NEP 2020: Psycho-Legal Strategies for Education
NEP 2020: Psycho-Legal Strategies for Education
com
2022, Vol. 6, No. 2, 3058 – 3066
Dr. Upankar Chutia1, Ms. Gyanashree Dutta2, Dr. Harguneet Kaur3, Dr. Bhupinder
Singh4, Ms. Arunima Shastri5
1
Assistant Professor, Alliance School of Law, Alliance University Bangalore.
[email protected]
2
Assistant Professor, Alliance School of Law, Alliance University Bangalore.
[email protected]
3
Assistant Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi-
NCR, India.
[email protected]
4
Associate Professor, School of Law, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi- NCR, India.
[email protected]
5
Assistant Professor, School of Law,CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Delhi- NCR, India.
[email protected]
Abstract
Education is considered to be the fundamental aspect of human life as people’s well-being, growth and
development. It is the basic element of life where members of the society get the knowledge, awareness,
job skills and cultural practices. From school level to higher education, the relevance and significance
is more for the organized society where every individual works for the betterment and quality lifestyle.
In India, education is the fundamental right given under the Constitution of India, 1950 to all the
citizens. The directive principle of state policy (Part IV) and fundamental duties (Part IVA) of the Indian
constitution contain the provisions of education for the children. The new education policy 2020 is
aimed at inclusive and equitable education for all from school to university level education. The
National education policy 2020 (NEP) is the government of India’s leading initiative, succeeding the
1986 National education policy (Suresh et. al., 2021). It was enacted considering India’s on-going
progress and global leadership in economic development, as well as towards providing universal access
to high-quality education to all of its people. It aims at bringing social fairness and equality, scientific
progress, national integration, and cultural preservation. The heritage of India’s educational system
which is based on Jnan (Knowledge), Satya (Truth) and Pragyaa (Wisdom) are the guiding principles
of the policy. The new policy of 2020 in order to develop the education standards at higher levels
proposes several transformations in the present system in different arenas. Firstly, it proposes to increase
Gross Enrolment Ratio by 50% by 2035 by adding 3.5 Crore new seats to the existing facility. Secondly,
it aims to provide a diverse combination of subjects with multidisciplinary undergraduate education.
The NEP 2020 emphasises the involvement of mental health workers at the school level to ensure proper
well-being of children. In order to cater to the need of learning disabled children in the middle and
secondary levels of schooling, recruitment of special educators will be undertaken. As change remains
to be the only constant, under NEP Outcome based Education envisages a pedagogical model whereby
the curriculum restructuring, effective pedagogic and outcome-based assessment practices have been
adopted to inculcate high order thinking and learning skills as opposed to the conventional views of
collecting credits. This design entails a student centric system predesign to certain attainment
methodology to minutely capture the learning objectives and learning outcomes. It is the realignment
of each outcome with its parallel objective treated as a single identifiable pointer to gain an optimum
attainment.
Keywords: Quality Education, Outcome Based Learning, Elementary Education, Higher Education,
Psycho-Legal Analysis
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Scientific and technological advancements on one and two on the other hand in Anganwadi or
big data, machine learning, and artificial pre-school or Balvatika the time period is for
intelligence today have led to the automation of three years for the students between ages of
many low-skilled jobs and expect more in the three to six years. Precatory level includes three
near future. Thereby in order to crater such years between class three to five for students
global demands of skills in addressing the between ages of eight to eleven. Middle level
challenges of the modern world such as energy, again includes three years for the students
sanitation, climate change, water, food, between class six to eight between the ages of
pollution etc. India also needs more highly eleven to fourteen. Finally the secondary level
trained workers in fields like biology, chemistry, consists of four years for students from class
physics, agricultural science, and climate nine to twelve between ages of fourteen to
science. Here the new education policy can play eighteen. The new 5+3+3+4 framework
a major role in transforming the educational includes a solid foundation of Early Childhood
system in India (NIEPID, 2020). It is devised on Care and Education (ECCE) beginning at the
the pillars of Equality, Affordability, age of three, with the goal of encouraging
Accountability, Access and Quality aligned general learning, growth, and well-being (P. S.
towards the Sustainable Development Agenda Aithal, et. al., 2021).
2030 (Vikaspedia, 2021). Thereby, proposing to
develop an educational system that fosters sound Firstly, the policy focus on Early Childhood
intellectual development, a scientific Care and Education (ECCE), the 10+2 structure
temperament, compassion, empathy, and of school curriculum is being phased out and
courage in pupils, while also sparking their replaced with a 5+3+3+4 structure
creative imaginations. corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-
18 years. This will introduce the hitherto
The Policy envisions that our educational unrecognised age range of 3-6 years into the
institutions’ curricula and pedagogy shall foster school curriculum, which has been globally
a profound feeling of respect for Fundamental acknowledged as a critical time in a child's
Duties and Constitutional principles, a sense of development of mental capabilities. The new
belongingness to one nation, and a conscious system will consist of 12 years of formal
understanding of one’s tasks and responsibilities education followed by three years of
in a changing world. It also strives to instill in Anganwadi/pre-school education (NIEPID,
learners, a deep sense of pride in being Indian, 2020).
not just in thought, but also in spirit, intellect,
and deeds, as well as to develop knowledge, For children under the age of eight, the National
skills, values, and dispositions that support a Council of Educational Research and Training
responsible commitment to human rights, will develop a National Curriculum and
sustainable development and living, and global Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood
well-being, reflecting a truly global citizen. Care and Education (NCPFECCE). ECCE will
be provided via a significantly expanded and
strengthened network of institutions, including
Anganwadis and pre-schools, wherein teachers
Features of New Educational Policy and Anganwadi staff will be trained in ECCE
Under the NEP 2020 various policies are being methodology and curriculum. ECCE will be
formulated towards catering the differential developed and executed in partnership with the
needs of different clusters of students in Ministry of Human Resources Development, the
different levels, such as in School level and in Ministry of Women and Child Development
higher education levels. (WCD), the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (HFW), and the Ministry of Tribal
School Education Affairs.
The NEP 2020 proposes to replace the existing Secondly, apprehending the need for
10+2 framework in school education with a new foundational Literacy and Numeracy, wherefore
5+3+3+4 pedagogical and curricular structure the policy urges for an urgent formulation of
involving the children among ages of 3-18. National Mission on Foundational Literacy and
These starts with Foundational level for two Numeracy under the Ministry of Human
years between ages of six to eight, from class Development. It also proposes for a National
3061 Journal of Positive School Psychology
Book Promotion Policy formulation and will be the regulatory body of all higher
mandates that the States shall come up with education except for legal and medical
plans towards achieving foundational literacy education. The HECI shall look into the
and numeracy, universally for all the students functioning and standardisation of the education
from grade three within 2025. at the higher levels and it shall govern, regulate
as well as accredit both public as well as private
Thirdly, another focus of the policy is on educational institutions. Fourthly, aims to
providing universal access to education at all rationalize the educational architecture by
school levels starting from the foundation level providing high quality teaching and adequate
to the secondary level. It aims to track all the resources for the students. It aims to promote all
students on their improvements including the types of institutions such as research-intensive,
school dropouts and facilitating them with teaching-intensive as well as autonomous
various systems where they could be refitted in colleges. Fifthly, it recommends a transparent
the educational journey. There are various recruitment process, interdependency to design
pathways identified to achieve the same and the curricula, capacity building of the faculties
some of them are vocational courses, adult through different means and thus motivating
literacy, open schools etc. them to deliver more effectively. Sixthly, it aims
There are other various other initiatives taken to establish the National Curriculum Framework
under the NEP 2020 such as reformulation of the for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021 in
school curriculum and the teaching pedagogy by consultation with NCERT towards looking at
aiming towards bringing holistic development in the standards and minimum education
the learners focused on critical thinking and qualification of the teachers. Seventhly, it aims
experiential learning. Some others include the for a national mentoring mission which will
assessment reforms in schools, multilingualism, consist of senior and retired teachers (Ajay K. et.
inclusive education and transparent and robust al., 2020).
teachers recruitment and promotion systems Along with the above, there are various other
(NIEPID, 2020). aims of this policy which includes scholarship
Higher Education support for students belonging to ST, SC, OBC
and SEDGs which will be regulated through a
The new policy of 2020 in order to develop the National Scholarship Portal, providing more
education standards at higher levels proposes open and distance learning courses and the
several transformations in the present system in quality of which is at par with the classroom
different arenas. Firstly, it proposes to increase learning programs, online education, utalization
Gross Enrolment Ratio by 50% by 2035 by of new technology in education, adult education
adding 3.5 Crore new seats to the existing and well as promotion of local Indian languages.
facility. Secondly, it aims to provide a diverse
combination of subjects with multidisciplinary Factors Associated with NEP 2020
undergraduate education. It also suggests an The NEP 2020 is based on the pillars of Quality,
undergraduate education with multiple exit Affordability, Equality, Access and
points and which can be for three to four years. Accountability. Through these visions to reform
Thirdly, it proposes to set up the Higher education at all levels starting from early school
Education Commission of India (HECI) which to higher education levels.
Dr. Upankar Chutia et al. 3062
NEP
No education policy can be a success till the that a student may wish to avail through
interests of the backbone of the education inducting himself or herself in an Institution
system are taken care of. To motivate the ascertained through the outcome-based
faculties so that they come up with innovative education. This remains to be the prime focus of
teaching ideas, practices and research policy NEP 2020.
initiatives like decrease in workload, flexibility
in creating their own pedagogies and provision
of incentives such as promotions and rewards NEP and its Effective Implementation
have been recommended (MHRD, 2020). Strategies
Acknowledging the work pressure of teachers
and taking adequate measures in this direction NEP vests its primary focus on revamping the
would be helpful in reducing the stress and curriculum so as to achieve the flexibility of the
attrition rates of the school teachers. As teachers curriculum structure and programme. This
are a significant part of a student’s life and fall system entails multiple entry exit options in
in their microsystem not many children are general as well as professional programmes. The
emotionally prepared for a change amongst their credit-based system envisages the adoption of
teachers (Menon,2019). According to UGC (Establishment and Operationalization of
Herzberg’s theory of motivation, basic Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) Scheme in
amenities and good work conditions are factors Higher Education) Regulations, 2021.
which prevent dissatisfaction of the employees
The idea is to integrate the vocational courses
but do not function as motivating factors.
with the general courses and to find a confluence
Factors such as multiple growth opportunities,
in this process of integration of Arts, Humanities
better salary structure and reduced political
and Social Sciences with Science, Technology,
interference, may however, be helpful in
Engineering and Management (STEM). A
motivating faculties (Pathak, 2021).
further integration has been suggested of
professional and life skills and a unique model
to integrate traditional pedagogies with modern
Outcome based Education and NEP 2020 and innovative pedagogical approaches.
As change remains to be the only constant, under The emphasis has been laid down into
NEP Outcome based Education envisages a recognizing and establishing multidisciplinary
pedagogical model whereby the curriculum and research-oriented Institutes. The aim is to
restructuring, effective pedagogic and outcome- facilitate the building of a multidisciplinary
based assessment practices have been adopted to research center to act as a bridge between
inculcate high order thinking and learning skills university and industries.
as opposed to the conventional views of
collecting credits. This design entails a student
centric system predesign to certain attainment
Concluding Observations
methodology to minutely capture the learning
objectives and learning outcomes. It is the The new education policy (NEP) 2020 will
realignment of each outcome with its parallel really be a welcoming step towards the effective
objective treated as a single identifiable pointer implementation of providing quality education.
to gain an optimum attainment. It provides opportunities for lifelong learning
and skill enhancements via transforming
The activities are expected to be designed in a
elementary and higher education. The NEP also
manner such that skill attainment quotient
focuses on research and innovation pedagogy
maximizes to supplement industry ready
which improve the outcome-based learning. The
professionals catering to their specific field of
earlier education was completely content based
knowledge.
where less importance was given to practical
The Institution can simply be chosen based on aspects. The NEP will bridge the gap between
the outlined Course Outcome (PO), Program content based to outcome-based learning. The
Outcome (CO), Program Specific Outcome different pedagogies will adopt teaching
(PSO) and Program Educational Objective practice to enhance its viability and effective
(PEO). This stays to be unique for every implementation of new education policy 2020.
Institution and therefore leads to better options
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