National Education Policy 2020: What’s New In 5+3+3+4 System?

National Education Policy 2020: The system of school education will undergo a thorough change in the new National Education Policy 2020 approved on July 29 (Wednesday) by Union Cabinet. The new format will now meet the current and future developmental needs of the youth of the country. The new 5+3+3+4 system will now replace 10+2 structure of school curricula.

Headed by academician K Kasturirangan, the policy is developed by an expert committee in thorough consultation with various stakeholders. This is the first education policy of the 21st century renamed as National Education Policy 2020 which replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.

The 5+3+3+4 format will comprise of 12 years of school and three of pre-school or Anganwadi. The structure will include a

• foundational stage from 3 to 8,
• 3 years of pre-primary education from 8 to 11,
• a preparatory stage from 11 to 14, while the
• the secondary stage would comprise 14 to 18 years.

School students will take exams only for Classes 3, 5, and 8, according to the National Education Policy 2020. Assessment in remaining years will shift to a “regular & formative” style. This will be more “competency-based” to give importance to learning and development testing “higher-order skills, such as critical thinking, analysis, and conceptual clarity”

The schools will now on not have any rigid formation of streams of arts, science, and commerce. Students, according to their wish can take up whatever courses they want. This also includes vocational and regular courses for higher education level.

NCPFECCE, National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education for children till the age of 8 will be developed by the NCERT, National Council for Education Research and Training.

Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare, while announcing new education reform measures, said in a statement that major reforms National Education Policy 2020 include a target to have 50% gross enrollment ratio (GER) by 2035 along with a provision for multiple entry or exit. This new reforms also aim to increase the budget funding to education.

The National Education Policy aims at making India a global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more flexible, holistic, multidisciplinary. The Union Human Resources Development Ministry is now renamed as Education Ministry.

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