Source: The post India’s NEP 2020 Transforms Education for Innovation and Employability has been created, based on the article “A case of practical, pragmatic and innovative education” published in “The Hindu” on 29 May 2025. India’s NEP 2020 Transforms Education for Innovation and Employability
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.
Context: The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 addresses long-standing concerns about the practicality, innovation, and global competitiveness of Indian education. It introduces a phased, structural reform focused on enhancing employability, boosting research, and preparing students for a global future.
Enhancing Employability through Education Reform
- Flexible Academic Structure: The NEP introduces a four-year flexible degree programme. Students can exit with a credential and rejoin later. This benefits those who might otherwise drop out and allows for varied career paths.
- Industry-Academia Integration: The policy includes internships and vocational training. 167 universities and 59 colleges have adopted four-year degrees. 224 universities and 101 colleges now offer multidisciplinary programmes. These steps build real-world skills and improve job readiness.
- Research Internships and R&D Focus: Higher education institutions offer research internships. 242 universities and 113 colleges have established R&D cells to develop innovation among students and strengthen industry-aligned learning.
- Skill Development through Apprenticeships: Diploma holders and degree dropouts can now enrol as apprentices within five years of graduation. These include government-supported stipends. Currently, 3,07,564 undergraduates and 58,834 postgraduates are engaged in internships.
Strengthening Global Competitiveness
- Improved Global Rankings: Eleven Indian universities are in the QS Top 500. India leads in the QS Asia Rankings 2025 with 163 institutions. Indian universities saw a 25.7% increase in subject-specific entries, with 10 institutions in the global top 50.
- Rising Patent Activity: Patents filed by Indian higher education institutions rose from 7,405 in 2021–22 to 19,155 in 2022–23—a 158% increase. This shows stronger research output.
- Global Innovation Recognition: India ranks 39th in the Global Innovation Index, improving from 76th a decade ago, reflecting a significant leap in innovation.
- International Research Collaborations: Policies like the ANRF Act 2023, AICTE’s IDEA Labs, and SPARC promote global research. SPARC enables partnerships with 28 countries, including the US, UK, and Germany.
Promoting Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation
- Indian Knowledge System: NEP promotes India’s traditional wisdom and pedagogy across education levels, encouraging cultural grounding.
- Smart India Hackathon: This platform nurtures innovation. Since 2017, it has supported 13.9 lakh students, with submissions increasing sevenfold.
Transforming Employment Landscape
- Positive Employment Trends: From 2018–19, educated youth employment steadily rose. By 2023–24, male employment reached 53.4%, female 22.7%, and overall 38.6%, nearing 2004–05 levels.
- Female Workforce Participation: Women’s employment grew post-2017–18, reaching 30.7% in 2023–24, showing broader inclusion.
- Growth of Regular Employment: The share of regular male workers increased from 17.2% in 2004–05 to 24.88% in 2023–24, indicating more stable jobs.
- Decline in Casual Labour: Casual employment dropped—from 30.31% to 16.68% among women and 28.85% to 19.83% overall—reflecting improved job quality.
Conclusion
NEP 2020 is transforming education by aligning it with innovation, employability, and global standards. Its focus on practical training and indigenous thinking is driving India towards a more skilled, competitive, and stable employment future.
Question for practice:
Examine how the New Education Policy 2020 aims to improve employability, innovation, and global competitiveness in India’s education system.
