New Education Policy: 3 Years Pre-School + 12 Years School

The Union Cabinet has given its nod for the new National Education Policy (NEP) which is touted to be a transformative reform in school and higher education. Replacing the old NEP that was launched in 1986, the new NEP was launched on 29th July 2020. This is the first education policy of the 21st century that replaced a 34 years old policy. The new education policy is said to be based on four pillars which are Access, Equity, Quality, and Accountability. In this new policy, there will be a 5+3+3+4 structure which comprises 3 years of Anganwadi/ pre-school and 12 years of school replacing the old 10+2 structure.

Below are the notable features of the new education policy:

5 Years Fundamental

1. Nursery at 4 Years old
2. Jr KG at 5 Years old
3. Sr KG at 6 Years old
4. Std 1st at 7 Years old
5. Std 2nd at 8 Years old

3 Years Preparatory

6. Std 3rd at 9 Years old
7. Std 4th at10 Years old
8. Std 5th at 11 Years old

3 Years Middle

9. Std 6th at 12 Years old
10. Std 7th at 13 Years old
11. Std 8th at 14 Years old

4 Years Secondary

12.Std 9th at 15 Years old
13.Std SSC at 16 Years old
14.Std FYJC (First Year Junior College) at 17 Years old
15.STD SYJC (Second Year Junior College) at 18 Years old

• Schooling will be taught under the 5+3+3+4 formula.
• Now students up to 5th standard will be taught in their mother tongue, local language and national language only. The rest of the subjects, even if it is English, will be taught as a subject.
• There will be no board exam on the 10th. Earlier it was mandatory to give the 10th board exam, which will not happen now.
• Board will be in 12th class only. Only the 12th board exam is mandatory for students.
• Examination will be held in the semester from 9th to 12th class.
• At the same time, the college degree will be of 3 and 4 years. That is, a certificate on the first year of graduation, diploma on the second year, degree in the third year.
• A 3 year degree is for those students who do not want to take higher education. Whereas students pursuing higher education will have to do a 4-year degree.
• Students doing a 4-year degree will be able to do MA in one year.
• Now students will not have to do MPhil. Rather, MA students will now be able to do PhD directly.

Students will be able to do other courses in between. The gross enrollment ratio in higher education will be 50 percent by 2035. At the same time, under the new education policy, if a student wants to do another course in the middle of a course, then he/she can do the second course by taking a break from the first course for a limited time.

Many reforms have also been made in higher education. The reforms include graded academic, administrative and financial autonomy etc. Apart from this, e-courses will be started in regional languages. Virtual Labs will be developed. A National Educational Scientific Forum (NETF) will be started.