National Education Policy 2020 – Will it ensure drastic change in our higher education system?
Recently ,I have gone through the National Education Policy 2020. It is not an academic observation, but a layman’s knowledge, that I am presenting. I am expecting a detailed discussion and inputs in this regard. I feel it is a revolutionary step in the education sector, especially in higher education that happening in the 21st century. National Education Policy 2020 envisages a new and forward looking vision for India’s higher education system. National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) in sync with National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) will integrate vocational education into higher education. NEP aims large multidisciplinary universities and colleges in every district and more higher education institutions that offer medium of instruction in local language. Other features are multidisciplinary under graduate education, revamping of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and student support for enhanced student experience, transformation of higher education institutions to large, multidisciplinary universities/colleges and higher education institution clusters/knowledge hubs.
This is expected to help build vibrant communities of scholars and peers, enable students to become well rounded across disciplines including artistic, creative and analytic subjects as well as sports, develop active research communities across disciplines including cross-disciplinary research and increase resource efficiency ,both material and human, across higher education.
NHEQF envisages increased flexibility and choice of courses of study by students, at under graduate level. A wide choice of subjects and courses from year to year will be the new distinguishing feature of undergraduate education. Students who wish to change one or more of the opted courses within the programme of study that they are pursuing may do so at the beginning of each year as long as they are able to demonstrate the required pre requisites and capability to attain the defined learning outcomes after going through the chosen programme and course of study.
NEP allows multiple entry and exit points and re-entry options, thus, creating new possibilities for lifelong learning. Flexibility in curriculum and novel and engaging course options will be on offer to students, in addition to rigorous specialisation in a chosen disciplinary area or areas of study, work/vocation or professional practice. This will be encouraged by increased faculty and institutional autonomy in setting curricula. The pedagogy will have an increased emphasis on communication, discussion, debate, research and opportunities for cross-disciplinary and inner disciplinary thinking.
Flexible and innovative curricula shall include credit based courses and projects in the areas of community engagement and service, environment education and value based education. Students will also be provided with opportunities for internships with local industries, business, artists, craft persons and so on .
NEP envisages undergraduate programs of 3 or 4 year duration with multiple exit options with appropriate certification. A certificate after completing one year in the chosen discipline or field including vocational or professional, a diploma after 2 years, a bachelor degree after 3 years, a bachelor degree with honours after 4 years . A bachelor degree with research will be awarded after 4 years if the student completes a rigorous research project in her major areas of study.
An Academic Bank of Credit(ABC) has been established which would digitally store the academic credits earned from various recognized higher education institutions so that the degree from a higher education institution can be awarded by another taking into account the credits earned.
Masters degree is 2 year programme with the second year devoted entirely to research for those who have completed 3 year bachelor’s degree. A one year Masters for students who have completed 4 year bachelors with research. An integrated 5 year course is also envisaged. PhD programme for those with Masters or 4 year bachelors degree with research is also part of the NEP.
National Qualification Framework is a global initiative to assess the quality of the studies. Dublin Descriptors are generally used and it has 5 elements.
1) Knowledge and understanding
2) Applying knowledge and understanding
3) Making judgements
4) Communication skills
5) Learning skills
NSQF organises qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills and aptitude. It comprises 10 levels, representing increasing levels of complexity in terms of the knowledge, competence and autonomy that must be demonstrated by the learner. NSQF represents a nationally recognised competency based framework that provides for multiple pathways of learning, (horizontal as well as vertical) including vocational education, vocational training, general education and technical education, thus linking one level of learning to another. This enables a person to acquire the desired competency levels, transit to the job/employment market and acquire additional skills required to further upgrade his competencies later. It facilitates awarding of credits and support credit transfer and progression routes within India's education system. NSQF links to the various elements of vocational education and training with those of skills required by business and industry so that the vocational pass outs can exit with employment related skills. It envisages close partnership with the industry in the design, development, delivery, assessment and certification of skills content.
NHEQF represents a comprehensive framework that classifies qualifications based on a set of performance criteria applicable nationally and comparable with international quality standards. It incorporates qualifications from each education and training sector, including technical and vocational education programmes (excluding medical and law), into a single comprehensive qualification framework. NHEQF recognises that each student has her own characteristics in terms of previous learning levels and experiences, life experiences, learning styles and approaches to future career related actions. The quality, depth and breadth of the learning experiences made available to the students help develop their characteristic attributes/profile. Institutions will have the autonomy to frame their own curriculum, including syllabi, pedagogical approaches and learning assessment procedures /practices based on NHEQF.
NHEQF facilitates the awarding of academic credit and support credit transfer and progression routes within the Indian education and training system. It seeks to help everyone involved in education and training to make comparisons between qualifications offered by different types of higher institutions and to understand how these relate to each other. The workload is described in terms of credits which are defined mostly in terms of learners engaged time. A course is measured in terms of credit hours based on the amount of workload and learner engaged time. A credit is a unit which determines the number of hours of instruction required per week for the duration of the semester (15-16 weeks). One credit is equivalent to one hour of teaching or two hours of practical or field work per week. Credit apportionment internship and community engagement and service is one credit per week subject to maximum of 6 credits.
Components of credits are as follows
1.Taught courses-
A minimum 15 hours of teaching per credit in a semester along with 30 hours of out of class activities such as preparation for taught courses/lessons, completing assignments which form a part of the course work and independent reading and study. The out of class activities may not be measured and quantified for purposes of grading of credit.
2.Laboratory/studio/workshop-
A minimum of 30 hours of laboratory/studio/workshop per credit in a semester and 15 hours of out of the class activities such as preparation for practicum, completing assignments and independent reading and study
3. Field based learning/projects/internship/community engagement and service –
A minimum of 30 hours of learning activities in a semester along with 30 hours of out of class activities such as preparation for field projects, completing assignments, which form a part of course work, independent reading and study
I hope the system that we heard earlier from students studying in the EU and the US may become a reality in India. Intensive training to teachers, attitude change of academicians, administrators, students’ unions and politicians are needed for its success. If we fail now, there will not be any growth for India and its youth, if they will not migrate for higher studies👌
