Status of Structural Reforms in Higher Education Under NEP 2020: Implementation, Challenges and Suggestions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53724/inspiration/v11n2.06Keywords:
Institutional Restructuring, Regulatory System, Structural Reforms, Academic Flexibility, National Research Foundation, Higher Education Commission of IndiaAbstract
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in higher education seeks to serve global excellence in addition to nurturing local values and Bhartiya Gyan. It is concentrated on core values such as curriculum flexibility, inter-disciplinarity, equity, autonomy and innovation through research. This paper is a critical assessment of the reforms undertaken in NEP 2020, such as academic restructuring, regulatory restructuring and the faculty development and their implementation by 2025. While the policy is ambitious, its roll-out is facing challenges like bureaucratic delays, staffing, digital divide, and infrastructure. The paper identifies the key challenges and suggests solutions based on the policy documents, academic reviews and government data on institutional capacity building, financing, stakeholder engagement and effective governance. The paper concludes with evidence-based suggestions to ensure inclusive and sustainable implementation of the structural reforms of NEP 2020 to help in internationalising higher education in India.
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