Impact of NEP-2020 on the quality of educational outcomes: Perceptions of select stakeholders

Abstract

With the advent of various trends in the technological domain, with Artificial Intelligence taking over a number of jobs hitherto handled by humans, it has become highly imperative for the youth to be equipped to face the changing world scenario. This is quite obvious in recent years, with multiple layoffs by companies, and bots taking over these mechanical jobs- the education sector has to alter its method of imparting knowledge. The knowledge, skill set and experience of the yesteryears cannot be used to covet jobs in the contemporary age anymore. Thus, the National Education Policy 2020 (henceforth referred to as NEP 2020) of India aspires to bridge this existing gap with its emphasis on holistic education. The current study intends to analyse the impact of implementation of NEP 2020 on the quality of educational outcomes and the ability of learning among students while appraising the overall academic growth in teachers who are the main stakeholders of this policy, through select stakeholders, i.e., students and teachers in the state of Goa. This paper will also underscore the various goals and challenges of NEP 2020 that are more relevant to the stakeholders of higher education in the country. For this study, a purposive sample of 273 respondents encompassing students and teachers have been considered and analyzed. The study uses Factor analysis and Regression as analytical tools. The analysis of the data posits that while NEP 2020 has a promising and significant positive impact on students and teachers, there is substantial scope for improvement which can only be incorporated with the support of all its stakeholders.