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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
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Paper ID:
10.55041/IJSREM.NEP009
Volume:
10 |
5 |
May 2026
Pages:
1-4
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Department of Public Administration
Osmania University Hyderabad, Telangana.
The Indian education system has long been criticized for its overreliance on rote learning, a method centered on memorization rather than conceptual understanding and application. Rooted in colonial administrative models and reinforced by examination-oriented practices, rote learning has shaped generations of students who excel in reproducing information but often struggle with critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) represents a transformative shift in this paradigm by reimagining the philosophy, structure, and purpose of education in India. NEP 2020 seeks to transition from mechanical memorization to meaningful, competency-based, and experiential learning. The policy emphasizes multidisciplinary education, flexibility in subject choices, integration of vocational skills, and the use of technology to enhance teaching and assessment. By introducing inquiry-driven classrooms, project-based learning, and adaptive digital tools, NEP 2020 promotes deeper understanding and long-term retention of knowledge. It also redefines assessment practices through competency-based evaluation and continuous feedback mechanisms, thereby reducing the stress associated with high-stakes examinations. A central feature of NEP 2020 is its commitment to holistic development. Education is envisioned not merely as academic achievement but as the nurturing of intellectual, emotional, ethical, and physical capacities. The policy integrates arts, sports, value education, and life skills into the curriculum, ensuring balanced growth of learners. Furthermore, by promoting mother-tongue instruction in early years and incorporating Indian Knowledge Systems, NEP 2020 aligns global competitiveness with cultural rootedness. Despite its visionary framework, the success of NEP 2020 depends heavily on effective implementation, teacher training, infrastructural readiness, and bridging the digital divide. If these challenges are addressed, NEP 2020 has the potential to redefine learning in India—transforming classrooms from centers of rote memorization into dynamic spaces of creativity, collaboration, and critical inquiry. Ultimately, the policy promises not merely reform, but a paradigm shift from rote learning to real learning in 21st-century India.
KEYWORDS
The National Education Policy 2020 represents a historic opportunity to redefine the philosophy and practice of education in India. By shifting from rote memorization to experiential, holistic, and competency-based learning, the policy seeks to prepare students for the complexities of the 21st century.If implemented effectively, NEP 2020 has the potential to transform classrooms into dynamic spaces of inquiry, creativity, and collaboration. The transition from rote learning to real learning is not merely a pedagogical adjustment but a fundamental reimagining of education as a process of intellectual empowerment and societal advancement. In this sense, NEP 2020 marks not simply a reform, but a paradigmatic transformation in Indian education.
1. Ministry of Education, Government of India (2020) – Official NEP2020 document outlining holistic, integrated, and enjoyable learning, with emphasis on curriculum and pedagogy reforms. 2. Dwivedi, K. (2021) – Transforming the Indian Educational Landscape: A Critical Perspective on NEP2020, analyzing structural, pedagogical, and technological reforms in social science education. 3. Naik, S., Ghose, S., &Pati, S. (2021) – 360-Degree Holistic Assessment in School Education: An Analysis of NEP2020, highlighting the move toward inclusive evaluation of social, emotional, and practical abilities. 4. Hussain, M. I. (2025) – Recontextualizing or Reifying Tradition? A Critical Analysis of the Indian Knowledge Systems Mandate in NEP2020, examining the integration of cultural and social knowledge systems into curricula. 5. Dey, N. (2022). National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on transforming education: A critical analysis of recommendations on school, teacher and higher education. Journal of Indian Education, 48(1), 187–200. 6. Government of India, Ministry of Education. (2020). National education policy 2020. https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf 7. Kapur, D., & Mehta, P. B. (2007). Indian higher education reform: From half-baked socialism to half-baked capitalism. Brookings-NCAER India Policy Forum, 3(1), 1–37. 8. Kumar, P., & Singh, A. (2025). Five years of NEP 2020: A review of structural transformations in Indian education. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 51(12), 154–164. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2025/v51i122683 9. Kumari, S. (2023). Higher education under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A teacher’s perspective study. ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 4(2), 1877–1888. https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i2.2023.3980 10. Mittal, S. S., Keswani, A., Garg, A., Khanna, A., Deb, H., & Gupta, L. (2025). Examining the National Education Policy 2020 from the perspective of girls’ higher education and employability. EPH-International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.53555/eijhss.v9i2.204
Publication Date
6/9/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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