The National Education Policy 2020 policy has replaced the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), formulated in 1986. The revised policy aims to take a holistic step by making the learning system more enjoyable, integrated, flexible, and experiential. The New Education Policy focuses on empowering teachers to offer students competency-based education. In addition, it brings several changes to how academies should function.

The Department of Higher Education, MHRD states that NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education, including vocational education, from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035, and 3.5 crore new seats will be added to higher education institutions.

The New Education Policy 2021 focuses on bringing positive change to the Indian education system. It strives to provide high-quality education to all the students of India. Following are some points that you should know about:

• New Education Policy 2021 focuses more on mother tongue and regional languages.

• It brings a radical change to the curriculum structure, including 5 years in the foundational stage, 3 years in the preparatory phase, 3 years in the middle stage, and 4 years in the secondary stage.

• The stages are divided according to the cognitive development that a student goes through in early childhood, school, and secondary school.

• New Education Policy is based on 5 traditional foundational pillars - Accountability, Quality, Access, Affordability, and Equity.

• It encourages all institutions to go digital and make their curriculum holistic, multi-disciplinary and flexible.

• Qualitative and qualitative learning will be provided to the students under New Education Policy 2021.

The New 5+3+3+4 Formula For Different Age-group

The following is a breakdown of the various stages of the new education system by age:

Foundational Stage (5 years) - for 3 to 8-year kids from classes 1 to 2

• Anganwadi/pre-school classes.

• This foundational stage will focus on multilevel, flexible, activity- or play-based teaching methods and developing kids' language skills.

Preparatory Stage (3 years) - for 8 to 11-year-old children from classes 3 to 5

• Focus on foundational learning and increasing students' basic numeracy and literacy skills.

• Subjects like Mathematics, Science and Art will be introduced to students.

Middle Stage (3 years) - for 11 to 14-year kids studying in classes 6 to 8

• Kids will learn core academic and life skills.

• They will learn about science, humanities, arts, social sciences and mathematics concepts.

• Students will be taught coding from the 6th standard.

Secondary Stage (4 Years) - for 14 to 18 years kids studying in classes 9 to 12

• Students will have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of subjects.

Thus, the change of education scheme from the 10+2 to the 5+3+3+4 system offers kids many development opportunities and highlights the areas the education system should focus on to improve.

Benefits of New Education Policy 2021

• Now, schools will be using a digital platform.

• Students can also take Sanskrit and other ancient languages of India if they want to study.

• The government aims to make schooling available to each child in India with the help of the New Education Policy.

• The National Council of educational research and training (NCERT) will prepare the national curriculum framework for schooling.

• Virtual labs will be developed to tackle any crisis.

• This policy will reduce students' curriculum load and allow them to be more "multi-lingual" and "interdisciplinary."

• It will help students to develop a scientific mindset from a young age.

The government had brought New Education Policy 2021 to make learning stress-free, fun-filled, and holistic for students. Also, teachers and parents pay special attention to students' education and skills to help prepare them to survive in today's highly competitive world.