The National Education Policy of India 2020 (NEP 2020), which was started by the Union Cabinet of India on 29 July 2020, outlines the vision of 3D new education system of India. The new policy replaces the previous National Policy on Education, 1986.
Shortly after the release of the policy, the government clarified that no one will be forced to study any particular language and that the medium of instruction will not be shifted from English to any regional language. The language policy in NEP is a broad guideline and advisory in nature; and it is up to the states, institutions, and schools to decide on the implementation. Education in India is a Concurrent List subject.
The policy has faced criticism from multiple scholars and educationists for its hasty implementation, with some calling it a threat to equitable education. Its implementation has also led to nationwide protests across India.
Framework The NEP 2020 replaces the National Policy on Education of 1986. In January 2015, a committee under former Cabinet Secretary T. S. R. Subramanian started the consultation process for the New Education Policy. Based on the committee report, in June 2017, the draft NEP was submitted in 2019 by a panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan. The Draft New Education Policy (DNEP) 2019, was later released by Ministry of Human Resource Development, followed by a number of public consultations. The Draft NEP was 484 pages. The Ministry undertook a rigorous consultation process in formulating the draft policy: "Over two lakh suggestions from 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,600 blocks, 6,000 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), 676 districts were received."
Provisions The NEP 2020 enacts numerous changes in India's education policy. It aims to increase state expenditure on education from around 3% to 6% of the GDP as soon as possible.
Languages The National Education Policy keeps the mother tongue as the medium of instruction till Grade 5 while recommending its continuance till Grade 8 and beyond. Sanskrit and foreign languages will also be given emphasis. The Policy recommends a 'three-language formula', including at least two native Indian languages. It also states that no language will be imposed on the students.
Shortly after the release of the policy, the government clarified that the language policy in NEP is a broad guideline; and that it was up to the states, institutions and schools to decide the implementation. A more detailed language strategy would be released in the National Curriculum Framework in 2021. Note was also made that there were already institutions which had implemented this language policy 60 years ago such as the Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. Both the Education Policy of 1986 and the Right to Education Act, 2009 promoted usage of the mother tongue too as an advisory guideline.
School education
Focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: The policy accords the "highest priority to achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy in the primary school by 2025", identifying the goal as the "most basic learning requirement". To this end, it proposes to set up a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, and require all State/UT governments to prepare an implementation plan, including identification of stage-wise targets and goals to be achieved by 2025, and measures for proper tracking and monitoring progress of the same. It recommends additional recruitment of teachers to ensure a pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) of under 30:1, with a preference for 25:1 in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Additionally, it proposes the establishment of a national digital repository of high-quality resources, development of "enjoyable and inspirational" books for students at all levels in all local languages, and ensuring easy availability of resources for both teachers and students, via an expanded network of school, public, and digital libraries. Finally, it reinforces the critical need for addressing both the physical and mental health of students, via proper and timely nutrition, and periodic health check-ups. The "10 + 2" structure will be replaced with "5+3+3+4" model. This will be implemented as follows: Foundational Stage: This is further subdivided into two parts: 3 years of preschool or anganwadi, followed by classes 1 and 2 in primary school. This will cover children of ages 3–7 years. The focus of studies will be in activity-based learning. Preparatory Stage: Classes 3 to 5, which will cover the ages of 8–10 years. It will gradually introduce subjects like speaking, reading, writing, physical education, languages, art, science and mathematics. Middle Stage: Classes 6 to 8, covering children between ages 11 and 13. It will introduce students to the more abstract concepts in subjects of mathematics, sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. Secondary Stage: Classes 9 to 12, covering the ages of 14–18 years. It is again subdivided into two parts: classes 9 and 10 covering the first phase while classes 11 and 12 covering the second phase. These 4 years of study are intended to inculcate multidisciplinary study, coupled with depth and critical thinking. Multiple options of subjects will be provided. Instead of exams being held every academic year, school students will only attend three exams, in classes 2, 5 and 8. Board exams will be continued to be held for classes 10 and 12 but will be re-designed. Standards for this will be established by an assessment body, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) To make them easier, these exams would be conducted twice a year, with students being offered up to two attempts. The exam itself would have two parts, namely the objective and the descriptive. This policy aims at reducing the curriculum load of students and allowing them to be more "inter-disciplinary" and "multi-lingual". One example given was "If a student wants to pursue fashion studies with physics, or if one wants to learn bakery with chemistry, they'll be allowed to do so". Report cards will be "holistic", offering information about the student's skills. Coding will be introduced from class 6 and experiential learning will be adopted The Midday Meal Scheme will be extended to include breakfasts. More focus will be given to students' health, particularly mental health, through the deployment of counsellors and social workers.
Higher education The policy proposes a 4-year multi-disciplinary bachelor's degree in an undergraduate program with multiple exit options, ranging from a certificate after completing a year in a discipline or field, to a Bachelor's degree 'with research' if the student completes a four-year degree program which includes a 'rigorous' research project in a chosen major area of study. Likewise, the master's program is intended to be flexible in its duration, depending on the prior experience of the student. A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) has a minimum requirement of a Master’s degree or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with Research. The policy proposes to transform the regulatory landscape in higher education by ensuring that the four tasks of regulation, accreditation, funding, and academic standard setting are each performed by "distinct, independent and empowered bodies", and within one umbrella institution viz. the to-be-established Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). It cites the need to "create checks-and-balances in the system, minimize conflicts of interest, and eliminate concentration of power" as the reasons behind the delegation of tasks to independent bodies. The proposed four verticals of HECI are: National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC): to regulate higher education, including teacher education, while excluding medical and legal education. National Accreditation Council (NAC): to supervise the work of accrediting institutions and specify "phased benchmarks for all HEIs to achieve set levels of quality, self-governance, and autonomy", i.e. to act as a "meta-accrediting body". Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC): to fund and finance universities and colleges, based on transparent criteria. This will replace the existing University Grants Commission. General Education Council (GEC): to create a framework, the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), for charting "graduate attributes" i.e. the expected learning outcomes for higher education programs. The National Council for Teacher Education will come under the GEC, as a professional standard setting body (PSSB). Other PSSBs will include professional councils such as Veterinary Council of India, Council of Architecture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and National Council for Vocational Education and Training. It proposes to fix the fees of both private and public universities. The National Testing Agency will now be given the additional responsibility of conducting entrance examinations for admissions to universities across the country, in addition to the JEE Main and NEET. It proposes that higher education institutes like the IITs make changes with regard to the diversity of learning. It proposes to internationalize education in India by allowing selected foreign universities to set up campuses in India, making the country an attractive destination for foreign students in search of quality education at an affordable cost, and promoting research collaborations and student exchanges between Indian and global institutions.
International branch campuses After a failed attempt to import international branch campuses in 2012, the NEP 2020 renewed the effort by explicitly allowing for foreign universities to establish campuses in India as well as giving permission for IITs to set up campuses overseas. The policy sets a grand goal of utilizing international education to reestablish India as a Vishwa Guru (or world teacher), which was reiterated by India's vice president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, who expressed a desire to establish India to attract global academic talent. Scholars have raised question about the idea of importing higher education institutions from other countries in order to advance a goal of positioning the country as a world teacher. For the 2026–27 academic year, 13 foreign universities are admitting students to a total of 91 academic programs, with average annual tuition fees of approximately ₹13.3 lakh (US$14,000) for undergraduate programs and ₹17.2 lakh (US$18,100) for postgraduate programs. The combined intake for 2026–27 is estimated at fewer than 3,000 students, with actual enrolment expected to be less than half of the available intake. Relatively high annual tuition fees for Indian families and students along with high expectations regarding career outcomes and extent of international learning are emerging as some of the initial challenges for these campuses. The tuition pricing of a global degree at these international campuses is priced at a discount to studying abroad, but at a premium to Tier-1 private universities. As the choices with varying duration and costs of programs are emerging, so are the debates about the extent to which these IBCs can replace study abroad.
Teachers The NEP 2020 puts forward many policy changes regarding teachers and teacher education. To become a teacher, a 4-year Bachelor of Education will be the minimum requirement needed by 2030. The teacher recruitment process will also be strengthened and made transparent. The National Council for Teacher Education will frame a National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education by 2021 and a National Professional Standards for Teachers by 2022.
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