Current Context: Union cabinet has approved the new education policy which is named as National Education Policy 2020.
- Along with this approval, the Ministry of Human Resource Development is renamed as Ministry of Education. Both the decisions were taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi and the announcement of the decisions was made by Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
- Under the National Education Policy 2020, major reforms are made especially in the higher education sector.
- Highlights of National Education Policy 2020:
- (a) 50% Gross enrollment ratio to be achieved by 2035
- (b) Merging of UGC and AICTE
- (c) UG Programme tenured for 3 or 4 years and PG Programme tenured for 1 or 2 years with multiple entry/exit.
- (d) M Phil degree to be discontinued
- (e) Flexibility of subjects. Students will be able to select major and minor disciplines irrespective of subject combinations. This will increase intake in multi-disciplinary courses
- (f) 5-year course for integrated bachelor and master education
- (g) Formation of vocational training courses for middle school students with an internship of 10 days
- (h) Program coding will be included in the school academic subjects
- (i) e-courses will be included in regional languages
- (j) Formation of virtual labs
- (k) National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) will also be created.
- (l) There will be no rigid separation between streams such as Arts & Sciences.
- (m) The mother tongue will be a medium of instruction till 5th grade. And many major reforms are made in the National Education Policy 2020.
Question:
Q.1 Which ministry is renamed as Ministry of Education?
a. Ministry of Youth affairs and sports
b. Ministry of Labour and Employment
c. Ministry of Human Resource Development
d. Ministry of Science and technology
a. Ministry of Youth affairs and sports
b. Ministry of Labour and Employment
c. Ministry of Human Resource Development
d. Ministry of Science and technology
