The National Education Policy (NEP), approved by the Union Cabinet recently, has proposed sweeping changes in school and higher education. Though many issues are addressed in the NEP, this article by Prof. G.L. Shekar emphasises on three interesting propositions — Early childhood care and education, Multidisciplinary approach and Technology-enabled education. — Ed

The National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020) pitches for a new pedagogical and curricular structure of school education, 5+3+3+4 (covering ages 3-18) against the current 10+2. The first 5 years of the total 15 years of education is ‘foundational’ and is further divided into two parts; 3+2. Here, the first 3 years is pre-school and any 3-year-old child can commence education. 

When the child is 6-years-old, he/ she can start school from Class-1. Pre-school and Classes 1 and 2 combined is foundational stage. The second 3-year stage is preparatory, the third 3-year stage is middle and the last 4-year stage of education is secondary school (Class-9 to Class-12). At this secondary school level, it is suggested to incorporate multidisciplinary study, critical thinking, and flexibility and student choice of subjects.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is a significant part of the overall education since children in the age group of 3-6 are covered. The main objective of ECCE is to promote overall learning, development, and well-being of the child. It is a national mission and the objective of the universal foundational literacy will be achieved, as per NEP, by 2025. It is true that rest of the NEP becomes relevant only if the most basic learning requirements (reading, writing and arithmetic) are achieved at the foundational level.

The challenge is in implementation since the entire population which is in the age group of 3-8, should compulsorily get foundational education. The policy has come out with a brilliant idea of involving the community itself at this stage. The proposed National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (NMFLN) hopefully design a practical way of involving the community.

Community commitment

If every literate in the community commits to teach one ‘student’ so that ‘student’ can read and write, then India’s landscape will change for the better, especially in this digital era. As said in the policy, NMFLN should come out with innovative models wherein the literate volunteers are involved to promote foundational literacy and numeracy. However, it is not clear whether the policy has recommended informal approach at the pre-school education stage though this pre-school education is a part of the formal education process.

The policy also stresses on multidisciplinary (and holistic) education where students are provided an all-round education depending upon their inherent likes and strengths. A global technology revolution is currently changing the world with broad, multidisciplinary and synergic trends. Another classic example of multidiscipline trend is use of robots in surgery. A set of experts of different fields join hands to develop a state-of-the-art technology or process.

Multidisciplinary training 

Again, the biggest challenge is equipping the teachers for multidisciplinary training and education. If, by 2030, the teacher education has to be moved into multidisciplinary colleges and universities, proper and practical framework has to be articulated for implementation. A team of teachers can bring the multidisciplinary focus.

It may be difficult for a teacher to be an expert, for instance, in biology and economics. Undoubtedly, multidisciplinary teaching-learning is highly required for a growing economy like India. But, how do we make available multidisciplinary and integrated teacher education programmes across India at the earliest? 

It is also said that all existing teachers’ education institutions will be converted into multidisciplinary institutes. As far as school education is concerned, it has been mentioned that by 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed degree that focuses on multidisciplinary education. 

Making engineering sensitive 

In higher education, especially in technical education, the major issue is the rigid separation of disciplines, with early specialisation and streaming of students into narrow areas of study. For example, if mechanical engineering is a major stream, within that we have sub-specialisation like design, manufacturing, thermal and industrial engineering/ management. It is also important to that the multidisciplinary focus has objectives such as making engineering sensitive to societal needs, science that is ethical, supply chains that are environmental compliant, etc.

Students, of course, do get a bit of multidisciplinary education mainly through elective subjects. Currently, there is less or no opportunity at all for cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking in Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The thinking of NEP may be more radical. Why not we introduce in major stream of mechanical engineering a minor stream of economics or why not a major in physics and minor in computer science?

Therefore, moving to large multidisciplinary universities and HEI clusters by 2040 is the highest recommendation of this policy. The new definition of a university is a multidisciplinary institution of higher learning.

Digital content

Technology-enabled education is another issue that has been highlighted in the NEP. Internet-based activities like quizzes, competitions, and assessments will be developed. Creation of online communities, building smart classrooms and providing digital content are some of the highlights. In higher education sector, institutions will have the option to run Open Distance Learning and online programmes.

Use of technology and its integration with school and higher education curricula, more so in the context of digital India campaign, will create a sound knowledge economy. Also, the policy has rightly underlined the need of use of technology in education during pandemic like COVID-19, which disrupted traditional teacher-in-class education. 

Capacity building 

It cannot be assumed that a good teacher in a traditional classroom will automatically be a good teacher in an online classroom. The challenge, therefore, is capacity building; teachers should become tech-savvy and more creative in the teaching-learning process. An action plan with definite timelines to ensure adequate training to the teachers should be worked out.

It is a good idea to establish National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), which will provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology. However, the implementation plan has to be developed involving not only academicians and education experts but also some of the top-notch Tech-Edu companies that are providing end-to-end technology solutions to oversee schools and universities. 

For example, Mysuru’s Excelsoft Technologies is already hand-holding Government schools in technology-enabled education. In fact, the company’s own school has built bench mark e-learning processes in school education. The strategy to tie-up with industries and institutes of repute both in India and abroad should be chalked out that would not only enhance our core strengths but also provides the yardstick to assess our own strengths and weaknesses.

Centre of excellence 

As we know, academic programmes, high quality research, faculty competency building, pedagogy, collaboration, governance and reforms, innovation and incubation, student development, alumni engagement, and infrastructure are the bricks and mortar of education institutions. The role of Governments and policy makers in enabling every educational institution to become a centre of excellence is of urgent need of the hour. However, Government and governance should be limited to policy creation and regulation.

Classroom teaching should be supplemented by online teaching. The specific targets for schools and colleges should be to upgrade digital library server, encourage faculty to register for online certificate courses to gear up for multidisciplinary concept, improve Wi-Fi infrastructure, strengthen the existing internet browsing facility, establish ICT-enabled classrooms, mentor new faculty members on pedagogical requirements and depute senior faculty members  periodically for refresher courses on pedagogy. 

The targets will be achieved if the contributions of stakeholders — faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, international partners and industry — are aligned together. It is promising that the NEP has considered these top-priority issues.

Looking ahead, we need to design and develop realistic implementation plans to tap the infinite human capabilities and make India one of the super powers; both in knowledge and economy. Hopefully, the new education policy will revolutionise the Indian education system.

[The author is Director (e-Learning), Foundation for Research in Health Systems, Bengaluru and former Principal, National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru]