Lok Sabha Question No. 7 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-03
Subject: Implementation of NEP 2024
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.7 ANSWERED ON 03.02.2025

## Implementation of NEP 2024

## 7. Shri Kodikunnil Suresh:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

(a) the current status of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2024 across the country, including timelines for key phases of rollout at school and higher education levels;

(b) the primary focus areas prioritized in the initial stages of policy implementation, especially with respect to skill development, multilingual education and digital learning infrastructure;

(c) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure smooth integration of policy guidelines into State education system and whether State Governments and stakeholders have been consulted in this regard;

(d) the allocation of funds and resources dedicated to policy for current financial year along with provisions for teacher training, curriculum development and infrastructure upgrades; and

(e) the specific challenges identified during the early stages of implementation and the measures being taken to address them?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a)  to  (e):  A  number  of  transformative  changes  have  taken  place  both  in  school  and  higher education  after  announcement  of  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020.  In  School  Education several initiatives have been taken such as PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) for upgradation of  schools;  Samagra  Shiksha  for  providing  quality  education  with  an  inclusive  and  equitable classroom  environment  for  all  children;  National  Initiative  for  Proficiency  in  Reading  with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) for ensuring foundational literacy and numeracy by the  end  of  Grade  3;  Vidya-Pravesh-Guidelines  for  Three-month  Play-based  School  Preparation Module;  PM  e-VIDYA  to  unify  all  efforts  related  to  digital/online/on-air  education  to  enable coherent multi-mode access to education, DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) as  One  Nation  One  Digital  Platform  having  e-Books  and  e-Contents,  launch  of  National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF FS) and Jadui Pitara for play-based learning teaching  material  tailored  for  children  between  the  age  group  of  3  to  8  years;  PARAKH

(Performance  Assessment,  Review,  and  Analysis  of  Knowledge  for  Holistic  Development); NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement) 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0;  Vidya  Samiksha  Kendra;  Integrated  Teacher  Education  Programme;  National  Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST); National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) for creating a unifying national digital infrastructure to energise and catalyse the education ecosystem, implementation  of  a  scheme  'New  India  Literacy  Programme  or  ULLAS'  targeting  all  nonliterates age 15 years and above, etc.

In  Higher Education, various initiatives / reforms have been carried out such as National Credit Framework (NCrF) and National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) in conjunction with guidelines / regulations like Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programme;  Multiple  Entry  and  Exit  in  Academic  Programme  offered  by  Higher  Education Institutions;  Transforming  HEIs  into  multi-disciplinary  Institutions;  pursuing  two  Academic Programme simultaneously; Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR ID)  of individual  student  which  will  act  as  lifelong  identity  to  track  their  educational  journey  and achievements  from,  pre-primary  to  higher  education;  introduction  of  PM-Vidyalaxmi  scheme  to provide  financial  support  to  meritorious  students inter-alia  enabling  collateral  free,  guarantor free loan through a simple, transparent and student-friendly and entirely digital application process; revised  regulation  of  ODL  /  Online  Education;  permitting  up  to  40%  credits  in  regular  courses using SWAYAM platform;  launch of new SWAYAM Plus portal with aim to enhance skill and upskilling  and  reskilling  of  existing  manpower  employed  in  different  sectors;  Integration  of technology  in  administration  of  HEIs  from  admission  to  grant  of  degree  through  SAMARTH; guidelines on Professor  of Practice to enable HEIs to work with industry  experts; guidelines for supernumerary seats for admitting students from abroad in  Indian HEIs and permitting HEIs for two admission cycles in an academic year; enhanced reputation of the Indian HEIs in international ranking; embedding of Indian Knowledge system in the education etc.

To create awareness and discuss innovative ideas for NEP implementation, a series of workshops / consultation-cum-review meetings have been held with States/UTs, Educational Institutions, other stakeholders from time to time. Implementation of NEP 2020 was discussed in National Education Ministers' Conference held in Gujarat in June 2022; National Conference of Chief Secretaries held in June 2022; 7 th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog held in August 2022; Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2022, 2023 and 2024; 9 th  Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog held on 27 th  July 2024. A two-day National Workshop on Higher and Technical Education was organized with Secretaries of States/UTs on 12 th & 13 th November 2024 to disseminate various approaches and methodologies to implement NEP 2020; effectively articulate the roadmap and implementation strategies, fostering knowledge exchange; provide a common platform for all stakeholders to come together and network for effective and smooth implementation of the NEP 2020 and encourage its adoption in state institutions.

For Outreach and Awareness of Implementation of NEP 2020, a program involving 84 Centrally Funded Higher Education Institutions (CFIs) and 404 State Public Universities, each CFI mapped with the 5-7 State Universities located in the nearby geographies, have been started.

Various schemes/projects/programmes run by Ministry of Education have been aligned with NEP 2020.  As  far  as  Central  Government  is  concerned,  Budget  allocation  from  the  year  2021-22  to 2024-25 is given below:-

| Year                            | 2021-22   | 2022-23     | 2023-24     | 2024-25     |
|---------------------------------|-----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| Budget Allocation (Rs.in Crore) | 93,224.31 | 1,04,277.72 | 1,12,899.47 | 1,21,117.77 |

A National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme  called NISHTHA-National  Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers'  Holistic  Advancement  has  been  launched  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of Samgara Shiksha in 2019-20. NISHTHA is a capacity building programme for teachers at all levels in Schools for 'Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training'.

Also,  in  Higher  Education,  in  order  to  address  issues  related  to  teachers/faculty  and  their professional  development,  Malaviya  Mission  Teacher  Training  Program  has  been  launched.  It covers  several  components  such  as  NEP  Orientation  and  Sensitization  Programme;  Faculty Induction  Program;  Short  Term  Program;  Refresher  Courses;  Nurturing  Future Leadership Program; Capacity Building Program on Specific Learning Disabilities; Capacity Building program on the themes like Design and Entrepreneurship, Development of  Leadership, Promoting Positive Mental Health Resilience & Wellbeing in HEIs, Sensitisation about Specific learning Disabilities, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Subjects, Science, Communication etc.

Third phase of the Rashitrya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha  Abhiyan  (PM-USHA),  a  centrally  sponsored  scheme  aimed  at  funding  of  specific  State Government  universities  and  colleges,  so  as  to  improve  their  quality  has  been  launched  in  July 2023 with an outlay of Rs. 12926.10 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26.

NEP  2020 provides different timelines as well as principles and methodology for its implementation.  It  also  provides  that  in  the  decade  of  2030-40,  the  entire  policy  will  be  in  an operational mode, following which another comprehensive review will be undertaken. Education being in the concurrent list of Constitution, Centre and States are equally responsible for providing quality education to all. Accordingly, Ministry of Education, State Governments, education-related Ministries,  the  regulatory  and  implementing  bodies  of  school  and  higher  education  such  as University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education, National Council for Teacher  Education,  National  Council  of  Educational  Research  and  Training,  Central  Board  of Secondary Education, Universities/Colleges/Schools etc. have started taking initiatives for implementation of NEP 2020.

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