NEP 2020 turns four: Stakeholders urge action, trust to overcome challenges

The National Education Policy (NEP) has been in effect for four years, yet concerns about its implementation still persist.

According to Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) Founder-Chancellor G Viswanathan, these issues can only be resolved if the stakeholders are trusted.

Viswanathan specifically focused on some of the more recent regulations in higher education. Although the complete strategy has not yet been fully implemented, NEP 2020 is a commendable step forward.

“Decisions pertaining to education should be made after consulting the state governments,” he said.

The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), which was meant to replace other regulatory bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), is one of the key concerns.

Viswanathan also urged the Union government to increase its funding for higher education, pointing out that many countries provide free higher education. This year, the government allocated 2.8% of its budget to education, down from 2.9% the previous year.

“I want the government to at least bear a portion of the expenses. At least for girls, higher education could be made free,” he said, emphasizing that the Union government is focused on improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from the current figure of 27% to 50%.

S Vaidhyasubramaniam, Vice-Chancellor of SASTRA Deemed University, said, “The Union Ministry of Education and its agencies have periodically interacted with stakeholders, including those from states and union territories, regarding NEP 2020 and other issues through online or face-to-face national and regional meetings."

He mentioned his interactions with higher education secretaries at a workshop hosted by the Ministry of Education on various topics, including the NEP 2020.

“There are a few issues, such as degree equivalence and autonomy for higher education institutions, where organizations like the UGC and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) can play a proactive role to ensure smooth and harmonious implementation. I hope they will,” he added.

UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said during a recent south zone meeting with autonomous colleges that the Commission will continue to serve as the regulatory body for colleges and universities.

On the sidelines of the meeting, he also informed the media that the Commission had met with vice-chancellors from all universities.

The HECI Bill, which was proposed a few years ago, was drafted shortly before the announcement of the 2024 general elections.

Since then, it has not been discussed. "For Viksit Bharat 2047, it is time for HECI. Further delays will only lead to additional gaps, as the current approach of multiple authorities issuing different norms and standards creates inconsistencies," warned the vice-chancellor of a private institution.