India’s Education System Faces Scrutiny Amidst Implementation of NEP 2020

India's education sector is under scrutiny as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 attempts to address critical issues, including infrastructural gaps, teacher vacancies and declining enrollment. The Economist suggests that education policy is one of the primary drivers of India's woes. Despite increased budgetary spending, the system is plagued by outdated curricula and memorization, which denies actual understanding and exposure to the real world.

Quality and accessibility are not on an equal level, particularly targeting the rural and vulnerable populations. Students are also victimized by a digital divide wherein only 27% of homes in the countryside are connected to the internet. A 25% level of teacher absence also strains resources and dilutes learning impact. NEP 2020 hopes to raise the Gross Enrollment Ratio to 50% by the year 2035, but its current position of 27.1% portends what lies ahead.

Source: The Statesman