Parliament Question: Implementation of National Education Policy in HEIs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3598 ANSWERED ON 10.08.2026 Implementation of National Education Policy in HEIs 3598. Dr. Alok Kumar Suman: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the manner in which the National Education Policy (NEP) is being implemented in the country; (b) the steps taken by the Government to improve the quality of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs); (c) the efforts being made to promote digital education; (d) the present status of skill development programmes in the education sector; and (e) the schemes being implemented by the Government to improve education in rural areas? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) and (b): After announcement of National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), a number of transformative changes have taken place both in school and higher education for its implementation. In School Education several initiatives have been taken such as PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) for upgradation of schools; Samagra Shiksha for providing quality education with an inclusive and equitable classroom environment for all children; National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) for ensuring foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3; Vidya-Pravesh–Guidelines for Three-month Play-based School Preparation Module; PM e-VIDYA to unify all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable coherent multi-mode access to education; launch of National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF FS) and Jadui Pitara for play-based learning teaching material tailored for children between the age group of 3 to 8 years; NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement) 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0; Vidya Samiksha Kendra; Integrated Teacher Education Programme; National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) for creating a unifying national digital infrastructure to energise and catalyse the education ecosystem; implementation of a scheme “New India Literacy Programme or ULLAS” targeting all non- literates age 15 years and above, etc. In Higher Education, various initiatives / reforms have been carried out such as National Credit Framework (NCrF) and National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) inconjunction with guidelines / regulations like Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programme; Multiple Entry and Exit in Academic Programme offered by Higher Education Institutions; Transforming HEIs into multi-disciplinary Institutions; pursuing two Academic Programme simultaneously; Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR ID) of individual student which will act as lifelong identity to track their educational journey and achievements from, pre-primary to higher education; introduction of PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme to provide financial support to meritorious students inter-alia enabling collateral free, guarantor free loan through a simple, transparent and student-friendly and entirely digital application process; revised regulation of ODL / Online Education; re-envisioned Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Program to build competencies in faculty for better teaching; permitting up to 40% credits in regular courses using SWAYAM platform; launch of new SWAYAM Plus portal with aim to enhance skill and upskilling and reskilling of existing manpower employed in different sectors; Integration of technology in administration of HEIs from admission to grant of degree through SAMARTH; guidelines on Professor of Practice to enable HEIs to work with industry experts; guidelines for supernumerary seats for admitting students from abroad in Indian HEIs; Academic collaboration between Indian and Foreign HEIs to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree Programmes; Regulation for permitting Foreign HEIs to setup campuses in India; enhanced reputation of the Indian HEIs in international ranking; embedding of Indian Knowledge system in the education etc. Education is subject of concurrent list and both Central and State government work collaboratively to ensure comprehensive, and progressive enhancement of overall quality and growth within the education sector. NEP 2020 provides different timelines as well as principles and methodology for its implementation. Accordingly, Ministry of Education, State Governments, education-related Ministries, the regulatory and implementing bodies of school and higher education such as University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education, National Council for Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Central Board of Secondary Education, Universities/Colleges/Schools etc. have started taking initiatives for implementation of NEP 2020. (c): The Government has been promoting digital education in school education through various initiatives under Samagra Shiksha, in alignment with the objectives of NEP 2020. The initiatives aim to enhance the quality of education by integrating technology into teaching and learning processes. Financial assistance is provided to States and Union Territories (UTs) under Samagra Shiksha for ICT infrastructure, including ICT Labs and Smart Classrooms, based on their Annual Work Plan & Budget (AWP&B) approved by the Project Approval Board (PAB). In addition, digital education initiatives such as DIKSHA and PM eVidya are implemented by the Ministry to provide equitable access to quality digital learning resources. Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) is a One Nation, One Digital platform for providing quality e-content for school education in States/UTs along with QR coded Energised Textbooks (ETBs) for all grades. The platform supports both online and offline access, enabling learners to download content and continue learning without internet connectivity, ensuring equitable access for students. The Government of India, in the Budget 2025, has announced provision of broadband connectivity to all Government Secondary schools in rural areas, under the ‘BharatNet’ project by BSNL to enhance digital infrastructure in remote areas in a phased manner.For higher education, digital platforms such as SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha, e-PG Pathshala and the UGC e-resource portal provide students with access to quality academic content. The integration of the UGC e-resource portal with the Digital Seva Portal has further expanded access through Common Service Centres, particularly in rural areas, while also making selected content available in regional languages. To expand flexible learning opportunities, 126 Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are offering about 802 Online Programmes, while 121 HEIs are offering around 1,699 Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes. (d): The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 envisages integration of skill development and vocational education with mainstream higher education to enhance employability, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning. At the school level, Skill Education has been integrated as a regular component of education under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha. NSQF-aligned skill courses are offered to students of Classes IX–XII to enhance employability skills including communication, self-management, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), entrepreneurship and green skills. In line with NEP 2020, students of Classes VI–VIII are provided pre-vocational exposure through Bagless Days, internships with local vocational experts and experiential learning. In higher education, UGC has notified the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF), aligned with the National Credit Framework (NCrF), to enable integration of general, vocational and experiential learning. The National Credit Framework facilitates credit accumulation and transfer across academic, vocational and skill education, while the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) supports seamless academic mobility. UGC has also issued Guidelines for Internship/Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes (AEDP), enabling undergraduate students to acquire industry-relevant skills through structured internships and apprenticeships integrated with their degree programmes. AICTE is actively strengthening skill development by embedding it into technical education. It partners with industries and institutions to offer online skill courses aligned with the regular curriculum, along with skill-focused programmes, compulsory internships, and vocational degrees. These initiatives are designed to build students’ practical abilities and improve employability. Additionally, AICTE has signed MoUs with leading industries and organisations to support internships, skill-building, and faculty upskilling, including hands-on exposure to Industry 4.0 technologies. Employability Skill module has been included as a part of Job Roles/SWAYAM courses in the curriculum which includes Communication Skills, Self-Management Skills, Information and Communication Technology Skills, Entrepreneurship Skills, and Green Skills. To support skill development, the SWAYAM Plus portal has also been launched, focusing on upskilling and reskilling the workforce. More than 500 courses have been developed curated from 89 industry partners across 17 sectors and offered on emerging areas such as AI, Data Analyst etc. So far, more than 6,00,000 students registered on the platform. The National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) bridges the gap between academic learning and industry requirements by providing structured on-the-job training to graduates and diploma holders. The Scheme promotes industry-integrated education through Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes (AEDP), supports apprenticeships in emerging areas such asArtificial Intelligence (AI), and facilitates academic credit integration through the NATS Assessment and Creditisation Framework. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has also made concerted efforts for strengthening the skilling ecosystem through its schemes and initiatives. Flagship schemes being implemented by MSDE include Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). Further, DGT anchors long term training through Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) and Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) implemented through a network of over 13,856 ITIs. (e): Department of School Education & Literacy implements the Samagra Shiksha scheme, an integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme for school education from pre-school to Class XII. The scheme provides support to States and Union Territories for strengthening school infrastructure, including construction of school buildings, additional classrooms, laboratories, libraries, hostels, residential schools, drinking water and sanitation facilities, electrification, smart classrooms, ICT laboratories and digital learning resources. Department of Higher Education, Government of India is implementing Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at funding specific State government universities and colleges, so as to improve its quality by ensuring their conformity to prescribed norms and standards. The government has launched the third phase of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in June 2023 in the form of Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA), with an outlay of Rs. 12,926.10 crore, including the committed liabilities of the earlier phases of RUSA, to cater to the needs of educationally unserved/ underserved areas. Under the Scheme, support is provided to States/UTs for strengthening infrastructure, including construction of hostels, academic and administrative buildings, laboratories and other facilities required for improving access and quality in higher education. In alignment with the objectives of NEP 2020, and with the aim of making high-quality educational content in Indian languages accessible for students, the Bharitiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme (BBPS) has been announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, to provide books in Indian Languages for school and higher education in digital format. BBPS envisions making educational content available in 22 Indian languages. Union Budget 2026-27 has announced setting up of 1 girls’ hostel in every district through Viability Gap Funding /capital support to encourage enrolment of girls in STEM institutes/ courses. ****