One year of NEP reform: new initiatives

RSTV 29 July, 2021: The Big Picture – One year of NEP reform: New initiatives

GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources
GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

The July 29th 2021 marked the completion of one year of the new National Education Policy.
The policy document was launched in 2020, paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems, also improve understanding and employability of graduates in the country and to make India a global knowledge superpower.
To mark one year of these reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed policy makers in the domain of education and skill development, students and teachers.
The Prime Minister also launched multiple initiatives in the education sector such as the academic bank of credit (ABC) that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in higher education first year engineering programmes in regional languages guidelines for internationalization of higher education.

The National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) and the National Education Technology Forum (NETF) were also launched at the event.

As per the government, these initiatives will help in realizing the goals of NEP 2020 and will make education more holistic, accessible, and affordable.

What is Academic bank credit

Academic Bank of Credit referred to as ABC is a virtual storehouse that will keep records of academic credits secured by a student.
Courses undergone by the students through the online modes through National Schemes like SWAYAM, NPTEL, V-Lab etc. or of any specified university, shall also be considered for credit transfer and credit accumulation.
Credits obtained by students by undergoing Skill-courses from Registered Higher Education Institutions offering vocational Degree or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma or Certificate programmes are also eligible for accrual and redemption of credits through the Academic Bank of Credits.
NEP is trying to help student in deciding the pace of their studying courses through Academic Bank of Credit by giving multiple entry and exit options in their courses.
Flexibility options are being discussed. If student don’t want to graduate, based on the credits student have accumulated he will be given the degree. In short more flexibility in deciding the pace depending on students own reasons.

Significance of the Academic bank credit

Drafted on the lines of the National Academic Depository, the ABC will give multiple entry and exit options to the students enabling them to leave a degree or course and get a corresponding certification and re-join studies after a certain time and be able to start from where they had left.
The ABC Regulations intend to give impetus to blended learning Mode, allowing students to earn credits from various HEIs registered under this scheme and through SWAYAM, an online repository of courses. The student can earn up to 50 per cent credits from outside the college/university where she/he is enrolled for the degree/diploma program.
It will function as a commercial bank where students will be the customers and ABC will offer several services to these students.
It will also provide students with the flexibility to move between institutes while pursuing one degree or leave a course.

Issues in implementation:

There are speculations that ABC Regulation 2021 will only lead to the dilution of degrees and that these policies ignore the key ideas of equity, quality, access and efficacy.
It is absolutely critical to create new institutional mechanisms at the national level that are vested with the responsibility of implementing the NEP.
One of the major challenges of implementing any policy is the absence of legislative backing and statutory support.

Conclusion:

In recent years, India’s education sector has considered a host of reforms and accelerated economic outlays. These reforms could perchance transform India into a knowledge haven. Especially reforms through NEP will probably lead to extensive increment in education in the country.

Can you attempt these questions now?

Critically discuss the significance of the NEP reforms.
What are the different NEP reforms? Discuss the significance of Academic bank credit.

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