The National Education Policy of India 2020
(NEP 2020), approved by the Union Cabinet of India on 29 July 2020, outlines the
vision of the new education system of India. It replaces the previous National
Policy on Education, 1986. The vision of the policy is to build an education system
rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India by providing
high-quality education to all, thereby making India a global knowledge superpower.
HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW EDUCATION POLICY
- Focus on Early Childhood Care and
Education (ECCE) & Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)
- Curtailing dropouts and ensuring
universal access at all levels of school education
- Learning Should be Holistic, Integrated,
Enjoyable, and Engaging
- Teacher Empowerment
- Equitable and Inclusive Education:
Learning for All
- Standard-setting and Accreditation for
School Education
- Adoption of pedagogically sound teaching
& learning practices
- Adoption of technology in teaching,
learning and assessments
THE NEW 5+3+3+4 ACADEMIC STRUCTURE
10+2 refers to two years of schooling post grade 10. According to
India’s new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, 10+2 schooling system in India is
set to be replaced by a new 5+3+3+4 system.
Here is the age-wise breakdown of the different levels of the school
education system based on the new education policy 2020
5 YEARS OF FOUNDATIONAL STAGE:
- For ages: 3 to 8
- For classes: Pre-Primary, class 1, class
2
- This stage will focus on teaching in
play-based or activity-based methods and on the development of
language skills.
3 YEARS OF PREPARATORY STAGE:
- For ages: 8 to 11
- For classes: 3 to 5
- The focus in the preparatory stage will
remain on language development and numeracy skills. Here, the method
of teaching and learning would be play and activity-based, and also
include classroom interactions and the element of discovery.
3 YEARS OF MIDDLE STAGE:
- For ages: 11 to 14
- For classes: 6 to 8
- As per NEP 2020, this stage of school
education will focus on critical learning objectives, which is a big
shift from the rote learning methods used in our education system
for years. This stage will work on experiential learning in the
sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences and humanities.
4 YEARS OF SECONDARY STAGE:
- For ages: 14 to 18
- For classes: 9 to 12
- This stage will cover two phases: Classes
9 and 10, and classes 11 and 12. Concepts will be covered in greater
depth in this stage.