Six years after the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was approved by the Union Cabinet, India’s biggest education reform since 1986 has achieved significant progress in curriculum redesign and higher education flexibility.
However, several of its most ambitious promises—including education funding, a unified higher education regulator, teacher education reforms and examination transparency—remain unfinished.
The milestone comes at a challenging time for the education sector, following nationwide protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. While several reforms have reached classrooms, others continue to face delays due to policy, financial and implementation hurdles.
One of the most visible achievements of the NEP has been the rollout of the 5+3+3+4 school structure, replacing the decades-old 10+2 education model. Early childhood education has now been integrated into formal schooling, while the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced revised textbooks for Classes 1 to 9, with books for higher classes expected soon.
The government has also expanded foundational learning initiatives through Jaadui Pitara learning kits and the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) programme. According to the latest PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, learning outcomes in language and mathematics have improved compared to 2021, although they have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Digital reforms have also gathered pace, with over 20 crore APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) IDs issued to students across the country. However, the initiative has also sparked privacy concerns, prompting legal challenges. The Supreme Court has indicated that parents should have the option to withhold consent for APAAR registration.
Higher education has witnessed major structural changes. The Academic Bank of Credits and National Credit Framework now allow students to transfer academic credits between institutions and pause or resume their education more easily. The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) has become the primary admission route for central universities, although it has faced criticism over technical issues and concerns regarding institutional autonomy.
India has also made progress in the internationalisation of higher education. Institutions such as IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad have established overseas campuses, while several foreign universities have received approval to set up campuses in India.
Despite these gains, several reforms remain only partially implemented. The four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) has been adopted by central universities and some states, but many institutions continue to face faculty shortages and infrastructure constraints. Similarly, the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) is expanding gradually but has yet to become the nationwide standard envisioned under the policy.
The NEP’s recommendation to promote mother-tongue instruction up to Class 5 has also seen uneven implementation. While several schools have adopted regional language teaching, multilingual classrooms, political debates over language policy and shortages of teaching materials continue to pose challenges in many states.
One of the biggest unfinished reforms is the creation of a single higher education regulator. The proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA), intended to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other regulatory bodies, remains pending after being referred to a Parliamentary Joint Committee for further examination.
Examination reforms have also faced setbacks. Repeated disruptions in CUET, the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak and the cancellation and re-conduct of NEET-UG 2026 have raised fresh concerns about the credibility of public examinations. Although CBSE has introduced twice-a-year board examinations for Class 10 and shifted Class 12 answer sheet evaluation to on-screen marking, technical glitches and evaluation errors have affected implementation.
Education experts say the policy has successfully shifted the focus from rote learning towards conceptual understanding and skill development, but they emphasise that teacher training, assessment reforms and institutional capacity require sustained investment.
Perhaps the biggest challenge remains funding. The NEP reiterated the long-standing goal of raising public expenditure on education to 6% of GDP, but combined spending by the Centre and states remains around 4.1%, limiting the pace of several reforms.
As the National Education Policy completes six years, it has undoubtedly reshaped many aspects of India’s education system. However, experts believe its long-term success will depend on whether structural reforms, adequate funding and stronger institutional support can match the policy’s ambitious vision.
