NEP 2020 Adoption Uneven, Despite Curriculum And Faculty Progress: QS Report
24 July 2025 10:54 PM IST24 July 2025 10:54 PM IST
NEP reforms remain patchy: report flags uneven progress
New report shows NEP goals unmet as gaps in digital access, training, and support persist. (DC File Image)
Hyderabad: Five years after the launch of the National Education Policy (NEP), most Indian higher education institutions have made visible progress in areas like curriculum flexibility and faculty training. However, the first-ever implementation review by QS I-GAUGE also reveals that key reforms such as multiple entry and exit options, academic-industry linkages, and mental health support remain patchy.
Of the 165 institutions surveyed across 21 states and three Union Territories, 90% said they offer flexible curricula and 96% confirmed alignment with the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework. Over 92% of faculty underwent professional development programmes, signalling strong momentum in teacher training.
But access to digital learning remains mixed. While 94% of institutions have invested in open digital infrastructure, only 4% have not engaged with national e-learning platforms like SWAYAM and DIKSHA. The report contradicts common perceptions of poor digital access, showing widespread uptake in these areas.
Mental health support is another area where assumptions do not match the data. Contrary to reports citing only 14% of institutions with mental health partnerships, the survey found that 54% of institutions have signed MoUs with national-level institutes for mental health services. The remaining 46% still lack such arrangements.
Institutional autonomy also needs clarity. Only 22% of surveyed colleges reported autonomous status, while 78% do not. Many institutions cited bureaucracy, financial dependency, and low institutional capacity as major hurdles to realising NEP’s more ambitious structural reforms.
On global engagement, 59% of institutions have formal collaboration agreements with international universities, and 55% reported faculty-level partnerships. However, few have appointed “Professors of Practice” from industry (just 14%), pointing a gap in bridging academic and industry ecosystems.
Adoption of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) remains low, with only 38% offering IKS electives. Over 90% of institutions have not empanelled ‘Kala Gurus’ (traditional knowledge experts).
The study, based on data from academic leaders, offers the first clear picture of how NEP 2020 is unfolding on the ground. It urges policymakers to focus on institutional readiness, state-wise disparities, and meaningful internationalisation.
But access to digital learning remains mixed. While 94% of institutions have invested in open digital infrastructure, only 4% have not engaged with national e-learning platforms like SWAYAM and DIKSHA. The report contradicts common perceptions of poor digital access, showing widespread uptake in these areas.
Mental health support is another area where assumptions do not match the data. Contrary to reports citing only 14% of institutions with mental health partnerships, the survey found that 54% of institutions have signed MoUs with national-level institutes for mental health services. The remaining 46% still lack such arrangements.
Institutional autonomy also needs clarity. Only 22% of surveyed colleges reported autonomous status, while 78% do not. Many institutions cited bureaucracy, financial dependency, and low institutional capacity as major hurdles to realising NEP’s more ambitious structural reforms.
On global engagement, 59% of institutions have formal collaboration agreements with international universities, and 55% reported faculty-level partnerships. However, few have appointed “Professors of Practice” from industry (just 14%), pointing a gap in bridging academic and industry ecosystems.
Adoption of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) remains low, with only 38% offering IKS electives. Over 90% of institutions have not empanelled ‘Kala Gurus’ (traditional knowledge experts).
The study, based on data from academic leaders, offers the first clear picture of how NEP 2020 is unfolding on the ground. It urges policymakers to focus on institutional readiness, state-wise disparities, and meaningful internationalisation.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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