5 years of NEP 2020: Milestones, Progress, Vision

In 1968, PM Indira Gandhi’s government introduced India's first education policy. The second education policy was formulated by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1986. The third policy for Indian education came in the year 1992 when the government of Narasimha Rao made some amendments to the previous policy. And from then, it was in the year of Corona when after 34 years the government of India  came forward to introduce the fourth policy: The National Education Policy 2020.

It has been 5 years now since the new education policy was introduced.  But is the policy meeting the expectations it had set or is yet another policy left to dry on papers? The answer is: A blend of all. The implementation is lagging, results are unclear, and impact is partial. 

What is NEP 2020?

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) was an ambitious pledge of India to transform the way Indians learn, teach and get ready to serve the future. With the five-year line passed, however, it is time to stop and take a second look at the practical effect, what is succeeding, at what the system falls short and what students, teachers and families can expect as the change unfolds.

What was Promised? 

1. Public education spending to increase to 6% of GDP
2. No 10+2 structure but a New school structure of 5+3+3+4
3. Inclusivity and play-based learning for 3-8years age group
4. Critical thinking focus instead of memorisation. 
5. Universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2025
6. Mother tongue/regional language as medium of instruction till Grade 5. 
7. Vocational training from 6th grade.
8. Change board exams with National Assessment Centre (PARAKH) 
9. Replace UGC and AICTE with Higher Education Commission 
10. Multiple exit options 
11. Multiple academic credit bank in colleges

NEP Classroom Experience Transformation

The 10+2 board system is out of history. The Indian schools have changed their educational system into the 5+3+3+4 model that allows the introduction of the foundational learning, play-way learning at a young age, and competency-based lessons at Class 3.

According to a 2025 deadline, preschool education must be of good quality and attendable by every child who comes to Class 1. The No Detention Policy has been done away with, the traditional nerve tingling final examination has been given up and normal informal assessments, projects and presentations have taken their place and put students in touch with real life.

Digital Push and Initiatives 

Digital transformation is on a high: initiatives such as DIKSHA and SWAYAM have provided quality materials to crores. A strong government funding is anticipated to ensure more than half of the government schools have smart boards, and internet by 2027. 

Latest Education Funds 

The recent Union Budget 2025-26 has hit the headlines with a massive budgetary allocation of 1.28 trillion in educational activities that represents a 6.5 percent increase over the preceding year. It is currently 4.6 percent of the GDP, but, since this is below the NEP historical nonsensical goal of 6%, it is not yet enough. 

The school education and literacy sector was allocated 78,572 crores and higher education witnessed increased funds to 50077.95 crores all time record breaking by India. A special 500 crore has also been provided as the Centre of Excellence in AI in education which is indicative of the focus on future skills through NEP.

Literacy Rate And Progress by NEP 2020

Throughout India, the level of literacy had reached the mark of 80.9% among the individuals living in the country and above 7 years old by 2024, which is an evident indicator of improvements. Mizoram had become a milestone of India when it became the first state to cross the 95%  mark, becoming the first fully literate state in India, a phenomenon that stressed on the fact that NEP-inspired change can make visible difference even in the countryside, starting with the ULLAS -Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.

The ASER report of 2024 has registered the best ever achievements in basic reading and arithmetic amongst children in primary schools and what it means is that the new curriculum and digital interventions are yielding results on the ground.

Vocational Education As Promised By NEP

NEP 2020 promised a new landmark: at least 50% of the school children will have some exposure to vocational training by 2025. Things are improving as seen in the number of students who have already chosen vocational tracks, 2 lakh and there has been the introduction of compulsory internships to secondary students.

Nevertheless, India has a long journey to complete: only about 5% of the youth labor force has received vocational training which stands as 52% in the US and 96% in South Korea. It is very important to bridge this gap as the way towards developing a workforce of the future.

Challenges of NEP 2020

The radical changes visualised by NEP 2020 have its own hard realities that is stopping it from making the vision a reality:

1. Infrastructure deficits: Infrastructure strength is in the digital and smart classroom intentions, whereas smaller towns and villages need a lot of work to get to technology and modernized facilities, which results in unequal adoption.
2. Faculty training: A larger percentage of educators are not able to learn the new digital tools and student-centered teaching model. Upskilling continues to be a big challenge in the Indian education sector. 
3. Curriculum integration: Universities (and indeed, higher education), struggle to shatter the silos of individual disciplines, and instead take on multidisciplinary and hence flexible courses. The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and the competency assessment is an ongoing work. 
4. Budget crunch: As demand has increased, the relief has not always translated into a corresponding rise in expenditure and India continues to lag behind on expenditure compared to other large economies.

What is the government doing?

Based on the increased budget allocations, curriculum improvements, and technologically enabled solutions, the government is wagering on how the rest of the gaps can be filled by 2030. Another priority is inclusivity particularly among girl students in STEM and rural students.

Through such policies as a Special Education Zone, skill accord with industry, direct scholarship, etc., NEP has the hopes of developing not only graduating job-ready students but also creative minds and innovators.

The message to students and families is simple: NEP is not an already completed one, but an evolving one. The next few years will witness still more digitised classrooms, hands-on skill development, flexibility in every learner- the urban and the rural, and the mainstream and the marginalised. Whether you are looking for anything to do with NEP 2020 and the future of education in India, rest assured the change is real, ambitious and at last, truly attainable.