Any discussion on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 should go beyond partisan dualisms. Let us debate it for its effectiveness in expanding student opportunities, strengthening academic institutions and preparing the youth for the future. Critical engagement with NEP provisions is necessary, rather than dismissing them through broad critiques.
The draft UGC guidelines of 2025 seek greater transparency in the selection of academic leaders, ensuring they are chosen on qualifications and strategic vision. The role of governors as chancellors is not new. Many states have upheld this structure for decades. The draft 2025 regulations refine the process by introducing a standardised selection mechanism to prevent ad hoc appointments. These guidelines reinforce cooperative federalism by instituting a clear framework within which universities can function effectively.
NEP 2020 does not dilute the Right to Education Act. Instead, it builds upon its provisions to improve quality and access. The idea of forming school complexes is a global best practice. Smaller schools can be part of a larger network, ensuring that infrastructure and teaching resources are shared for better educational outcomes.
The claim that 89,441 public schools have been closed due to NEP 2020 is misleading. Several state governments have undertaken school consolidation as an administrative measure over the years to improve efficiency. The increased budget allocations for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and PM SHRI schools is a clear commitment to investment in public education.
It is, therefore, incorrect to suggest the NEP 2020 is forcing poor students into private institutions. Let us not reduce the role of private education to a binary argument of public versus private—it is about co-existence, where both systems are strengthened to serve different needs.
Introducing the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) is not a withdrawal of public funding from higher education. HEFA can provide access to capital other than government grants. HEIs can manage repayment without imposing an undue burden on students as its financing model has long-term repayment plans and low interest rates. The claim that between 78 and 100 percent of these loans are being repaid through student fees is oversimplification.
We all agree the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and National Testing Agency (NTA) need improvement. No system is flawless. The NAAC is moving toward a more transparent, technology-driven and outcome-based framework. The goal is to eliminate subjectivity and potential irregularities. Similarly, instead of dismissing the NTA as inept, let us reform and strengthen it to conduct exams nationwide. To overcome operational challenges and vulnerabilities, NAAC and NTA are embracing measures recommended by the Radhakrishnan Committee.
Shaping the nation’s future through education cannot be viewed as a simplistic narrative of ideological imposition. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has repeatedly clarified that textbooks were revised to streamline content, eliminate redundancy and make learning more engaging. There is precedence to such updates.
Historical events such as Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination or the Mughal rule are not being erased. Students continue to engage with such topics in a nuanced and age-appropriate manner. Concerns regarding removing the Preamble to the Indian Constitution are disproved. The NCERT has fixed it after taking public feedback, proving it’s responsive to suggestions.
The claim that faculty appointments are dictated by ideological affinity is not true. UGC has frequently emphasised through its regulations that the selection processes in higher education institutes are transparent and structured. Our institutions continue to attract accomplished scholars and deliver world-class research, confirming academic integrity remains a top priority.
NEP 2020 aims to promote a multi-disciplinary ecosystem, global best practices, outcome-based education, skill development, industry collaborations, education in the Indian language medium and establish a dynamic, research-driven academic environment. Our education system should not remain detached from the challenges we face as a nation. Since the launch of NEP 2020, there have been visible improvements in our education. The PM SHRI initiative, which underlines the public service ethos, is an example of providing high-quality learning environments in government schools. We want to ensure government schools evolve into centres of excellence rather than remaining afterthoughts.
There is no question of undermining state autonomy when the country adopts a common framework for learning outcomes, faculty selection and quality standards. Instead, it ensures consistency and better mobility for students across institutions nationwide.The expansion of public institutions (IITs, AIIMS, central universities), internships (PM internship scheme) and financial aid mechanisms (Vidyalaxmi) reflect an effort to ensure that affordability remains central to NEP 2020. Any assertion that commercialisation has compromised access to education is a failure to see the nuances of the reforms.
Let the country assess the tangible impacts of the ongoing educational reforms through the lens of student outcomes. Our students deserve a future-ready education system. Ultimately, our discussions must rise above polemics and focus on efforts to improve equity, accessibility and quality. Let us not resist reforms to preserve outdated structures.
Mamidala Jagdesh Kumar
Former Chairman, University Grants Commission and former Vice-Chancellor, JNU
(Views are personal)
