NEP 2020 Key Changes in School Education, Board Exams made Easy, Students to learn in mother tongue until Class 5

NEP 2020 School Education Reforms: In the recently launched National Education Policy 2020, a number of reforms in school education have been outlined. Speaking at the launch, Anita Karwal,  School Education Secretary, said that the Board exams for Classes 10 and 12 will be redesigned to test core concepts and competencies encouraging holistic development. She also added that with the introduced reforms students will no longer feel the need to attend coaching classes for appearing in Class 10 and 12 Board exams.

School Education Reforms of NEP 2020: Key Takeaways

The changes in school education system proposed in the National Education Policy 2020 are highlighted below.

Restructuring the Curricula

The new National Education Policy proposes the replacement of the existing 10+2 pattern with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure. The new pattern will correspond to the age groups of 3-8, 8-11, 11-14 and 14-18 years respectively. Introducing the structure, Karwal said that this will include the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years, globally recognized as a crucial stage for the development of a child’s mental faculties, under the school curriculum. Under the new curriculum, the students will have 12 years of schooling divided into four stages: Foundational Stage (3 years of Anganwadi or Pre-school followed by Classes 1-2), Preparatory Stage (Classes 3-5), Middle Stage (Classes 6-8) and Secondary Stage (Classes 9-12).

Multilingualism: Learning in Mother tongue until Class 5, 3 Language Formula, Foreign Languages

With the aim to educate children about the rich and vast array of languages of their country, NEP 2020 focuses on multilingualism. The School Education secretary said that under NEP 2020, the medium of instruction until Class 5 at the least, but preferably till class 8 and beyond, will be their mother tongue, local language, home language and regional language. Sanskrit, as an option in the three-language formula and also an important, enriching option for students, will be offered at all levels of school and higher education. Additionally, foreign languages, such as Thai, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Russian, will also be offered at the secondary level.

Equal Emphasis on All Subjects

With an objective to lay equal emphasis on all subjects, Science, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Art, Languages as well as Sports, students will have increased flexibility in their choice of subjects. This has been proposed under NEP 2020 so that students are able to choose their own paths based on their talents and interests. The rigid separation between Arts and Sciences, Curricular and Extra-curricular activities, Vocational and Academic streams will also be curtailed. School curricula will also have an integration of academic as well as vocational streams.

Board Exams Made Easier, Increased Chances

One of the prime focuses of NEP 2020 is the redesigning of Board exams touted to make the same easier by testing only core capacities and concepts. As per NEP 2020, all students will have the provision of taking up board exams on up to two occasions during any given school year -one main examination and one for improvement (if desired). Also, all students in Classes 3, 5 and 8 will be required to mandatorily take exams which will be conducted by the appropriate authority.

Independent School Authorities State-wise

The NEP 2020 requires states and UTs to set up an independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA). The SSSA for each state will provide transparent public self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information which will be extensively utilised for public oversight and accountability. Additionally, the SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) after thorough consultations with all stakeholders as per NEP 2020.

State-wise Curricula and Textbooks

Under the new National Education Policy, all states will design their own curricula and prepare textbooks incorporating state flavour and material. The prime focus will be on the availability of textbooks in all regional languages. Suitable changes in curriculum load with an aim to reduce the weight of school bags is also to be ensured.

Outcomes to be Achieved in School Education through NEP 2020

As highlighted by the School Education Secretary, NEP 2020 aims to bring back about 2 crore out of school children to mainstream. Along with innovative education centres, infrastructure support dropouts can be brought back and their learning levels can be tracked. NEP 2020 also aims to facilitate multiple pathways to learning involving both formal and non-formal education models by association of schools with counsellors or well-trained social workers. According to Karwal, open learning through NIOS and state open schools for classes 3, 5 and 8, Secondary education programs equivalent to Grades 10 and 12, vocational courses, adult literacy and life-enrichment programs are some of the ways for achieving the same.