Education: NEP 2020, RTE, Higher Education and Skills

Constitutional and legal framework

Education was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment (1976). The 86th Amendment (2002) inserted Article 21A, making free and compulsory education for children aged 6–14 a Fundamental Right. It also revised Article 45 (early childhood care up to age six) and added Fundamental Duty 51A(k). The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 gives effect to Article 21A from 1 April 2010.

RTE Act highlights:

• Free education in a neighbourhood school.
• Pupil–teacher ratio norms (30:1 at primary, 35:1 at upper primary).
• Infrastructure standards.
• No capitation fee and no screening of children or parents at admission.
• A ban on physical punishment and mental harassment.
• 25% of seats in private unaided schools for disadvantaged and weaker-section children, reimbursed by the State. The Supreme Court upheld this in *Society for Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan* (2012), exempting minority institutions. In *Pramati* (2014) it held that the RTE Act does not apply to minority schools, aided or unaided.
• School Management Committees.
• The no-detention policy was originally included; the 2019 amendment allowed states to hold back students in Classes 5 and 8 after re-examination, and the Centre removed it for its own schools in 2024.

Landmark policies

National Education Policy 2020

School education:

• 5+3+3+4 structure: Foundational (ages 3–8: three years of pre-school plus Classes 1–2), Preparatory (Classes 3–5), Middle (6–8), Secondary (9–12). This replaces 10+2 and brings early childhood care into formal education.
• Foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3 is the most urgent priority (NIPUN Bharat Mission, 2021).
• Mother tongue or regional language as the medium of instruction at least until Grade 5, wherever possible. The three-language formula is retained, with flexibility.
• Vocational education from Grade 6, with internships.
• Board exams made "easier" and assessment of core competencies. PARAKH is the national assessment centre.
• Target of a 100% gross enrolment ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
• A National Curriculum Framework (NCF-SE 2023) and new NCERT textbooks.

Higher education:

• Target GER of 50% by 2035. AISHE 2021–22 reported GER of about 28%.
• Multidisciplinary universities, with multiple entry and exit points and an Academic Bank of Credits.
• A four-year undergraduate programme with a research option.
• The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) is proposed as a single regulator replacing UGC and AICTE (other than for medical and legal education). It is to have four verticals: regulation (NHERC), accreditation (NAC), funding (HEGC) and standard-setting (GEC). The bill had not been enacted at the time of writing.
• The National Research Foundation was set up as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation by an Act of 2023.
• Internationalisation: foreign universities can set up campuses under UGC regulations (2023).
• Public investment in education to reach 6% of GDP.

School education: progress and the learning crisis

Enrolment at the primary level is nearly universal and gender parity has improved. Learning outcomes, however, remain weak. The ASER surveys (by the NGO Pratham) and the National Achievement Survey show that many children in Class 5 cannot read a Class 2 text. Pandemic school closures widened gaps. Other problems include teacher vacancies, single-teacher schools, too many small schools (which has led to school consolidation in some states), and data on dropouts at the secondary level.

Key schemes:

• Samagra Shiksha.
• PM POSHAN: hot cooked meals for children in government and aided schools, including Bal Vatika (pre-primary).
• PM SHRI schools (2022): upgrading over 14,500 schools as model schools showcasing NEP.
• DIKSHA: a digital platform for teachers and students.
• Performance Grading Index for states.
• Vidya Pravesh (school preparation).

Higher education and skills

Issues in higher education:

• Low research output, few globally ranked institutions and faculty shortages.
• Fragmented regulation.
• Low employability of graduates, as industry surveys note.
• Brain drain.
• Unequal access across regions and groups.

Rankings: the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranks institutions annually. Accreditation is done by NAAC and the NBA.

Skill development:

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was formed in 2014.
• Skill India Mission and PMKVY (2015): short-term training and certification.
• National Skills Qualification Framework.
• Apprenticeship schemes (NAPS).
• Craftsmen training at ITIs.
• Sector Skill Councils led by industry.

Challenges include poor placement rates in short-term training, weak industry linkage and low social esteem for vocational work. NEP 2020's integration of vocational education into schools tries to address the last of these.

Language debates

The three-language formula (from the 1968 policy) has provoked debates over Hindi in non-Hindi states, especially Tamil Nadu, which follows a two-language policy. NEP 2020 says no language will be imposed. Implementation, however, involves Centre–state negotiations, for example over the PM SHRI agreements.

Practice: Mains question

*"NEP 2020 aims at transforming Indian education, but its success depends on cooperative federalism and funding." Discuss. (250 words)*

Hints: education is a Concurrent subject; states implement; funding is still around 4–4.6% of GDP against the 6% target; teacher capacity; language debates.

Institutions in education

In 2024, irregularities in NEET-UG led to scrutiny of the NTA. The Centre set up a high-level committee under K. Radhakrishnan, and Parliament passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024.

Equity in education

• Gender: girls' enrolment has risen, helped by schemes such as hostels under Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and bicycles in states like Bihar.
• Social groups: scholarships and residential schools for SC, ST and minority students.
• Disability: inclusive education under Samagra Shiksha.
• Digital divide: highlighted by online learning during the pandemic. PM eVIDYA provides TV channels and radio content.

Way forward

• Focus on foundational learning.
• Fill teacher vacancies and invest in teacher training.
• Use school complexes to share resources.
• Raise public spending.
• Strengthen state universities, which enrol most students.
• Link skills to industry through apprenticeships.
• Ensure Centre–state cooperation on curricula and language.

Quick self-test

1. *Which Article makes elementary education a Fundamental Right?* Article 21A, inserted by the 86th Amendment in 2002.
2. *What is PARAKH?* The national assessment centre set up under NEP 2020 to set norms for student assessment across school boards.
3. *Which body ranks higher education institutions annually?* NIRF, under the Ministry of Education.