in its output and taking India’s share of scientific publications from 3.1% in 2009 to 4.4% in 2013. However, a 2018 compilation of Science and Engineering indicators by the US National Science Foundation showed that both the USA and China published at least four times as many articles as India in 2016.

India has a long historical tradition of research and knowledge creation, in disciplines ranging from science and mathematics to art and literature to phonetics and languages to medicine and agriculture, and it is time India reclaimed this tradition, at the earliest, to be ready to lead research and innovation in the 21st century, as a strong and enlightened knowledge society and one of the three largest economies in the world.

Lack of funding for research:

• Lack of a research culture and mindset:
• Lack of research capability in most universities:

Removing impediments to and thereby significantly expanding research and innovation in the country through a new National Research Foundation.

The primary activities of the NRF will be to:

• Fund competitive, peer-reviewed grant proposals of all types and across all disciplines;

14.1. Establishing a new National Research Foundation

Establishment of a National Research Foundation

Scope of work:

The NRF will consist of four major divisions — Sciences; Technology; Social Sciences; and Arts and Humanities — with the provision to add additional divisions (e.g. health, agriculture, environmental issues),

The NRF will competitively fund research in all disciplines across the academic landscape — from subjects such as Medicine, Physics, Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence, and Nanoscience to Education, Sociology, Archaeology, Art History, and Literature.

Bringing in research mentors as well as postdoctoral and doctoral students to grow an ecosystem for research at institutions where it currently does not exist or is limited.

All proposals funded, together with amounts of annual funding, annual updates on progress, and final results achieved (all explained also in layperson terms) will be publicly displayed on the NRF website.

Funding for the National Research Foundation:

The NRF will be given an annual grant of 20,000 crores (Rs. 2 kharab, or approximately 0.1% of GDP)

Any unspent funds in the initial years will be held towards a corpus for the NRF which will be managed professionally for steady risk-free return.

• Governing Board:
• Divisional Councils:
• Subject Committees and Chairpersons:
• Allocation of funds:
• Governance of the National Research Foundation:

Eligibility for receiving National Research Foundation funding:

Researchers from all educational institutions, universities, colleges and schools, both public and private, as well as from research institutions, will be eligible to compete for funding from the NRF.

Other funding agencies: Institutions that currently fund research at some level, such as DST, DAE, DBT, ICAR, ICMR, UGC,

Many of the leading research-producing nations in the world have multiple public and private funding agencies,

14.2. Funding research proposals through rigorous peer review

Calls for research proposals:

Every year, each Divisional Council will make public calls for research proposals of various types.

Types of proposals: Proposals of various types will be allowed, including:

• Research projects to be conducted by a single principal investigator (PI);
• Collaborative grants for inter- and intra-institutional projects;
• Initial capacity building by a mentor researcher and mentee institution;
• Capacity building to push institutions that are already conducting research into a higher orbit;
• Well-envisioned consortia and conferences that are likely to move forward research in the country;
• Research facilities of national and international importance;
• Larger and longer duration projects/facilities of national importance or inspiration.

Research proposals would generally be for projects of three-years duration;

Assessing and funding quality research proposals through a system of rigourous peer review:

A key aspect of this peer-review process will be the absence of conflicts of interest: committee members will recuse themselves and leave the room during discussions of proposals submitted by their colleagues from the same institution, by their collaborators or family members, or from institutions that have funded them in the recent past. Committee members will not participate in the writing of the reviews in such cases.

• Approach to funds disbursal:
• Oversight and coordination by Subject Committee Chairpersons:
• Assessment and accountability:

Intellectual property to belong to researchers:

While giving the government (including any of its assigned agencies) the license to use, practice, or implement the research/invention (or any of its output) for the public good without payment of any royalty or charge

P14.3. Building research capacity at all universities and colleges

Bring outstanding serving or retired researchers from research universities and institutions to help mentor and seed research at State Universities and other universities

Encouraging proposals that help build research capacity at State Universities:

There will be no age limit for Mentors; they will be permitted to serve as Mentors and apply for funding for as long as they are active and add value to their institutions. The talents of outstanding retired research faculty in the country are currently severely underutilised

Capacity building through large, long-term, or mega projects:

• Nationwide projects to clean rivers:
• Projects to bring clean energy to villages:
• Nationwide projects to eliminate diseases such as malaria;
• Novel methods to teach literacy, or to preserve local languages, arts, or culture, that could be researched, developed and implemented by universities in their local communities across the country;
• Scientific megaprojects

Funding international collaborations:
Mentoring for grant applications and outcomes:
Role of Academies:

14.4. Creating beneficial linkages among government, industry, and researchers

At the current time, there is no direct link between research being conducted in the country and relevant government entities (both Central and State),

P14.4.1. Research requirements of ministries:

Many government ministries have research needs that are not being met at the present time. Several ministries have research cells that are largely not functional.

Research requirements of State governments: The contribution to research spending by State governments has been negligible so far, just 7% of the budget for 2015–16, according to the DST. States may wish to fund areas of research of special interest to their geography through the NRF, e.g. for health and disease control, or for the promotion and preservation of State languages, literature, arts, culture, artifacts, manuscripts, heritage sites, etc. through suitable research (again, a representative from the State could be included on the relevant Subject Committees if so desired).

Non-strategic aspects of strategic research establishments:

These include basic research on materials, fluid dynamics, cryptography, coding theory, atmospheric sciences, electro-optics, lasers, nanoscience, scientific aspects of hydrogen as a fuel, photo-voltaic, machine learning, basic semi-conductor physics, as well as various areas of study in the social sciences, humanities, and languages.

Research requirements of other government entities:

Research requirements of industry and other organisations:

In any given year, no more than one third of the NRF’s funding budget would come from public and private enterprises and other private organisations for specific research requests.

General donations to the NRF, even if they are for a given recognised subject, e.g. for Health, Agriculture, Literature, Physics, etc. (but not for a specific research project, need, or request) will have no restriction on amounts donated from any organisation.

Donations from industry:

It is suggested that all public and private sector enterprises will contribute a small percentage, say at least 0.1%, of their annual profits to research

Governing Board as a linking entity among researchers, government entities, and the private sector:

14.5. Recognising outstanding research funded by the National Research Foundation through awards and national seminars

Receiving funding from the NRF will, by itself, be a prestigious recognition for a researcher.

Recognition of truly outstanding research through awards and national seminars:

Chapter 15 : Teacher Education

Objective: Ensure that teachers are given the highest quality training in content, pedagogy, and practice, by moving the teacher education system into multidisciplinary colleges and universities, and establishing the four-year integrated Bachelor’s Degree as the minimum qualification for all school teachers.

Teachers must be grounded in Indian values, ethos, knowledge, and traditions, while also being well-versed in the latest advances in education and pedagogy.

Heartbreakingly, the teacher education sector has been beleaguered with mediocrity as well as rampant corruption due to commercialisation.

17000+ colleges in India that teach just a single programme, nearly 90% are teacher training institutes! Moreover, according to the Justice J. S. Verma Commission (2012) constituted by the Supreme Court, a majority of these standalone teaching institutes — over 10,000 in number — are not even attempting serious teacher education, but are essentially selling degrees for a price.

Restoring integrity and credibility to the teacher education system.

If we let such fake colleges remain functional, the fundamentals of our schools, and the integrity and credibility of the teacher education system cannot be restored.

Bringing efficacy and high quality to the teacher education system through strong education departments in multidisciplinary colleges and universities.

In addition, all currently existing genuine teacher education institutions must aim to become multidisciplinary higher educational institutions by 2030

P15.1. Restoring integrity to teacher education

Closure of substandard and dysfunctional teacher education institutions

Rigorous monitoring and review of clean up of the teacher education sector

All teacher education will happen in multidisciplinary institutions — teacher education will be an integral part of the higher education system.

P15.2. Moving teacher education into multidisciplinary colleges and universities:

The faculty members of teacher education institutes are mostly isolated from the larger community of researchers and educators.

They need to have an appreciation of issues around child development and the social context of learning in addition to conceptual understanding of the subject matter and learning how to teach.

Good teacher education requires expertise across all areas connected to education — specialists in early childhood education, understanding and pedagogy of subjects, assessment, curriculum and material development, school leadership and management along with psychology, philosophy, sociology, knowledge of India, and history of education.

Moving all teacher preparation programmes into multidisciplinary higher education institutions; building education departments and connections between HEIs and schools / school complexes

Beyond the teaching of cutting-edge pedagogy, the curriculum will include grounding in sociology, history, science, philosophy, psychology, early childhood education, foundational literacy and numeracy, knowledge of India and its values/ethos/art/traditions, and more.

• Good teachers are prepared and developed by good teacher educators
  — faculty of teacher education must be experts in diverse fields, both theoretical and practical.
• Admission to pre-service teacher preparation programmes:
• Creation of substantial new teacher preparation capacity:

Each Public University (by 2024) and Model Multidisciplinary College (by 2029) will offer a four-year teacher preparation programme. Philanthropic efforts will be encouraged in this sector through special schemes to be designed by the RSA.

Conversion of independent teacher education institutions to multidisciplinary institutions:

P15.3. Departments of Education in universities

The faculty at such departments will be multidisciplinary in nature and have good track records of research and publication,

P15.3.1. Departments/Centres of Excellence in Education at universities:

• Capacity planning for teacher education:
• Faculty in teacher education:

Online education: Departments of Education must also be able to offer programmes that are blended and part time, to enable practicing teachers to continue their higher education studies and aspire for professional mobility. They must develop courses and activities for inservice teachers as well as mentoring programmes for beginning teachers. All courses offerings must be available in a range of formats including part time, evening, blended and online, in addition to full time programmes. Working professional teachers need to be seen as an important student clientele of education departments, and programmes that meet their research and higher education interests should be developed and offered in the online as well as face-to-face modes.

Research-based teacher preparation

Inter-departmental collaboration for special subjects:

University managements must actively promote these inter-departmental collaborations.

Post-graduate and Doctoral Programmes:

Development of knowledge related to teaching, pedagogy, and various aspects of education including equity, issues of marginalisation, economics and financing of education, policy and management and leadership also need to be developed at the University through research and higher academic degrees in education including the M.A. in Education (Research), as well as doctoral programmes of study.

The Master’s in Education with a range of specialisations would enable the development of professionals and researchers for various areas of education including pedagogic studies in different curricular areas, evaluation and assessment, school leadership and management, policy studies, foundational areas of education psychology, sociology, history and philosophy, financing of education, comparative and international education, and ICT and education.

P15.4. Faculty for teacher education:

They must be supplemented by faculty with Master’s and PhD degrees in various related disciplines such as science education, psychology, cognitive studies, human development, linguistics and many other disciplines. Teaching experience, research experience at field stations, publications in international peer-reviewed journals of education and allied disciplines, are some of the other critical skills and competencies that will go towards making up a well rounded faculty of a good Department of Education.

Preparation of faculty:

PhDs in Education and in many related disciplines such as Science Education, Mathematics Education, Psychology, Child Development, Sociology, Linguistics and so on, from reputed institutions that meet international standards, must be encouraged

Given that some of them may have expertise to teach but are lacking in experience of the practices of teacher preparation, an induction and orientation course will be made available for such faculty before they take up teaching duties. Designed by HEIs.

Faculty profile:

Faculty with training in areas of social sciences that are directly relevant to school education (e.g. psychology, child development, linguistics, sociology, philosophy/political science) as well as from science education, mathematics education, social science education, and language education programmes will be attracted

15.5. Faculty in higher education

Some necessary inputs that faculty in higher education will benefit from include: developing a deep understanding of the structure and content of their own disciplines leading to the design of units and lessons; selecting and organising content and learning experiences; incorporating ICT in teaching; gaining experience in collaborative and team teaching; designing credible evaluations and designing learning experiences that are relevant to their learners.

P15.5.1. Exposure to pedagogy during PhD programmes:

All fresh PhD entrants, irrespective of discipline, will be required to have taken 8-credit courses in teaching/ education/ pedagogy related to their chosen PhD subject, during their doctoral training period

P15.5.2. Human Resource Development Centres and Continuous Professional Development of teachers at Departments of Education:

A coordination mechanism between all HRDCs will be put in place to ensure that all teachers in the university system have access to the courses they aspire to take, at one or other HRDC

Sustained focus on facilitating the work of teachers and higher education faculty members:

A senior functionary in both Central and all State governments, not below the rank of Joint Secretary, will be made responsible for addressing the concerns of teachers and ensuring their ability to function smoothly.

Chapter 16 : Professional Education

Objective: Build a holistic approach to the preparation of professionals, by ensuring broad-based competencies and 21st century skills, an understanding of the social-human context, and a strong ethical compass, in addition to the highest-quality professional capacities.

Professional education in India, in Agriculture, Law, Healthcare, and Technical education is, however, offered largely in silos of individual subjects and separate from general higher education.

For the same professional councils, such as the MCI, INC, DCI and several others, who regulate professional practice to also specify curriculum and regulate professional education is an undesirable anomaly that must be set right immediately.

• There is a tremendous shortage of professionals in the country, most particularly in the healthcare sector. It is critical that the need for professionals in various disciplines of higher education is mapped on a regular basis, based on careful data gathering, and adequate capacity is created at educational institutions.
• A separate committee needs be set up to work out a detailed transformation plan for each broad area of professional education, e.g agriculture, law, medical and technical education.

P16.1. Undergraduate education

Reintegrating professional education into higher education:

(i) an education in the ethic and importance of public purpose;
(ii) an education in the specific profession and its role in realising that purpose; and
(iii) an education for professional practice.

Integrated education within professional disciplines:

All new AUs will be integrated universities covering all interrelated aspects of agriculture including horticulture, livestock, agro-forestry, aquaculture, food production systems and so on.

AUs will also be encouraged to have strong linkages with all relevant national laboratories and other universities, in terms of training, business incubation, start-ups, etc.

An interdisciplinary approach encompassing urban planning, social sciences and economics, with the intent of preparing future architects who are able to resolve the gap between technological considerations and the need to develop living spaces in consonance with people’s aspirations.

Technical and vocational education and training:

The challenge of providing vocational education to millions of Indian youth is the most pronounced in disciplines related to agriculture, technical and healthcare education.

For instance, agriculture education needs to be supplemented with skilled workers in many related areas such as horticulture, fertilizers and pesticides, food processing, fisheries and livestock.

Similarly, technical education includes degree and diploma programmes in engineering, technology, management, architecture, town planning, pharmacy, hotel management and catering technology, while healthcare education includes a whole host of allied health staff such as radiologists, laboratory technicians, physiologists, home caregivers for the elderly, and many others that total up to a projected 80 million jobs worldwide by 2030 according to the WHO.

Many of these sectors are critical to India’s wellbeing and overall development, so the very large targets for vocational education must be addressed in multiple ways.

Governments, employers, the respective Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and all other stakeholders are working together to address a large part of this target, but as mentioned earlier the role of academic institutions in providing skills will be critical in achieving the stated targets for trained youth.

Preparation of professionals must involve an education in the ethic and importance of public purpose, an education in the discipline, and an education for practice — professional education must not happen in the isolation of specialty.

Provision of vocational education at all institutions offering professional education:

As with general education, all universities and autonomous colleges offering professional education will be empowered to offer vocational education in their related disciplines at the undergraduate level through Diploma, Advanced Diploma and B.Voc. degrees that are aligned with NSQF Levels 5, 6 and 7.

It will be left to the universities and autonomous colleges to develop syllabus and curriculum for these courses.

Provision of vocational education during senior secondary school stage:

Given that NSQF levels 1–4 will be integrated into school curriculum (see Chapter 20)

Multidisciplinary education with multiple entry/exit points:

This will require a mechanism for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

P16.2. Capacity planning for professionals:

The professional education sector is plagued by over-capacity of some professions such as engineering graduates and dentists, and severe under- capacity in many other professions such as doctors, nurses, radiologists and agriculture graduates. Scarce educational resources must be channelled better through better planning based on better data gathering.

P16.2.1. Perspective planning of capacity creation:

The CESD (see P6.1.5) within NIEPA will extend its activities to cover data gathering not just for general education, but also in professional education.

16.3. Postgraduate education and research:

Post-graduates either go on to professional practice at higher levels or become educators by taking up teaching, with only a very small fraction continuing into research

Postgraduate education will be revamped:

Research:

Many disciplines in professional education such as architecture and fine arts are practice based and research in these areas is in a nascent stage. For instance, several organisations are working on modernisation of indigenous technologies and crafts, an area that needs considerable research support. Borrowing research methodology from other more academic fields is leading to a choice of topics for research that are theoretical and distant from ground realities.

At the same time, there are several unresolved issues in each of these fields, particularly in their interfaces with society, and these need to become the starting point for academically rigorous research. Communication between professional practice and educational institutions is an integral part of making research more relevant.

Existing funding agencies such as the ICMR and the ICAR will also continue with their funding.

16.4. Faculty:

Collaborative and experiential learning methods and an awareness of professional ethics need to be brought in systematically through improved teacher education.

Setting up Departments of Education for preparing faculty for professional education:

These Departments of Education will develop curriculum for teacher education in the respective professions and offer the Master’s degree in Teaching and Research, which will be a mandatory qualification for all aspiring teachers

Mitigating the shortage of faculty across disciplines:

Engaging with other institutions in the vicinity to share faculty; inviting rolling faculty of eminent and superannuated scientists/professors/experts from industry; provisioning teaching assistantships for doctoral students; making use of talent from the private sector; inviting overseas researchers, etc.

Professional development of faculty:

Writing of textbooks, and translation of literature between different languages also needs support and encouragement.

Professional Councils for Teachers:

For instance, a professional body for teachers at medical colleges will be created so that teachers can upgrade their knowledge every five years.

P16.5. Governance, Regulation and Accreditation:

The regulatory role of the 17 or more professional councils such as the BCI, ICAR, MCI (or the proposed National Medical Commission — NMC), INC, VCI and others, with regard to professional education, will be converted to being PSSBs as far as education is concerned. They will not specify curriculum. Instead, they will specify professional standards and / or a curriculum framework, against which educational institutions will prepare their own curricula.

All institutions offering professional education will also be mandatorily accredited once every 5 years,

Fees for professional education:

fees for professional education courses will be left to the management of educational institutions, both public and private.

Up to 50% of students qualifying for admission must receive some degree of scholarships, and a minimum 20% of these must receive full scholarships.

Equitable access to quality professional education

P16.6. Agriculture and allied disciplines

At present, there are 67 AUs set up on the Land Grants pattern of the USA which involves financial contributions from the State and Centre, as well as resource generation by the university. Although AUs comprise approximately 9% of all universities in the country, enrolment in agriculture and allied sciences is less than 1% of all enrolment in higher education.

increasing demand in the private sector in all aspects of agriculture, particularly high-value agro-industry, food processing and specialised knowledge-intensive areas such as water efficiency, food safety and trade.

Agriculture education:

The demand is well over twice the present capacity of AUs.

Integrated agricultural education:

• The initial stage of four-year undergraduate programmes will substantially include basic sciences, humanities and disciplines of social sciences like economics, agribusiness management, marketing and rural sociology, and agricultural ethics and polices. Further, the curriculum will ensure that graduates and postgraduates acquire knowledge, skills and entrepreneurship ability, and self-confidence, thus developing them as enablers of social and national productivity.
• The initial stage of four-year undergraduate programmes will substantially include basic sciences, humanities and disciplines of social sciences like economics, agribusiness management, marketing and rural sociology, and agricultural ethics and polices. Further, the curriculum will ensure that graduates and postgraduates acquire knowledge, skills and entrepreneurship ability, and self-confidence, thus developing them as enablers of social and national productivity.
• An appropriate framework to continuously upgrade and update agriculture education curriculum and syllabi considering aspects of food safety, quality assurance and disciplines of social sciences like economics, agri-business management, marketing and rural sociology, and agricultural ethics and policies will be developed.

P16.6.3. Professional education and community/extension services:

Department of Agricultural Research and Education at State/UTs level:

Enhancing public grants:

16.7. Legal Education

Flourishing of socio-political institutions requires a cadre of professionals in the judicial system, including lawyers, judges, paralegal and administrative staff.

Further, this Policy envisages a law education that is informed and illuminated with Constitutional values of Justice — Social, Economic and Political

Hence a new legal education policy is found imperative for assigning direction for future change.

Curriculum to reflect socio-cultural contexts:

Further, there is growing consensus worldwide that the study and practice of law cannot be independent of the culture of society, including the study of classical law texts.

P16.7.2. Multilingual education:

This contributes to the considerable delay in legal outcomes as cases can move up only after the documentation has been translated.

State institutions offering law education must consider offering bilingual education for future lawyers and judges — in English and in the language of the State in which the law programme is situated

Making text books and study materials available in both languages, and allowing examinees to write their examination in either medium.

16.8. Healthcare Education:

There is now a global shift from curative medical practice towards a more holistic approach to healthcare that balances wellness, prevention and cure.

Ensuring superior quality of the MBBS degree:

All MBBS graduates must necessarily possess:
(i) medical skills;
(ii) diagnostic skills;
(iii) surgical skills; and
(iv) emergency skills; and

The revamped education of medical students must ensure this.

Pluralistic healthcare education and delivery:

The first year or two of the MBBS course will be designed as a common period for all science graduates after which they can take up MBBS, BDS

Graduates from other medical disciplines such as nursing, dental etc., will also be allowed lateral entry into the MBBS course.

Given the pluralistic health care legacy of the country, the different health systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) will be mainstreamed,

P16.8.3. Centralised exit examination for MBBS education:

Just as the NEET has been introduced as a common entrance examination for the MBBS, a common exit examination for the MBBS will be introduced (as has been suggested in the National Medical Commission Bill)

Nursing education and career progression of nurses:

Quality (specially the curriculum) of nursing education will be improved

Allied health education for cost-effective healthcare delivery:

A certificate skills-based training programme (minimum 1 to 2 years with significant on- the-job training) for General Duty Assistants (GDA), Emergency Medical Technicians-Basic (EMT-B) and Laboratory Technicians who can be employed in Primary Health Centres (PHC)

The syllabus will be standardised pan-India, drawn up in conjunction with Health Universities and State Allied Health Sciences Boards, with inputs from the Healthcare Sector Skill Councils, and reviewed and revised every five years.

Increasing the intake of students in healthcare education:

Expanding postgraduate education:

The number of seats in postgraduate education is only approximately half the number of MBBS seats.

16.9. Technical Education:

Technical education includes degree and diploma programmes in engineering, technology, management, architecture, town planning, pharmacy, hotel management and catering technology.

there will be greater need for closer collaboration between industry and institutions to drive innovation and research.

P16.9.1. Curriculum to strengthen undergraduate degrees:

Engineering and technology programmes will be revised to prepare professionals who are well prepared for both current and future practices,

The gap between the education and practice of architecture will be removed

Curriculum delivery will focus on giving students the ability to apply their knowledge and skills in different, often unknown, settings, and inculcating professional dispositions and ethics.

P16.9.2. Strategic thrust on new and emerging disciplines in professional education:

India must take the lead in preparing professionals in cutting-edge areas that are fast gaining prominence such as artificial intelligence, 3-D machining, big data analysis and machine learning among others in technical education, genomic studies, bio-technology, nanotechnology, neuroscience and so on in the sciences.

These topics, and many others like them, must be woven into undergraduate education at the earliest with support from the three National Academies of Sciences and the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) to devise appropriate curricula. Retired as well as serving scientists and engineers can be roped in to train the faculty in colleges and universities.

P16.9.3. Encouraging industry interactions:

Using state-of-the-art resources for educational purposes, particularly by sharing expensive equipment with industries or by using virtual laboratories to access resources located elsewhere.

P16.9.4. Improving equity and inclusiveness in technical education

Chapter 17 : Empowered Governance and Effective Leadership for Higher Education Institutions

Objective: Independent, self-governed higher education institutions with capable and ethical leadership.

A shockingly high proportion lack the ethical standards, institutional commitment and public spiritedness that is a must to lead any education institution. This is partly a result of the selection and appointment processes. These processes are often influenced, driven and decided by people who themselves do not have the requisite commitment to the good of the institution, do not have boldness of imagination for good leadership, and are caught in procedures missing the substance.

P17.1. Empowered governance and effective leadership

The special status of universities in society, to award degrees, and as sites of its renewal and development, will receive societal inspiration and consecration through specific offices/roles performed by people of the highest eminence. These roles will be played by the President of India, the Governors of States and people of eminence, in their roles as Visitor or Chancellor to the HEI.

Inspiration and consecration from society:

• Central Universities/HEIs (Type 1 or 2): The President of India will be the Visitor to the university,
• State Universities/HEIs (Type 1 or 2): The Governor of the State will be the Chancellor of the university,
• Private Universities/HEIs (Type 1 or 2): The Governor of the State
  in which the university has been established shall be the Visitor to the university,

Independent Board of Governors:

The independence of the BoG should ensure that external influence (e.g. political, governmental) is eliminated.

Mechanisms for public accountability of higher education institutions

Chairperson (Chair) of Board of Governors

Board of Governors as the apex body:

The BoG shall be the apex body of the HEI; there shall be no parallel structure. Internal governance and management structures of all HEIs shall be redesigned and reconstituted to ensure this. All bodies of the HEI will report to the BoG through the Vice Chancellor/ Director. The constitution of these redesigned structures should be entirely the prerogative of the BoG. This may require specific legislative enablement (e.g. role of the BoG, change in role of the Court) across universities, as also changes in their statutes.

Composition of the Board of Governors

Responsibilities of Board of Governors:

It shall be concomitantly responsible and accountable for the outcomes of the HEI to the public through transparent disclosure of its review and proceedings records. It will also be responsible for meeting all regulatory guidelines mandated by NHERA.

Board of Governors for public institutions

Board of Governors for private institutions

Role of Chief Executive of the higher education institution:

The appointment processes of HEI leaders will assess all this rigorously and objectively, and should also have the creative energy to make bold bets on people who show promise.

There will be no elected members to any of the bodies/structures within the HEI, other than some bodies of students.

• Selection for other leadership roles:
• Creating a leadership pipeline:
• Stability of tenure and smooth transition:
• Continuous professional development for heads of institutions and others in leadership roles:
• Overall strong operational team in higher education institutions:
• Academic Council for vibrant educational programmes and rigorous academic standards:
• Strong structures and mechanisms for raising resources — Development Office:

Effective structures and mechanisms for connection with society: Funding of public institutions:

The government must not get involved in micromanagement of spending, nor get involved with the short-term IDP.

Academic and administrative autonomy:

HEIs will transparently and publicly disclose all these academic/educational matters, on which they will have autonomy.

‘learning outcomes from higher education’ articulated by the GEC (see 18.3.2).’

But on all other matters private and public HEIs will have identical status and freedoms. All HEIs (private and public) will transparently and publicly disclose their audited financials and other financial matters such as fees. Private HEIs will be free to set the fees for their programmes subject to discharge of social responsibility in the form of scholarships for 50% of students in all their programmes.

The financial autonomy will be exercised with the highest degree of probity and fiduciary responsibility by the HEI; any financial impropriety will call for definitive and quick regulatory action, including shutting down the HEI where warranted.

Financial accountability:

All HEIs shall report their audited financial statements and publicly disclose key financial matters; the auditing and financial disclosures shall follow exactly those expected of Section 8 (not- for-profit) companies. There also must be assurance of financial stability of the HEI, since instability on this count can put the future of students at stake. There must be clear markers of the public-spirited nature of the HEI, and clear audited financial evidence that the HEI is not-for-profit.

HEIs shall publicly disclose key matters on fees, educational facilities, including faculty numbers and student ratio, and all other facilities e.g. hostel, library, based on a proforma for disclosure, determined by NHERA. The purpose of the disclosures is to ensure that the HEI is in reality delivering

what it is committing/promising to the students — the proforma will have only categories not any mandates within them.

Legislative enablement:

Effective structures and mechanisms for connection with society:

Chapter 18 : Transforming the Regulatory System

Objective: Effective, enabling and responsive regulation to encourage excellence and public-spiritedness in higher education.

India’s higher education system is the third largest in the world, next only to that in the United States and China. In the past few decades, expansion has also been rapid, particularly in the private sector.

Decisions that should be the purview of universities — e.g. starting a programme in distance education, opening a new department/school, collaboration with a foreign University — require permission from the UGC. Not only does this undermine autonomy

There must also be a common regulatory regime for the entire higher education sector,

Regulation must be responsive and minimalistic — light but tight — to ensure public spiritedness, equity, excellence, financial stability and probity, along with good governance.

P18.1. Design and architecture of the regulatory system:

Fundamental design and operating principles of the regime, structure, and culture of regulation:

• Separation of functions: The functions of regulation, provision of education, funding, accreditation and standard setting will be separated,
• The “court of public opinion” must play a crucial role
• Public and private HEIs shall be regulated on the same criteria, benchmarks and processes.
• There will be a single regulator for the entire higher education sector, including professional and vocational education.
• HEIs shall be free to take all educational and resource decisions,

The National Higher Education Regulatory Authority will be the only regulator for all higher education including professional education.

The regulatory architecture:

The current UGC shall transform to the HEGC

All other current regulatory bodies may transform to PSSBs; this includes NCTE, MCI, BCI and AICTE — they (PSSBs) may set standards for professions (e.g. for teachers, doctors, engineers, nurses, etc.).

Responsibilities of institutions within the new regulatory framework:

Sole regulator for the higher education sector:

‘Dimensions of Regulation’) will be:

Good governance:

• Financial probity and stability:
  For this the best practices of financial audit, as recommended by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India may be used.
• Educational outcomes:
  The educational outcomes may be, for example, number of students and diversity, assessment of learning of various programmes, publication of research papers, etc. These must be focused on the quality of outcomes and shall not be about input, resources, processes, conditions, etc., unless these are impinging on the safety and security of students and the HEI community.

Implementation of the new regulatory regime

P18.2. Accreditation as the basis for regulation

Accreditation of higher education institutions:

All existing HEIs shall be accredited by 2030, those that are not accredited will cease operations. This includes HEIs of all kinds — general, professional and vocational, which award degrees or diplomas to students, through any mode of study. The accreditation of affiliating universities shall account for the educational outcomes of the affiliated colleges.

P18.2.2. Transition plan for accreditation and autonomy:

A new NAAC

High quality and high integrity ecosystem of Accreditation Institutions:

Accreditation shall be done in a way that mentors and AIs are known to the public and are required to take responsibility for the quality of the institutions they accredit. Ratings and rankings of HEI shall be left to public opinion and market forces.

Accreditation institutions as facilitators and mentors:

Availability of accreditation-related information in the public domain:

P18.3. Standard setting bodies:

Current regulatory bodies shall transform into Professional Standard

Setting Bodies:

All the other current regulatory authorities such as NCTE, AICTE, MCI, BCI, etc. shall transfer their regulatory function to NHERA which shall become the sole regulator for higher education. These bodies may transform themselves into PSSBs.

Accreditation of programmes/courses may be made available. However any such accreditation shall be entirely voluntary for the HEIs, and shall have no implication on the autonomy of the HEI to design and run any such programme.

Functions of the General Education Council:

These ‘graduate attributes’ must include disciplinary knowledge, and the range of cognitive, social, ethical and emotional capacities and dispositions, which are the outcomes of good education.

P18.4. Role of other bodies:

Role of the Higher Education Grants Council:

The State Departments of Higher Education and State Higher Education Councils

Fine balance in the role of government

Role of sponsors of private institutions

P18.5. Establishing new higher education institutions

Setting up of new higher education institutions:

Any new HEI will only be set up by the Parliament or a State Legislature or with an ‘HEI Charter’ from NHERA.

Constituent colleges will be integrally a part of the University that starts and runs them.

Categories for new higher education institutions:

All new colleges started from 2020 onwards must only be autonomous colleges (Type 3). No new affiliated colleges shall be started after 2020. After 2030 there shall be no affiliated colleges in existence — all colleges must develop to become autonomous degree granting colleges or a university.

P18.6. Common regulatory regime

Common regulatory regime — private higher education institutions

Guidelines for enablement of private higher education institutions (universities):

These common guidelines will cover Good Governance, Financial Stability and Security, Educational Outcomes, and Transparency of Disclosures as mentioned in this chapter.

Fee regime to manifest public spirited nature of private higher education institutions:

Fees may be increased only for another student cohort, before they join the programme. The term “fees” includes money collected under any and all heads by the HEI or any of its agencies, including lodging but not including boarding.

• At least 20% students in each programme/course shall have 100% fee waivers.
• At least 30% students in each programme/course shall get between 100% to 25% fee waivers
• ensuring that that the fees are affordable for students from families whose income are at the level of the 75th percentile of consumption in the latest NSSO survey.

Common regulatory regime — institutions not classified under higher education institution

Principles of good governance

NEP 2020 P-III & IV

Part III — Additional Key Focus Areas

Chapter 19 : Technology in Education

Objective: Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education — to support teacher preparation and development; improve teaching, learning and evaluation processes; enhance educational access to disadvantaged groups; and streamline educational planning, administration and management.

It is essential for teachers to receive adequate training in how to leverage technology to improve educational outcomes.

Teacher preparation may itself leverage technology (e.g. through the use of online courses),

The fourth area is the planning, administration and management of the entire education system.

A suitable institution must be empowered to analyse this data and this task has been assigned to the CESD that is to be set up at NIEPA

With regards to end-user hardware, it is important to draw a distinction between institutional devices such as desktop computers, classroom projectors, WiFi routers, etc. and personal devices (such as smartphones and laptops). Educational institutions must be allowed to purchase and maintain institutional devices to support technology-based educational activities such as blended learning and computer-based laboratories.

Several models for the creation of software for education exist, ranging from software platforms such as SWAYAM commissioned by the MHRD for use by the entire country, to applications and software developed and tested by educational institutions such as IIT Bombay that need to be scaled, and software applications created by entrepreneurs that need to be evaluated and inducted if found to be useful.

• Identifying stakeholder (student, teacher, administrator) needs,
• Creating technology-based solutions that address these needs,
• Assessing these solutions in meaningful pilots, and
• Deploying them at scale, with government funding as needed,
  is missing in the system.
• Examples that illustrate this principle well include software created as part of the National Mission on Education through ICT (NMEICT), such as Virtual laboratories that provide remote- access to laboratories in various disciplines of Science and Engineering, and Spoken Tutorials that help students learn and use open source software by listening to audio commentary in Indian languages. Certain types of educational software can be standardised (at State/National levels), which can leverage scale to reduce development and operational costs per person/ institution.

Promotion of the use of open source software in education is another area that requires considerable support, and the existing effort of FOSSEE (Free and Open Source Software in Education) needs to become much more widespread. The challenge with the use of free and open source software of course is the higher level of technical competence that is required at each individual institution, and this challenge must be addressed too (see P19.4.5).

In addition, there must be active encouragement for faculty in educational institutions, those who are involved in the development of key pieces of software in education, to incubate companies so as to ensure that these solutions are evaluated and inducted / actively marketed to educational institutions.

In the past, entrepreneurship among faculty, in technology or in other areas, has been actively discouraged. This is changing now but much more encouragement is needed for faculty and student teams to engage in entrepreneurship. Faculty must be rewarded for this in their performance appraisals.

While it is natural that many software initiatives are seeded by the Government of India at premier institutions such as IIT Bombay or Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), adequate attention needs to also be paid to the task of making these software solutions available to all educational institutions in the country.

This can be done in more than one way and the appropriate choice needs to be made based on considerations of the size of the target group, the urgency and the costs:

• They can be popularised by the developers themselves as is being done now, which is best for niche solutions in technology;
• They can be handed over to institutions such as the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) so that they can maintain them with a 24x7 help-desk that educational institutions can avail of;
• A new company is incubated by the developer institution to actively popularise the solution and provide support for adoption and maintenance to the educational institutions.
• PPP models for these can also be explored, and government can also consider paying for solutions created by the private sector to be deployed at scale.
• Recipient educational institutions can either receive budgetary allocations to evaluate and adopt specific technologies in the ‘PULL’ model), or have it made available to them through the State or Central government in the ‘PUSH’ model.

P19.1. Setting up of a new National Educational Technology Forum:

The National Educational Technology Forum will be a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to improve learning, assessment, planning and administration.

• The National Educational Technology Forum:
• Role and functioning of the National Educational Technology Forum:
• Funding and support to the National Educational Technology Forum:
• Collective assessment and adoption of technology solutions:

P19.2. Approach to the induction of technology

Qualified support for educational technology with teachers playing a central role:

Technology use and integration in educational settings:

using technology to: support translation of content into multiple languages; assist differently-abled learners; improve the quality of pedagogy and learning processes through the use of intelligent tutoring systems and adaptive assessment systems;

Create new types of interactive and immersive content (e.g. using augmented and virtual reality); strengthen educational planning and management and bring greater transparency and efficiency to the examination system as well as to administrative and governance processes;

Assist in the management of education such as supporting teacher development programmes; and scale up the ODL system so that it can respond to the growing demand for education from all age groups, across school education, higher education, professional and vocational education, adult education, and lifelong learning.

Centres of Excellence in Educational Technology:

General guidelines for technology-based interventions:

• Hardware: Commodity hardware solutions such as cloud-based commercial infrastructure and personal computing devices for end-users will be preferred.
• Software: Software for educational use will preferably be FOSSEE. Where necessary, the government will pay for professionally developing and maintaining the software, and will acquire the rights to distribute it to learners, teachers and institutions for free-and-unlimited offline usage. Steps will be taken to ensure that this software remains compatible with popular and affordable end-user computing devices.
• Data:All public data will be owned by the government and will be used for improving educational standards (see Section 19.6). Individuals will retain full ownership of their own data, which may not be used without their explicit permission.
  In line with the Open Data Initiative, educational data that has been anonymised, as per the best-practice in data security, will be made publicly available on a regular basis for research purposes.

P19.3. Teacher preparation and continuous professional development

Many online learning experiments do not work very well for first-time student learners who really need a classroom environment that provides oportunities for peer learning, as well as mentoring and guidance from faculty.

However, this is not true for existing faculty who are mature enough to be able to make the most of online courses. Most faculty members will require upgradation of their subject knowledge, which can just as well be done through online education.

Teacher preparation in the use of educational technology:

Pedagogical strategies for utilising e-content (including conducting classes effectively in a flipped mode and leveraging MOOCs), and using appropriate tools to enhance teaching- learning processes (e.g. tools to assist CWSN and tools to help teachers reflect on their pedagogical styles by capturing classroom practices).

Videos in the open educational repository (see P19.5.2) will be used for teacher training discussions in every subject. Appropriate technology-based tools will be developed to assess competencies of teacher trainees, including, but not limited to, competence in the use of educational technology for improving teaching, learning, and evaluation processes.

Initially, a large number of certified master teachers will be trained to provide training to all teacher trainees in a phased manner. Hence, a suitable initiative will be launched and run in a mission mode for 5–6 years by the CIET.

Use of educational technology for continuous teacher professional development:

Explore high quality online educational resources to incorporate into their pedagogy, and participate in online teacher communities where best practices can be shared. The online platform will also allow teachers to share ideas and showcase their pedagogy; teachers with outstanding portfolios will be awarded due recognition, including financial support for participating in national and international training sessions, conferences, workshops, etc., and invitations to present their work at NETF events.

Specific technology related policy actions:

The necessary interventions must include customised courses for faculty development programmes on a platform such as SWAYAM. Both for school teachers and for faculty in higher education, SWAYAM can cover the theoretical aspects of learning.

The course contents must be reengineered for the online mode and not be simply recordings of classroom interactions.

Similarly, the assessment for certification must be designed in a way that is convenient for teachers, but also rigorous enough to create value.

The development and widespread use of teacher professional learning communities, where teachers can interact with other teachers teaching the same subjects and exchange knowhow, experience, and even educational content is a promising intervention that is already in use in some States with great impact. This must be encouraged and expanded to cover many States and different subjects.

P19.4. Improving teaching, learning and evaluation processes:

‘chalk- and-talk’ models prevalent in most classrooms in India today.

Integrating educational technology into the school curriculum:

• From age 6 onwards, computational thinking (the thought processes involved in formulating problems and solutions in ways that computers can effectively execute) will be integrated into the school curriculum.
• Given the diffusion of devices and their affordability, all students are likely to have access to connected personal computing devices by 2025.
• (computer laboratories, tinkering laboratories, makerspaces, etc.).
• The school curriculum will offer optional subjects focused on programming and other advanced computer-based activities at the late upper primary and secondary stages.

Developing educational software:

All such software will be available in all major Indian languages and will be accessible to a wide range of users including CWSN and differently-abled students, and will include:

• Software to assist learners with disabilities (e.g. text-to-speech software in all major Indian languages for blind/partially sighted students).
• Intelligent Tutoring Systems to promote numeracy and foundational literacy in all major Indian languages.
• Educational software in the form of serious games, simulations, and applications using augmented and virtual reality.
• Software to create personalised learning trajectories for each learner based on curriculum, with content (readings, videos, interactive worksheets, etc.) arranged in learning ladders.
• Adaptive assessment tools formative as well as summative, Such assessments will minimise the importance of rote memory,

Video viewing equipment:

Advanced online courses: Educational institutions will be encouraged to offer course credits to students who complete specified courses (especially advanced electives) online, e.g. via SWAYAM or other such platforms developed in the future. This will include courses on topics such as IT Enabled Services (ITES) and other such areas of vocational education and adult education that can benefit from online courses.

Support for appropriate information and communication technology usage:

‘IT Ambassador’ Fellowships for students who have completed their senior secondary courses.

Computer hardware and maintenance, as well as training in software installation and maintenance (especially for open-source software) must be taught to these students. As far as possible, local people must be given these Fellowships.

Specific technology related policy actions:

a. Content repositories in Indian languages for educational content: along with editorial processes for uploading content, and rating methods that will allow the best content to surface to the top. The content must be made available under the Creative Commons Licensing. The National Repository for Open Educational Resources (NROER) is one such example

but it needs to be supplemented with much more awareness building so that a lot more content comes online and more people find it useful.

A suitable financial model to sustain such a repository needs to be selected. The content repository could optionally be integrated with payment systems so that, in time, content creators can be compensated in a small way for contributing content. This will incentivise many teachers to create innovative age appropriate content. The decision to create separate repositories for each State, or hold all content in a single repository, can be made by the NETF based on appropriate financial models.

b. Machine translation of content uploaded into any content repository: This should be supplemented with editorial processes to check the quality of translation, so that good quality content in any language can be translated into multiple Indian languages.

Some of the promising interventions are the following:

c. Publishing software for educational material: Teachers must be able to compile free content from one or more content repositories to devise interesting courses for which material can be shared with students in pdf form. Many older universities have printing divisions which can be used to print relatively inexpensive hard copies of educational material for students who would like to have them.

d. Online assessments: Assessments can be partly online multiple-choice examinations combined with projects and other hands on work that is evaluated separately by teachers. Some app-based multiple-choice examination systems are already available now that make it very easy for faculty to conduct quizzes.

P19.5. Enhancing educational access:

Access to technology in remote areas:

High quality specialised content to be made available in open educational repositories:

Copyright-free educational resources including textbooks, reference books, videos (ideally with subtitles), teaching-learning materials, etc. will be created and curated from national and global sources at all levels of education and in multiple Indian languages, and made available in a single online digital repository e.g. the National Digital Library or NROER.

Maintaining content quality:

It is critical to ensure that the repository in P19.5.2 remains a high quality and up-to-date resource so that it will be of value not only to teachers and students in the formal education system, but will also be a powerful enabler of lifelong learning.

Online feedback on quality, relevance, and usefulness of content

Thus, the platform will showcase the work of the best teachers, teaching in exemplary styles, across the country in every subject, level, and language.

The platform itself (as in the case of all shared resources) once piloted and identified to be more widely usable by NETF, must be maintained by specialist organisations such as the CDAC or by private industry.

The funding for this kind of professional maintenance of shared resources will be provided by the Central government.

Development of tools for automated language translation of educational content:

Specific technology related policy actions:

The NRED will maintain all records related to institutions, teachers and students in digital form.

P19.6. Streamlining educational planning and management

National Repository of Educational Data:

• Teachers would be asked to enter data at most four times per year,
• Validating employment records of teachers and credits earned by learners (who will be, e.g. identified by their Aadhar numbers).

g. Monitoring migrant learners, and tracking their health and educational progress in order to mitigate the negative impact of disruptions to their well-being due to frequent displacement.

Technology for improving governance and administration:

streamline manual processes related to educational planning, admissions, attendance, assessments, etc. Local communities, panchayats, and SMCs will be able to look at the data and make sense of it themselves.

ICT-based tools will be used immediately for all administrative tasks where they can improve efficiency and accuracy, including systems related to admissions, scholarships, assessments, counselling, placements, accreditation, etc.

relevant stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, staff, etc.) with access to official institutional communication channels (e.g. institutional email).

Specific technology related policy actions:

The problem of fake degrees can now be solved very elegantly by the new Blockchain technology. Each State government must commission its own depository of certificates, like the ‘National Academic Depository’, for all educational institutions within the States.

P19.7. Disruptive technologies namely research, de-skilling, and awareness raising:

Our present education system’s inability to cope with these rapid and disruptive changes

For instance, while computers have largely surpassed humans in leveraging factual and procedural knowledge, our education at all levels excessively burdens students with such knowledge at the expense of developing their higher order competencies.

NITI Aayog recently produced a timely discussion paper entitled “National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence: #AIForAll”,

Other disruptive technologies such as Blockchain and Virtual Reality are just two of the many new technologies that are likely to have a sizeable impact on education.

Monitoring potentially disruptive technologies:

One of the permanent tasks of the Advisory Council of the RSA (see Chapter 23) will be to categorise emergent technologies based on their potential and estimated timeframe for disruption,

Research in disruptive technologies:

In the context of artificial intelligence, the NRF may consider a three- pronged approach:

a) Advancing core artificial intelligence research,

b) Developing and deploying application-based research, and

c) Establishing international research efforts to address global challenges in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, and climate change using artificial intelligence.

Skilling and re-skilling:

But also in creating initial versions of instructional materials and courses (including online courses) in cutting-edge domains and assessing their impact on specific areas such as professional education

Institutions will have autonomy to approve institutional and non-institutional partners to deliver such training, which will be integrated with skills and higher education frameworks.

In the context of artificial intelligence, Type I and Type II institutions may offer PhD and Masters programmes in core areas (such as Machine Learning) as well as multidisciplinary fields (“artificial intelligence + X”) and professional areas (healthcare, agriculture and law). They may also develop and disseminate authoritative courses in these areas via platforms such as SWAYAM.

For rapid adoption, Type III institutions may initially blend these online courses with traditional teaching in undergraduate and vocational programmes. Type III institutions may also offer targeted training in low-expertise tasks for supporting the artificial intelligence value chain such as data annotation, image classification and speech transcription.

In the context of Natural Language Processing (NLP), certain low-expertise tasks (such as translating simple sentences) may also be valuable from a pedagogical standpoint. Thus, efforts to teach languages to school students should be dovetailed with efforts to enhance NLP for India’s diverse languages.

Raising awareness:

Data is a key fuel for artificial intelligence based technologies, and it is critical to raise awareness on issues of privacy, laws and standards associated with data handling and data protection, etc.

Chapter : 20 Vocational Education

Objective: Integrate vocational education into all educational institutions — schools, colleges and universities. Provide access to vocational education to at least 50% of all learners by 2025.

The 12th Five-Year Plan (2012–2017) estimated that less than 5 % of the Indian workforce in the age group of 19–24 received formal vocational education; in comparison, the USA has 52%, Germany has 75%, and South Korea has 96%.

A broad definition of vocational education would include professional education as well (e.g. legal education, medical education).

Vocational education must be also distinguished from skills and skilling. Vocational education integrates a complex of knowledge, attitudes and skills, for particular occupations.

A fresh approach to vocational education

As the most basic and important step, implementation of vocational education must be improved.

This is the imagination of liberal education in this Policy — deeply and seamlessly integrating ‘academic,’ ‘professional’ and ‘vocational’ education — all being within the ‘mainstream.’

Important aspects of this new approach

All school students must receive vocational education in at least one vocation during Grades 9–12.

However, there are many challenges in the short term, given the involvement of many ministries and numerous other stakeholders in the provision of vocational education currently.

A separate National Committee for the Integration of Vocational Education (NCIVE) will need to be set up

• Collaborate with ITIs, polytechnics, local industries and businesses, farms, hospitals, NGOs and all other such facilities where students can receive practical skills training, to build vocational education programmes
• integrated into mainstream education.
• The programmes must include critically important courses in life skills such as communication skills, digital and financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and so on;
• Work with NCERT through the Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE) and with the SCERTs (through the State Institutes of Vocational Education where they exist)
• but a more scalable model of training large numbers of teachers will be needed, that makes use of the capacities of school complexes and DIETs for school teachers and the Departments of Education at Universities for faculty in higher education;
• Educational institutions will need to collaborate with the Sector Skill Councils (SSC) for this task;
• Network of ministries, bodies/agencies and institutions as well as local industries and individuals in an effort to optimise the learning and exposure of students at all stages.
• Maintenance of databases
• Vocational education will be part of the secondary school curriculum and aligned to the NSQF.

P20.1. Integrating vocational education into all schools, colleges and universities

Stakeholders in the system:
(i) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), MHRD, and all other ministries of the Central and State governments engaged in vocational education;

(ii) enablers of vocational education such as the National Skills Development Agency (NSDA), now National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs), SSCs, financial institutions and others;

(iii) implementing bodies such as ITIs, polytechnics, industries, businesses, and other training providers along with schools, colleges, and universities; and (iv) the beneficiaries themselves, youth and adults; in order to tackle the challenge of integrating vocational education into the mainstream in a meaningful manner.

Integrating vocational education into all secondary schools and higher education institutions:

Towards this, they will collaborate with ITIs, polytechnics, local businesses and industries, hospitals, farms, and NGOs.

Facilitating sharing of knowhow and best practices among educational institutions:

Skills gap analysis and mapping of local opportunities:

Educational institutions can then use the State-level mappings as the basis for conducting further research to select the vocations they would like to offer

• Funding support for the integration of vocational education into all educational institutions:
• Coordination between MHRD and MSDE:

Data gathering, MIS and technology support for the rollout of vocational education:

NCVET currently hosts a Labour Market Information System (LMIS) which tracks certified candidates, courses, training providers, trainers, assessors,

P20.2. Frameworks and standards

Many countries are in the process of bridging the gap between general and vocational education through qualifications frameworks that define learning outcomes and competencies that students must possess at each level. The number of levels in a framework varies between six and twelve in different countries.

The NSQF was notified in 2013 with ten levels.

The common parameters used to specify learning outcomes are generally four or five in number, including professional knowledge, skills and aptitude.

• Detailing the National Skills Qualifications Framework:
• National Occupational Standards and International compatibility of standards:
• National Qualifications Register:

20.3. Vocational education in secondary school

The entire four-year period in secondary school, Grades 9–12, can be used to not just expose a student to different vocations but to help him/her to progressively build a considerable degree of expertise in his/ her vocation of choice. However, the choice of the vocation and the degree of expertise (number of courses) that a particular student takes will be left entirely to them.

High/ Secondary school — Grades 9–12:

Part-time apprenticeships and skills training can be supplemented with education at school during the remaining time.

The use of evening/night classes can also be explored. It should be possible for students to exit from Grade 12 with a holistic education that allows them to enter the world of work.

• Curriculum and assessment:
• Teachers and trainers:
• Teacher training:

External trainers, who are experts in their vocations, can also be invited to train local teachers at CRCs, BRCs and DIETs.

Strengthening PSSCIVE and the State level infrastructure for the provision of vocational education:

P20.4. Vocational education as an integral part of higher education — Expansion of vocational education at undergraduate level:

Vocational education at the undergraduate level will be expanded and targeted to offer enrolment to all interested learners (up to 50% of the total enrollment) by 2025, up from the present level of enrollment of well below 10%.

• Student mobility across general and vocational education:
• Work integrated training and other models:
• Incentivising apprenticeships:
• Certificate courses for students in mainstream education:

Short term certificate courses, in soft skills and life skills such as communication skills, computer literacy, digital literacy, basic financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and many other such topics, can benefit students greatly in the interim.

A choice of such courses must be made available to students in all institutions, so as to help them become more confident and employable. Technology can be used in various ways to help achieve these goals.

• Curriculum and trainers:
• Incubation centres and centres of excellence:

P20.5. Vocational education for adults and youth — Reintegrating dropouts:

Students who have dropped out from school can also be brought back into regular schools by giving them bridge courses, post assessment of their prior learning and RPL certification.

• Assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning:
• Upskilling and reskilling requirements:

These will largely be in the form of short courses

Vocational education for the unorganised sector:

A large percentage of India’s workforce is in the unorganised sector and in small businesses.

Many of them would also benefit greatly from receiving training in areas like entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.

Certificate courses through online education:

Online education can be used to handle the theoretical aspects of vocational courses since students can access them either after work or during weekends. School complexes and HEIs can develop such short modules and make them available through an online platform that can be hosted by an appropriate body identified by the NCIVE.

This can be combined with online testing towards certification, benefitting large numbers of students, youth and adults. Students should be able to complete their practical training locally and also be evaluated for it locally by their training provider. For the theory component and for other courses that are mandatory for them, they can take the online versions.

P20.6. Areas of special focus:

There is millennia worth of learning embodied in the systems and knowledge that have developed in India for the production, development and management of various goods and services.

These range from the finest, most intricately designed, textiles and embroidery to the grand architecture of historic buildings; from the development of local knowledge systems in medicine to myriad varieties of art and handicrafts; and water conservation, among many others.

The immense value of these capacities, referred to as ‘Lok Vidya,’ must also be nurtured as vocations, be fully leveraged for the economic wellbeing of its practitioners, and be passed on to future generations in a systematic fashion. This is important not only for sustaining India’s socio-cultural legacy but also for the benefit of millions of Indian artisans.

[CONVERT THEM INTO ONLINE COURSES]

Enhancing the work of local crafts persons and artisans:

Lok Vidya has enormous economic potential and must therefore be integrated into appropriately designed courses in vocational education and made more widely accessible.

Technologies such as computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing must be pressed into service to help preserve, nurture, and enhance this knowledge, and extend its scope and reach.

• Special focus on rural areas:
• Special focus on tribal areas:

Bamboo Research Centre or a Centre for Wildlife Conservation, or even a Centre for Traditional Medicine.

Chapter 21 : Adult Education

Objective: Achieve 100% youth and adult literacy rates by 2030, and significantly expand adult and continuing education programmes.

At the level of the country, a fully literate and educated workforce will naturally lead to a huge increase in productivity and a more enlightened nation, with corresponding increases in health, justice and equality, and a much higher per capita income and GDP.

Adult education and learning, through initiatives such as the National Literacy Mission (NLM) (1988–2009), Sakshar Bharat (2009- 2017), Scheme of Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and Skill Development, and most recently the Padhna Likhna Abhiyaan (2018 onwards).

In particular, the overall literacy rate in India increased by 9% to 74% over the period 2001–2011.

However, according to data from the last census, India still had over 3.26 crore youth non-literates (15–24 years of age) and a total of 26.5 crore adult non- literates (15 years and above) — a number comparable to the entire population of students in the school and higher education sectors taken together — and representing one third of the world’s non-literate people.

Indeed, extensive field studies and analyses, both in India and across the world (e.g. in China and Brazil), clearly demonstrate that volunteerism and community mobilisation are key success factors of adult literacy programmes,

The importance of adult education

Unfortunately, our past failures over generations to universalise education has resulted in the large number of adults today who never had the opportunity to attend or complete school.

What can be done to make adult education effective and widely accessible?

Developing an adult education curriculum framework: An outstanding curriculum framework for adult education must be developed, keeping in view what would be most useful and enriching for various types and levels of mature learners. The framework must be flexible enough to adjust to local needs, and include at least five types of programmes:

• Foundational literacy and numeracy;
• Critical life skills (including financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education, and family welfare);
• Vocational skills development (with a view towards obtaining local employment);
• Basic education (including preparatory, middle, and secondary stage equivalency); and
• Continuing education (including engaging liberal adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports, and recreation, as well as other topics of interest or use to local learners, such as more advanced material on critical life skills).

Recognise the differences that exist along the ‘pedagogy-androgogy continuum’ (i.e. adults in many cases require rather different teaching-learning methods and materials than those designed for children).

The existing well-equipped ICT-enabled Adult Education and Skill Development Centres (AESDCs) and Jan Shikshan Sansthans must, in particular, be strengthened

Effectively training instructors for adult education:

Ensuring participation:

Mobilising the community:

If every literate member of the community could commit to help/teach one person how to read, it would change the country’s landscape very quickly; this mission will be highly encouraged and supported.

A National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education will be developed to cover five broad areas — foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, vocational skills, basic education and continuing education.

P21.1. Developing a curriculum framework for adult education

Establishment of a technical and resource support structure for adult education, research, and training: An autonomous Central Institute of Adult Education (CIAE) will be established

As a constituent unit of NCERT, consisting of experts in adult education, tasked to develop a National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education (NCFAE), prepare effective teaching-learning materials for adult education,

National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education:

A revised NCFAE will be prepared by the CIAE for adult education in at least five broad areas: (i) foundational literacy and numeracy; (ii) critical life skills; (iii) vocational skills; (iv) basic education, and (v) continuing education.

A national curricular framework was formulated by a committee of experts under the MHRD in 2011.

a. Foundational literacy and numeracy: The material in this programme will initially cover basic reading and writing (including of numbers) so that the learner may successfully carry out essential daily activities outside of the home, including reading signs, price tags, receipts, license plates, etc., as well as filling out forms, addressing envelopes to mail, etc.

It will then move into foundational literacy and numeracy, so that the learner can also then read basic instructions, safety directives, booklets, newspapers, books, etc., and read and write letters, fill out survey forms, and more.

In contrast with the school-level foundational and literacy curriculum, reading and writing in adult education will focus more on issues of interest to adults, including stories from great literature, parenting stories, lessons from the Indian Constitution, or enlightening discussions regarding social issues of the day such as parenting, child marriage, women’s rights, or alcoholism.

b. Critical life skills: This programme will be intended for neo-literates to learn essential life skills for modern times: how to open a bank account and carry out basic financial transactions; how to use a computer or tablet/ smartphone to connect to the internet in order to send e-mails, learn (e.g. via NIOS or other websites), or conduct business; how to be wary of the misuses and dangers of the internet (especially for children and adolescents);

How to help in children’s education, and other useful parenting skills for the 21st century; how to manage accounts for home and commercial purposes; basic health care and nutritional awareness; and family welfare. The essential skills taught will of course also depend on the local region and its needs, such as any local health or economic issues.

c. Basic education: The thrust of the Basic Education Programme will be to enable neo-literates to continue learning beyond basic literacy and numeracy, and acquire education equivalent to the Preparatory, Middle and Secondary stages of education through either the formal education system or the open learning system.

The competency levels developed by the NLM Authority for flexible basic education at Level I, Level II and Level III, which are and shall be roughly equivalent to finishing the Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary stages of formal schooling, will form the basis for organisation of the programme as well as for certification.

d. Vocational skills development: The Vocational Skills Development Programme will aim at equipping non- and neo-literate adults with vocational skills to improve their living conditions and earning capabilities.

Under the programme, skill development training may relate to vocations such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical and electronics, tailoring and embroidery, cosmetology and beauty, health care, fashion design, computer support, automobile repair, agriculture, cottage industry and handicrafts, textile technology, construction, transportation, bookkeeping and accounting, food services, etc.

The Vocational Skills Programme courses in each local region will be guided by a study of local demand for each vocation and the employment needs of the region.

e. Continuing education: The Continuing Education Programme (CEP) will provide lifelong-learning opportunities to neo-literates and other targeted beneficiaries. The programme will involve short-term thematic courses on, e.g.: health awareness/care; food and nutrition; water conservation and drinking water; sanitation; education; AIDS/STD; consumer awareness/rights; legal literacy;

Group discussions on various social issues of the day; vocational and skill development; readings and discussions of great literature (including local literature such as poetry in the local language); sports, recreation, and cultural activities; teaching of music; technology demonstration and use; electoral literacy and voting; and other topics (such as continuations of material in (a)-(d) above) that may be of interest to local learners.

Quality teaching-learning materials: Textbooks, workbooks, and other teaching-learning materials for adult literacy and critical life skills in Hindi and English will be developed by the proposed CIAE,

Assessment of learning outcomes and objective criteria for certification

P21.2. Ensuring infrastructure and universal access

Creating appropriate infrastructure and resource support:

AECs will be included within school complexes to facilitate a beneficial sharing of material and human resources. Already established schools and library/ reading rooms in these school complexes will be strengthened and further equipped, by Central and State government authorities, to serve as multi- purpose

Multiple pathways to learning:

learning involving formal and non-formal education modes — including one-on- one tutoring, ODLs, and smartphone apps — with a view to enabling all young people and adults to be literate and to acquire knowledge needed to respond to the fast transforming economy and skills requirements of the nation.

Competitions to develop outstanding smartphone apps and other digital material for imparting functional literacy and other knowledge/skills to adults will be established in all Indian languages.

A major goal will be to have a range of outstanding apps available for download to smartphones by adults (at minimal or no cost) to enhance literacy and other learning opportunities.

P21.3. Training a cadre of adult education volunteers

Creating a cadre of Adult Education Centre managers and instructors:

A cadre of qualified and certified preraks (who manage and teach at the AECs) special units dedicated to adult education in BITEs, DIETs, BRCs, and CRCs.

NGOs, volunteers, and panchayats will be heavily involved in identifying such educated people from the local area who are interested in helping their communities on this most important mission of achieving 100% adult literacy.

How to deliver literacy and adult education through teaching classes, one-on-one tutoring, and the use of technology; teaching-learning resources including textbooks, workbooks, smartphone apps, and other learning supplies; and techniques for developmental assessment.

Creating a large team of one-on-one tutors through a newly-established National Adult Tutors Programme (NATP):

P21.4. Ensuring widespread participation in adult education:

Locating and inviting persons in the community to join adult education programmes as both learners and instructors:

Parents of school children will be especially encouraged by social workers to join adult education programmes

Teenagers between 14 and 18 years of age, who are identified as non-literate, will be given the option to either join adult literacy programmes or re-enter formal education by joining remedial education programmes such as the NTP and RIAP.

Convergence and partnerships with States and community organisations for adult literacy and education:

In particular, the Government of India will establish a “Fund for Literacy” to support States, community organisations, and NGOs dedicated to the cause of adult literacy.

Community volunteers will be encouraged — each literate member of the community to teach at least one person to read will be a key strategy.

Involvement of higher education institutions:

Higher education institutions will also be encouraged to pursue research in adult education and establish Departments of Adult Education / Lifelong Learning.

Emphasis on women, and on socially and economically disadvantaged groups and regions:

Large-scale public awareness of literacy mission:

The public must be made aware of the national mission to attain 100% literacy, and of the resulting opportunities available for community and volunteer involvement. Large-scale public service announcements, media campaigns, and direct

Revival and rejuvenation of support and resource institutions for adult education:

Support and resource institutions for adult education at the Centre, State, and local levels — such as the Directorate of Adult Education, State Directorates of Adult Education, and Zilla Saksharta Samitis — will be reformed and rejuvenated

Chapter 22 : Promotion of Indian Languages

Objective: Ensure the preservation, growth, and vibrancy of all Indian languages.

It is thus absolutely critical to preserve the truly rich languages and literatures of India, just as other technologically advanced countries (such as South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, Holland, etc.) have so deftly preserved their languages in the face of internationalisation.

Where original textbooks and work exist in Indian languages, only a few schools, teachers, and students have access to them due to a lack of appropriate processes for dissemination.

While translations of textbooks and academic work are important, there is an urgent need to develop original materials as well.

Other countries, such as France, have academies of experts at the Centre and State levels that help their languages keep pace, grow, and be preserved for posterity — while preserving the integrity of local variations; India must do the same with its languages.

For this, school, college, and university teachers must have capacities in Indian languages. Thus, departments in Indian languages and their rich literary traditions must be set up at all higher educational institutions; these departments will help train language teachers who would then be deployed in schools across the country,

A National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit will be set up.

• Highly capable and strong Indian language and literature programmes across higher education institutions:
• This will include but not be limited to Schedule 8 languages, and would include also, e.g. tribal languages wherever suitable.
• Recruitment of teachers and faculty:
• All HEIs must recruit high quality faculty for at least three Indian languages, in addition to the local Indian language.
• Research on Indian languages, literature, language education, and related cultural areas:
• The mandate of the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology will be renewed and expanded to include all disciplines and fields, not just the physical sciences
• Classical languages:

Vocabulary in Indian languages:

Regional bodies/academies with a similar mandate will be set up to coordinate efforts at State/UT levels, for each of the 22 Schedule 8 languages.

While languages such as Hindi and Sanskrit, which are not primarily tied to one State, could be handled at the Central level in consultation with States,

All curricula in both schools and universities will use the same standardised terminology that is developed by these institutions.

The efforts towards dissemination in the form of dictionaries, glossaries, etc. must be supplemented through facilitating extensive use by teachers and faculty of higher education, newspapers, magazines, books, etc.

Part IV — Transforming Education

Chapter 23 : Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog Addendum — Making It Happen

Objective: Synergistic functioning of India’s education system, to deliver equity and excellence at all levels, from vision to implementation, led by a new Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog.

In particular, for example, one should recognise the need to bring in synergy and coordination between different ministries, departments and agencies among others to make this Policy work given the multiple linkages and also the need to address the dynamic nature of the educational environment.

In this context, the Policy envisages the creation of a National Education Commission (NEC)/RSA as an apex body for Indian education.

P23.1. A new apex body for education — the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.2. Ministry of Education:

P23.3. Chairperson of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.4. Vice Chairperson of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.5. Membership of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.6. Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog Appointment Committee:

P23.7. Executive Council of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.8. Executive Director of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.9. Membership of the Executive Council:

P23.10. Standing Committees on Coordination:

P23.11. Complementary roles of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog and the Ministry of Education:

P23.12. Advisory Council of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.13. Membership of the Advisory Council:

P23.14. Joint Review and Monitoring Board:

P23.15. Secretariat of the Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog:

P23.16. Coordination with regulatory bodies:

Members of the Board of all the bodies that report to it:

• (Proposed) National Higher Education Regulatory Authority
• National Accreditation and Assessment Council
• (Proposed) General Education Council
• (Proposed) Higher Education Grants Council
• National Council of Educational Research and Training
• National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration
• (Proposed) National Research Foundation

P23.17. Mechanism for conflict resolution:

P23.18. Review of budgets:

P23.19. Rajya Shiksha Aayogs / State Education Commissions:

Addendum

Making It Happen

Addendum 1

Financing

A1.1. Education — perhaps the best investment for a society

The nature of education is what economists call a ‘quasi-public good’.

Each year of education yields a return of around 6–12% to earnings of individuals. The ROI is particularly large for women and for disadvantaged groups: ROI for women are, on average, one percentage point more than those of men.

Particularly for early childhood education, the returns are larger at about 13% on an average, and range from 7%-18%; this is due to the larger advantages gained by individuals with early childhood care and education (ECCE), both in terms of overall health as well as education as the inputs are in the early years of growth.

While there are a host of ways in which education confers other economic benefits to individuals which are hard to monetise, even single ‘externalities’ as achieving better health through education can yield an additional 3–4% to earnings of individuals.

A very small part of the societal level benefits are quantifiable in monetary terms. One measure is the correlation between differences in years of education and output per capita across countries in the world. An estimate based on this measure suggests that societal level returns of education could measure up-to 3–4 times higher than private returns.

In other words, they yield 25%-30% rates of social return over and above the 6–12% private rates of return. It is important to note again that this estimated return does not include the many other social goods being created, which cannot be monetised.

A long term study suggests that the global average returns on ‘stocks’ of publicly listed companies is around 5% while the return on financial instruments of debt such as ‘bonds’ is only 1.8%.

A1.1.1. Criticality of public education

A1.2. Inadequate investment and other financial issues

A1.2.1. Inadequate investment

Public expenditure on education in India was 2.7% of GDP in 2017–18. This was about 10% of the total government (Centre and States) spending (Economic Survey 2017–18). Public spending on education has never attained the 6% of GDP envisaged in the 1968 Policy, reiterated in the Policy of 1986, and which was further reaffirmed in the 1992 Programme of Action.

At 7.5% for Bhutan, Zimbabwe and Sweden; 7% for Costa Rica and Finland; 6% for Kyrgyzstan, South Africa and Brazil; 5.5% for U.K, Netherlands and Palestine; and 5% for Malaysia, Kenya, Mongolia, Korea & USA.(OECD & UNESCO, 2017)

A1.2.2. Approach of the Policy on investment in education

This would go up from the current 10% of overall public expenditure in education to 20%, over a 10-year period.

Tax-to-GDP ratio is likely to improve, continuing the trend of the past 4 years where it has improved by 1.5%.

A1.2.3. Operational problems and leakage

The public system is plagued by lack of timely disbursement of funds.

Often the funds are released to the users, towards the end of the financial year. This leads to one of two problems. Either the funds are not utilied, since adequate time is not there to use the funds effectively, for example, to assess and buy the right learning resources or conduct high quality training.

Or the funds are spent for the sake of spending, with no genuine educational impact. These problems are exacerbated because the next years budgets are dependent substantially on utilisation of funds in the current year.

For example, the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) have about 45% vacancies

A1.2.4. Approach of the Policy to operational problems and leakage in the financial system of education

The overall governance and management structures envisaged by this Policy will focus on the smooth, timely and appropriate flow of funds, and their usage with probity.

This will be enabled by the clear separation of roles (e.g. of ‘running the school system’ by Directorate of School Education (DSE) and regulation by State School Regulatory Authority (SSRA), empowerment and autonomy to institutions (e.g. to Higher Education Institutions [HEIs] and school complexes), appointment of people to leadership roles who have the relevant capacity (e.g. as Block Education Officers [BEOs] and Directors), mechanisms for public spirited oversight (e.g. empowered School Management Committees [ SMCs] for schools and Board of Governors [BoGs] for HEIs), rigorous planning processes (e.g School Development Plans [SDPs] for schools), and enlightened oversight thorough the Rajya Shiksha Aayog (RjSA) and Rashtriya Shiksha RSA. Also, the Policy gives top priority to the creation and development of human capacity at all levels.

A1.2.5. Role for non-public sources of funds

Governments, in an effort to control profit-seeking, have tended to introduce tighter regulatory controls and restrictions, thereby robbing institutions of autonomy and preventing innovation.

For example, some of the best universities in the world are philanthropically funded, while we have very few such instances in India.

A1.2.6. Approach of the Policy to encourage not- for-profit, public-spirited private funding in education

A1.3. Policy for higher investment to improve quality and equity of education

A1.3.1. Public investment to improve quality and equity of education

• Incremental increase in public investment till it reaches 20% of total public expenditure:
• Multiple sources of funding — complementary to public funding:
• Central government expenditure on education has to double:
• State government expenditure will have to increase significantly in some States:
• Appropriate allocations for all matters:

A1.3.2. Efficient disbursal and use of public funds — addressing operational issues

Funds flow — on time:

Once the budgets are approved, there should not be any reason for withholding any part of the allocated funds.

• Utilizing allocated funds:
• Genuine utilisation of funds:
• Capacity development for optimal utilisation of funds:

A1.3.3. Systematic encouragement and opportunity for ‘philanthropic’ support to education from multiple sources

• Supporting a philanthropic culture:
• A new class of grant-making private institutions as part of the enabling mechanism:

Qualitative shift in the focus of regulation:

a. Setting up high quality institutions that improve both quality and equity of provision; and

b. Reaching ultimate beneficiaries directly through existing institutions. For- profit educational activity must be completely stopped.

Facilitating setting of up of high quality philanthropic institutions committed to inclusion:

For example, all such new institutions must not depend on fees for more than 25% of expenses; the student-faculty ratio must not exceed 30:1 in schools and 20:1 in higher education institutions; they must have a presence in small towns and Special Education Zones (see Chapter 6).

• Thrust areas to channelise private funding for existing institutions:
• The first thrust area to channelise private funding is scholarships:
• The second thrust area to channelise private funding is infrastructure funding:
• The third thrust area to channelise private funding is faculty recruitment and development in technical and other areas of tertiary education:
• The fourth thrust area is teacher professional development and organisational funding in school education:
• Encouraging philanthropic activity for research and innovation:

A1.3.4. Some specific sources of philanthropic funding

A1.3.4.1. Business and industrial corporations

The Companies Act, 2013 is a landmark legislation and one of its kind in the world wherein there is an attempt to guide and quantify CSR expenditure. The Act, as it came into effect from April 1, 2014, mandated every company, ‘private limited or public limited, which either has a net worth of 500 crore or a turnover of 1000 crore or net profit of 5 crore’, to spend at least ‘2% of its average net profit for the immediately preceding three financial years on Corporate Social Responsibility activities’.

A1.3.4.2. Alumni and local communities

A largely untapped source of funds is the alumni of our educational institutions. Anecdotal references indicate that many alumni are keen to fund various initiatives in the institutions they have studied in, but do not find appropriate means to do so.

Facilitating contribution of alumni and local communities:

Encouraging the continued involvement of religious institutions in national educational activities:

Hindu Mutts and Ashrams, Christian Missionary Institutions, Islamic trusts, Buddhist and Jain community initiatives, Gurudwaras, etc. have contributed to various educational initiatives throughout our history

A1.4. Where will the additional resources be required?

A1.4.1. Overview of additional continuing/ recurring expenditure

A1.4.2. Expansion and improving early childhood education

A1.4.3. Foundational literacy and numeracy

It is, therefore, crucial that all learning spaces are converted into print rich environments with library corners, class libraries and school libraries. The investment will be on resources, which include books, journals and magazines.

A1.4.4. Adequate and appropriate resources at all schools, leveraging the efficiency of school complexes

A1.4.5. Food and nutrition1.4.6. Teacher education and continuing professional development of teachers

A1.4.7. Universities and Colleges

A1.4.8. Research

A2 Way Forward

Objective: Ensure that the Policy is fully implemented in its spirit and intent, through the coherence in planning and synergy across all bodies involved in education.

A2.1. Policy implementation

A2.2. Principles to guide implementation of National Education Policy 2019

A2.2.1. Spirit and intent:

A2.2.2. Phased implementation:

A2.2.3. Prioritization:

A2.2.4. Comprehensiveness:

A2.2.5. Building on existing structures when possible:

A2.2.6. Joint monitoring and cohesive implementation:

A2.2.7. Appropriate resourcing:

A2.2.8. Analysis and review:

A2.3. Approach to road map for implementation: Key actions led by various bodies

THE END.

These were key points, if you read this, you read the whole NEP of India.

I read it, took me a week's time, and made the following summary out of it.

Thanks for reading till the end. If you support the cause, share it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this (I missed something?), so feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or Twitter or respond in the comments below.

Till then stay alive.