Lok Sabha Question No. 182 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Data on Implementation of National Education Policy
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 182 ANSWERED ON 01/12/2025

## Data on Implementation of National Education Policy

182.  Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde:

Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne:

Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske:

Smt. Bharti Pardhi:

Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any data of the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) reforms in schools and higher education institutions during the past one year and if so, the details thereof, region-wise particularly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh;
- (b) whether pilot programs for multi-disciplinary education and skill-based learning have been evaluated  for  their  impact  on  students'  academic  and  professional  outcomes  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to facilitate teacher training and curriculum restructuring under the NEP, particularly in rural and underprivileged areas during the last year;
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  integrate  digital  learning  tools  and  Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven personalised education within the NEP framework; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to ensure students from economically weaker sections and students with physical disabilities benefit from the training initiatives introduced under NEP?

## ANSWER

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

(a):  After announcement of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), several impactful reforms and initiatives have been taken by various stakeholders such as State/UT Governments, CBSE, NCERT, NCTE, UGC, AICTE, etc.

'PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024' was conducted across India including in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh on 04.12.2024, to understand the baseline performance in development of competencies among the students at the end of the Foundational, Preparatory, and Middle stages (Grades 3, 6, and 9 respectively). Nationwide over 21.15 lakh students and 2.70 lakh teachers from more than 74,229 schools across 781 districts from all States/UTs participated in  the  survey.  Maharashtra  emerged  as  one  of  the  top-performing  states  in  the  PARAKH survey, with over 123,000 students assessed across Grades 3, 6, and 9, while over 1,38,526 students  assessed  in  these  grades  from  Madhya  Pradesh.  National,  State  and  District  level report cards for PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 are available at https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en.

According to Unified District  Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +) 2024-25, India's  school  education  system  saw  measurable  improvements  across  key  educational indicators.  It  has  data  with  nearly  14.72  lakh  schools  and  nearly  24.7  Crore  students  from Foundational to Secondary level from varied socio-economic backgrounds. The number of teachers  increased  from  98.07  lakh  to  1.01  crore,  with  total  54.82  lakh  female  teachers, reflecting a more gender-balanced workforce. The Pupil Teacher Ratio improved at all levels in 2024-25. The ratios now stand at 10 at the foundational level, 13 at the preparatory level, 17 at the middle level, and 21 at the secondary level. These ratios are stronger than the NEP norm of 1:30, supporting closer attention to each student and better learning outcomes. The academic year 2024-25 has seen a notable reduction in dropout rates across the Preparatory (from 3.7% to 2.3%), Middle (from 5.2% to 3.5%), and Secondary levels (from 10.9% to 8.2%) as  compared  to  2023-24.  Student  retention  improved  across  all  levels  in  2024-25.  The foundational level increased from 98.0 percent to 98.9 percent. The preparatory level increased from 85.4 percent to 92.4 percent. The middle level increased from 78.0 percent to 82.8 percent. The secondary level increased from 45.6 percent to 47.2 percent. The academic year 2024-25 recorded an increase in the Gross Enrolment Ratio at the middle and secondary levels. The middle level rose from 89.5 percent to 90.3 percent. The secondary level rose from 66.5 percent to  68.5  percent.  This  growth  reflects  enhanced  access  to  education  and  increased  student participation in higher grades.

There is considerable improvement in terms of Pupil Teacher Ratio, gender parity, reducing dropout rates, increasing retention rates, Gross Enrolment Ratios, etc. in both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, showing better access and higher participation in upper grades.

In higher education, an annual web based 'All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)' is a   comprehensive data source on higher education. AISHE 2022-23 (provisional) reports rise in number of University / University Level Institutions and Colleges from 1168 to 1213 and from  45473  to  46624  respectively,  as  compared  to  AISHE  2021-22.  Enrolment  in  higher education has risen from 4.33 crore in 2021 to 4.46 crore in 2022-23. The enrolment of SC students is 69.13 Lakh in 2022-23 as compared to 66.23 Lakh in 2021-22. The enrolment of ST students has increased to 28.72 Lakh in 2022-23 from 27.10 Lakh in 2021-22.  Total STEM enrolment stands at 99.76 lakh. Number of faculty has also increased from 15.97 lakh to 16.64 lakh, as compared to last year. Overall GER has improved from 28.4 to 29.5 as compared to last year.

In Maharashtra, as per AISHE 2022-23 (provisional), total number of University and Colleges stands  at  78  and  5390  respectively.  Enrolment  in  higher  education  reached  to  48.59  lakh students. Number of SC and ST enrolments is 6.22 lakhs and 2.32 lakhs respectively. Total

STEM enrolment stands at 10.93 lakh. Number of faculty increased to 1.78 lakh. Overall, GER has improved to 37.8, while in Madhya Pradesh, total number of University and Colleges stands at 78 and 2582 respectively. Enrolment in higher education is 27.35 lakh students. Number of SC and ST enrolments is 4.13 lakhs and 3.17 lakhs respectively. Total STEM enrolment stands at 6.44 lakh. Number of faculty increased to 85,664. Overall, GER is 28.3.

To improve access and affordability, the PM Vidya Lakshmi Scheme has been launched. It helps  meritorious  students  access  collateral-free  education  loans  through  a  simple  digital system. An outlay of ₹3,600 crore has been approved for 2024-25 to 2030-31 to provide a 3 percent interest subvention for up to seven lakh new students. So far, around 5 lakh Education Loan applications were received and 1.71 lakh loans were disbursed amounting to around 5000 Crore.

To promote multilingual education, the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, as per the Budget announcement 2025-26, has been envisaged to provide textbooks across various school and higher education subjects in 22 Indian languages in digital format over the next three years.

The Government has established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation to strengthen research in higher education. It plans to mobilize ₹50,000 crore during 2023 to 2028 through government support and contributions from public and private partners.

For realizing the vision of "Make AI in India and Make Al work for India", Three AI Centres of  Excellence  have  been  approved  with  an  outlay  of  ₹990  crore  in  health,  agriculture,  and sustainable cities over the period of FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28. A new Centre of Excellence of AI in Education has been announced with ₹500 crore.

The transformative reforms in higher education has resulted in more and more HEIs being ranked  in  international  ranking.  In  QS  2026,  54  Indian  HEIs/Universities  are  ranked  as compared to 46 in QS 2025. In QS 2026, there are 10 Indian HEIs in top 500. In QS World University Rankings, Asia 2026 India has second most representation, with 294 universities, up from 163 in 2025 and 7 institutions in the top 100. 137 new Indian institutions have entered the rankings for the first time, reflecting the rapid expansion and growing global visibility of Indian  higher  education.  The  QS  Subject  Rankings  for  2025  included  79  Indian  HEIs,  an increase of 10 from the previous year's 69, reflecting a 14% growth. Indian Institutions were represented  across  533  entries,  marking  25.7%  increased  from  424  entries  in  the  previous edition.

India has shown remarkable growth in the field of intellectual property, with 92,168 patent applications filed in 2023-24 - an increase of over 11.29% since 2022-23. A major driver of this growth has been the contribution of educational institutions. The patent filings by domestic educational  institutes  have  more  than  tripled  from  7405  in  2021-22  to  23,306  in  2023-24. Educational institutions are playing an important role in promoting innovation in India.

Focus  of  NEP  on  research  and  innovation  has  propelled  India's  ranking  in  the  Global Innovation Index (GII) from 48 in 2020 and currently being ranked at 38 th place in 2025.

Sustained  efforts  for  internationalisation  of  Indian  higher  education  ecosystem  under  the National Education Policy 2020, has enabled the entry of reputed foreign universities into the Indian education landscape. Letters of Intent (LoI) have been issued to 12 globally ranked universities from countries such as the UK, Australia, the US, and Italy to establish offshore campuses in India. Further application for LOI for the Bengaluru campus of the University of New  South  Wales,  Australia,  has  been  approved.  Deakin  University  and  University  of Wollongong have entered India through GIFT City, Gandhinagar. Also, Coventry University and Queen's University Belfast, both from the UK, have recently been granted permission to establish their branch campuses in GIFT City. IIM Ahmedabad (IIM A) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of  the  IIMA  Dubai  Campus  in  the  Dubai  International  Academic  City  (DIAC).  IIM  A inaugurated its campus on 11.09.2025.

⁠(b): The Department of School Education & Literacy is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha, which inter-alia promotes vocational education by supporting States and UTs to introduce skill exposure for students in Grades 6 to 8 and NSQF-aligned skill courses for Grades 9 to 12. At the secondary stage, students take skill modules as an additional subject, while at the senior secondary stage, skill courses function as elective subjects. A total of  138  approved  job  roles  are  offered,  and  each  includes  an  employability  skills  module covering  communication,  self-management,  ICT,  entrepreneurship,  and  green  skills.  The Department  is  also  implementing  PMKVY  4.0  in  schools,  with  350  Kendriya  Vidyalayas providing skill training. More than 21,700 schools now host School Innovation Councils to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, critical thinking, and IP awareness.

These NSQF-aligned job roles span key sectors such as IT, electronics, and manufacturing. Students receive training in roles like junior software developer, AI assistant, web developer, and  cybersecurity  associate  in  the  IT  sector.  Electronics-related  options  include  CCTV technician,  drone  service  technician,  solar  PV  installer,  and  home  appliance  technician. Manufacturing roles include draughtsperson, assistant mason, construction painter, and brick mason. These offerings give students early exposure to industry-relevant skills and help build a strong foundation for future employment.

AICTE is making concerted efforts towards skill development and integration with its technical programs. It is collaborating with various industries and institutes to design skill development courses in online mode that are integrated into the regular curriculum. These courses are aimed at enhancing the practical skills of students and making them more employable. Data available with  the  All-India  Council  for  Technical  Education  (AICTE)  indicates  an  upward  trend  in student  placements  at  the  technical  education  level.  As  per  self-disclosed  information  by AICTE-approved institutions,  the  number  of  diploma-level  students  placed  increased  from 1,80,866 in the financial year 2023-24 to 1,91,801 in 2024-25. Similarly, at the undergraduate level, placements have risen from 4,10,843 in 2023-24 to 4,71,227 in 2024 25.

(c): The Department of School Education and Literacy has also launched 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 under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha. NISHTHA is a capacity building programme for "Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training". NISHTHA online was launched using DIKSHA platform in October, 2020. NISHTHA training has been extended to secondary stage teachers in 2021-22. Subsequently, NISHTHA also extended to Foundational Literacy and Numeracy and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)  for  training of master trainers. So far, more  than 65 lakh teachers/School Heads/Master Trainers have been covered.

The National Curriculum Framework-School Education (NCF-SE) was released on 23.08.2023.  Under  NCF-SE,  the  curriculum  has  been  aligned  with  the  National  Education Policy 2020, emphasizing the 5+3+3+4 design of schooling from the foundational to secondary stages. Textbooks for Classes 3 and 8 for 2024-25 under NCF-SE have been released. The National Curriculum Framework - Foundational Stage (NCF-FS), launched on 20.10.2022, is the first integrated framework for children ages 3 to 8. As part of this, the Jaadui Pitara learning material  was  introduced  on  20.02.2023.  Textbooks for Classes 1  and 2 based on NCF-FS, focused on play-based learning, were released on 05.07.2023 and are available in 22 languages. A digital version of Jaadui Pitara was launched on 10.02.2024.

In Higher Education, a Central Sector Scheme namely Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Program (MMTTP) is being implemented through 151 Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centres.  It  aims  to  enhance  the  capacity  and  competency  of  faculty  of  higher  education institutions. For this purpose, various capacity building programmes have been conceptualized namely NEP Orientation and Sensitization Programme, Refresher Course, Faculty Induction Program,  Short  Term  Program,  Capacity  Building  for  Promoting  Positive  Mental  Health, Resilience  and  Wellbeing  in  HEIs,  Nurturing  Future  Leadership  Programme,  Capacity Building on Design & Entrepreneurship, Capacity Building on Specific Learning Disabilities, Academic  Leadership  Programme,  Capacity  Building  Programme  on  Cyber  Security  (for Faculty), Capacity Building Programme on Artificial Intelligence (For Faculty & Academic leaders),  Capacity  Building  Programme  on  STEM  (For  Faculty),  Capacity  Building  for Training Administrative Staff and Capacity building workshop on Science Communication for STEM faculty. So far, 4295 programs under different components have been conducted by these centres, with 3.22 lakh faculty benefitted.

To  make  the  curricula  relevant  to  contemporary  industry  demands  and  technological advancements, various initiatives / reforms have been carried out in higher education such as National  Credit  Framework  (NCrF);  National  Higher  Education  Qualification  Framework (NHEQF); Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programme; guidelines on Professor of Practice to enable HEIs to work with industry experts. Curriculum is also being updated for academic programmes in alignment with 'Future of Work' job requirements in the area  of  Agriculture,  Health  &  Bio-electronics,  Banking,  Financial  Services  &  Insurance (BFSI), Energy, Logistics, Digital & Creative Economy, AI in Engineering and Manufacturing &  Industry.  Also,  SWAYAM  Plus  platform  has  been  launched  to  expand  its  offerings  to identify and include courses aligned with industry needs and to enhance learners' employability.  AICTE has also  taken  multiple  steps  in  this  direction  by  developing  model curricula  in  emerging  fields  such  as  Artificial  Intelligence,  Data  Science,  Robotics,  Space Technology, and VLSI Design, with industry stakeholders involved in curriculum revisions.

(d): Under PM e-VIDYA, DIKSHA is the one nation, one digital education infrastructure. All states/UTs have been onboarded in DIKSHA. This digital infrastructure is artificial intelligence based and is highly scalable. This infrastructure is also being utilized for creating Energized Textbooks (ETBs) and presently 7555 ETBs are published on DIKSHA. There are a total of 3.76 lakh e-contents available on DIKSHA and e-Content is available in 128 Indian languages and 7 Foreign Languages. Overall, 564.05 crore learning sessions have been completed on DIKSHA by students, teachers and other stakeholders.

Under Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by NITI Aayog, Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) have been established in schools to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), robotics, electronics, and 3D printing.

(e): National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) aims to ensure that no child loses opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. In school education, initiatives such as NCF-SE 2023, NCF-FS 2022, and the Samagra Shiksha scheme support inclusive learning, foundational literacy, and skill development. Training modules for teachers include content on inclusive classrooms, competency-based learning, multilingual education, and  support  for  children  with  diverse  learning  needs.  As  a  crucial  step  for  mainstreaming CwSN, the Department of School Education & literacy (DoSEL) in collaboration with the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) is implementing Scheme of  Assistance  to  Persons  with  Disabilities  for  purchase/Fitting  of  Aids/Appliances  (ADIP Scheme) in convergence with Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for distribution of Aids/Appliances to CwSN.

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