NEP evokes mixed reactions from academicians

New Delhi, July 30: The new National Education Policy (NEP) has evoked mixed responses from academicians and experts as many of them referred to the reforms as “long due” and “groundbreaking”, while others cautioned that “the devil lies in the details” and hoped the moves get translated into action on the ground.

Teaching up to class five in mother tongue or regional language, lowering the stakes of board exams, allowing foreign universities to set up campuses in India, a single regulator for higher education institutions except for law and medical colleges and common entrance tests for universities are part of the sweeping reforms in the new National Education Policy (NEP) unveiled on Wednesday.

IIT-Delhi director Ramgopal Rao termed the new policy the “Morrill moment” for Higher Education Institutions in India (HEIs). In 1862, the United States had passed the Morrill Act to boost to higher education and set up institutions that would educate people in agriculture, home economics, mechanical arts, and other professions that were practical at the time.

“Creation of a National Research Fund with the involvement of all ministries will make our research impactful and visible to the society. This is the Morrill moment for HEIs in India,” he said.

Former Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh, who bore the Centre’s ire for the introduction of a four-year undergraduate programme which was later rolled back, said the policy will create room for a healthy and synergistic blend between skill and knowledge. “Some of the reforms outlined in the policy were long due. It allows a productive mix and match of different disciplines so that learning on discipline can provide ideas and connections with another discipline for a real-world outcome or application,” he said.

However, a few experts cautioned that the “devil lies in details” and called for a focused approach in translating the policy into action on the ground.

“The policy has advocated major reforms in education, but as always, the devil lies in the details, and we will see how to get the NEP 2020 translated to action on the ground, true

A FEW experts cautioned that the ‘devil lies in details’ and called for a focused approach in translating the policy into action on the ground