The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a comprehensive framework that aims to transform the education system in India, from the school level to higher education. The policy seeks to address the current challenges and gaps in the higher education sector, and proposes several reforms to make it more inclusive, holistic and globally competitive. According to Vineet Gupta Ashoka University Founder, “The NEP has the potential to transform the foundations of education by enabling students to acquire high-quality resources and study new courses. It can modernize education and offer students more flexibility in their higher studies.”
One of the key features of the NEP-2020 is the emphasis it places on multidisciplinary education and flexibility in courses. The policy suggests a four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme, which will allow students to take up a varied range of courses across different disciplines. This proposition will help students with a more holistic education and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary for a fast changing employment market. Students are also permitted to engage in dual degrees concurrently in a physical setting, through distance learning or online mode.
Since its inception in 2014, Ashoka University has been way ahead of its time in implementing multidisciplinary education and practical learning, as proposed by the NEP. A 3+1 year undergraduate programme is offered to students, in which they complete a number of foundation courses in their freshman year in a variety of academic fields, including sociology, economics, literature, history, philosophy, mathematics, etc., before selecting a major of their choice at the start of their second year.
Along with providing students a well-rounded education, the foundation courses assist them in choosing which field of study to pursue. Students at Ashoka have the choice to graduate in three years as a four-year undergraduate degree was not permitted by UGC back then or they can remain on for an extra year to undertake additional courses. Students were also given opportunity to pursue an additional major.
Ashoka University Founders believed in the power of multidisciplinary education and structured the university in accordance with that. Co-Founder Pranav Gupta highlights, “Our curriculum has always been designed to nurture critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills among students, and we have continuously evolved our teaching methodologies to offer a more experiential and practical approach to learning. As a multidisciplinary institution, we encourage our students to explore and learn across different domains, breaking down the traditional bounds of education.”
For Indian higher education, the NEP’s provisions for interdisciplinary education have been revolutionary. However, the path ahead is not without obstacles. To properly execute the policy, obstacles such as a lack of funding, insufficient resources and inadequately trained faculty must be addressed. One such big obstacle that educational institutions may have when putting the NEP-2020 into practice is the shift in curriculum. The proposed strategy calls for a multidisciplinary approach to education, which means institutions will need to alter their curricula to accommodate it and provide a greater selection of courses in many fields. Designing new courses, revising old courses and adjusting the curriculum to fit the new teaching approaches will all take a lot of effort and time.
The NEP-2020 also suggests moving away from rote learning and toward a more hands-on, pragmatic approach to education. As a result, educational institutions will need to create new teaching strategies that prioritize project-based learning, experiential learning and analytical skills. Faculty members will need to undergo training to implement and incorporate these new teaching methods into the curricula.
“Implementing these changes will require a significant amount of planning, coordination and collaboration among educational institutions, faculty members and other stakeholders. The curriculum redesign process will need to be aligned with the new infrastructure requirements, such as digital classrooms and online learning platforms, to ensure that the curriculum is delivered effectively,” states Vineet Gupta.
Ashoka University Founders maintain that NEP-2020 is the way forward in India’s higher education sector. “Our university has always been one step ahead from the time of its establishment. Our focus on liberal arts education, holistic development and research-based pedagogy aligns perfectly with the NEP. Its provisions are transformational and with the right support and investment, it will help fulfill the vision of creating a more inclusive, student-centric and globally competitive education system in India,” adds Pranav Gupta.