New Education Policy 2020: Here is What Industry Leaders Have to Say

The highly awaited National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday. NEP 2020 replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education, which was formed in 1986. “Framing of NEP 2020 will be remembered as a shining example of participative governance. I thank all those who have worked hard in the formulation of the NEP 2020. May education brighten our nation and lead it to prosperity,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the policy.

“Aspects such as widening the availability of scholarships, strengthening infrastructure for Open and Distance Learning, Online Education and increasing the usage of technology have received great attention in the NEP. These are vital reforms for the education sector,” he added.

While NEP 2020 will take time to come into existence, and is being widely appreciated by several notable people, here is what industry leaders have to say:

Sumeet Jain, Co-founder and Higher Education expert at Yocket

All higher education institutes to be research institutes by 2040. This is one of the best direction for universities. 2040 is a good timeline as well. Research at universities will be one of the highest impact initiatives. This will certainly attract some good talent to the universities on both the front, students as well as professors. Today we see some of the brightest professors of Indian origin in US universities, more focus on research will give them a good opportunity to come back to the country. More students will take up to academia without having to worry about just the job opportunities in corporates. Today we have some students who have done very well in universities abroad but don't have many options to come back to India.

Under the NEP the world’s top 100 foreign universities will be “facilitated” to operate in India through a new law. According to the HRD Ministry document, listing salient features of policy, “such (foreign) universities will be given special dispensation regarding regulatory, governance, and content norms on par with other autonomous institutions of India.”

This is a big announcement but not very clear. How are they going to decide the top 100 universities? Which list will they be using it? What are the parameters to choose this 100 universities. This certainly can be a great opportunity for universities to open a campus in India. It will be very important to see how easy it is for the universities to set this up. Many universities would like to open up options where they can provide students with multiple campus courses. This could make studying in foreign universities more accessible. I hope there are some check and balances which ensure that these universities ensure quality in India. We should look at skilling our youth with the help of these existing foreign universities. This is the fastest way for India to derive a demographic dividend. I am glad there is a step in this direction.

Holistic approach will reduce stress on students for competitive exams like JEE and NEET. Or even worrying excessively about 10th or 12th. This is a boon for students. This could be a big problem for a lot of coaching classes which depend heavily on the stress of a single score.

Holistic approach towards education is a much welcome step. This will make Indian students much easier to compete with foreign counterparts on other factors. This will make foreign quality education much more accessible. Universities abroad look at holistic development and this is a great step going ahead. Students can take multiple courses and not being confined to just arts science commerce is a great step towards forward looking education system. This will make Indian students get into foreign education system easily.

Rajeev Tiwari, co-founder at STEMROBO Technologies

The NEP 2020 that was announced today by the MHRD has brought a massive change to the education system after 34 years and can definitely be seen as a step in a positive direction. The new policies will help nurture a culture of new-age innovation and creativity in the minds of K-12 students. It will uplift initiatives like the NITI Ayog's Atal Tinkering Labs, a forum that was started to encourage students to learn coding at the school level.

Based on the new policies that have been announced today the education system is moving beyond the conventional methods to focus more on well-rounded learning from an early age, with methods like STEM education and providing greater exposure to technology.

All these steps can lead to freeing up of the mindsets of school students and orient them towards a Project and Practical based hands-on learning which is not being merely limited to a conventional cramming based learning environment.

Ramananda SG, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Pearson India

The National Education policy has certainly made bold and historic reforms towards the quality of education and improving student learning outcomes. It is not only designed to directly address the gaps which were prevalent earlier but also recognises the importance of EdTech as a medium. The announcement regarding 6% public investment of the GDP in education sector will provide a much-needed boost to the quality and scope of education in the country.

In a bid to ramp up digital and education becoming multilingual, the accessibility will increase across the country as institutes will introduce multi-disciplinary platforms. Integration of creative combinations of subjects, specialised learning, character development, blended learning, inter disciplinary methods, and flexible curriculums will help strengthen emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem solving skills of students making headway for a bright future in the 21st century.

In higher ed, multiple exit options in degree courses will give a boost to vocational qualifications and practical knowledge which is the need of the hour with changing times globally. While there are many aspects still to retrospect, the charter is truly a testimony of quality consultation and deep thinking, hence unlocking the construction of a new nation.

Mohan Lakhamraju, Founder and CEO, Great Learning

The new National Education Policy 2020 is very progressive and introduces much-needed set of reforms for the Education sector in India. Specifically for Higher Education, the push towards making all institutions multidisciplinary is an excellent step since today all aspects of business and society are complex and multi-disciplinary in nature. The rationalization of regulatory bodies and the path to progressive autonomy to institutions is also a very welcome step. The opening up to the top 100 international universities will bring in high-quality programs to our students and will further raise the quality bar for all our institutions. Lastly, it is great to see the focus on online education and having the same quality aspiration for it, something that we at Great Learning deeply believe in and would look to make an impactful contribution towards.

Sumeet Verma, CEO and Co-founder, KopyKitab

The New NEP by the government is a positive step forward with digital as a new normal in coming times. Focus on technology for educational efficiency is clear in this policy’s vision. Especially where E-courses will be developed in regional languages and technology would be extensive where it will be a core part of education planning, teaching, learning, assessment, teachers, students and student training.

This would be additionally beneficial for students hailing from Tier II and Tier III towns where growth and demand both is high and it will help ambitious youth to fulfil their dreams. Focus on the use of technology in Education would make it more efficient right from school to college & every kid would be better skilled for the future.

Focus on content relevancy with technology would make education effective and accessible, quality education & upskilling would become more efficient. The major reforms in terms of Higher Education where the new NEP promises for a holistic and multidisciplinary education will play a significant role for students getting into higher education, as their main goal is to get a job. Now they will be better skilled for their jobs for better outputs. They are looking for a road map in terms of content and teachers and a move toward multidisciplinary institutions will prove to be beneficial for them.