Higher Education Reforms Under National Education Policy 2020 and Impact on Professional Admissions

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved on July 29, 2020, replaced the National Policy on Education of 1986. It sets a target to raise the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, including vocational education, from 26.3% in 2018 to 50% by 2035. The policy introduces structural overhauls in regulatory frameworks, institutional classifications, degree structures, and entrance examination systems across general and professional streams.

Regulatory Architecture: Higher Education Commission of India

Single Overarching Regulator

NEP 2020 proposes establishing the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) as an umbrella body for higher education. Medical and legal education remain outside its jurisdiction. HECI replaces existing regulatory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Four Verticals of HECI

• National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC): Functions as the single-point regulator for general and technical higher education.
• National Accreditation Council (NAC): Serves as a meta-accreditation body to oversee institutional grading through public disclosures.
• Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC): Handles financing and funding allocations for higher education institutions.
• General Education Council (GEC): Frames expected learning outcomes and formulates the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF).

Institutional Restructuring and Degree Framework

Three-Tier Institutional Categorization

The policy reorganizes higher educational institutions into three distinct categories by 2040: Research-Intensive Universities, Teaching-Intensive Universities, and Autonomous Degree-Granting Colleges. The affiliation system for colleges will be phased out over 15 years through graded autonomy. Complex terms like “Deemed to be University” and “Affiliating University” are replaced by the uniform term “University”. Every district in India aims to have at least one large multidisciplinary higher educational institution by 2030.

Four-Year Undergraduate Program Structure

Undergraduate degree programs transition to a 3 or 4-year duration with flexible entry and exit points.

Academic Bank of Credits

The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) is a digital repository established under UGC regulations. ABC stores academic credits earned digitally by students from registered higher educational institutions. It facilitates credit transfers, enabling multi-point entry and exit across institutions and academic disciplines.

Impact on Professional Admissions and Testing Architecture

National Testing Agency as Central Testing Body

The National Testing Agency (NTA) acts as a premier, autonomous testing organization. It offers standardized, high-quality common entrance examinations for undergraduate and graduate admissions in general and technical fields. This reduces the burden of appearing in multiple institutional tests.

Common University Entrance Test Model

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) standardizes admissions across central and participating universities. Conducted by the NTA, CUET offers a single-window evaluation based on computer-based testing. It eliminates reliance on high board examination cut-offs and enables flexible, multidisciplinary subject combinations.

Professional and Technical Education Changes

• Technical Stream Flexibility: AICTE updated subject eligibility norms for engineering admissions, allowing students who studied varied combinations at the senior secondary level to enter technical courses through bridging modules.
• Discontinuation of M.Phil: The M.Phil degree program is discontinued under NEP 2020. Students can directly enter Ph.D. programs after completing a 4-year bachelor’s degree with research or a master’s degree.
• Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs): Model public universities called MERUs are established at par with IITs and IIMs to promote holistic education. Single-stream professional institutions are gradually phased out to integrate arts, sciences, and technical studies.

Research Promotion and Global Integration

Anusandhan National Research Foundation

Parliament passed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act in 2023. ANRF seeds, grows, and funds research, innovation, and enterprise across higher educational institutions.

Internationalization Initiatives

• Top 100 foreign universities in global rankings can operate in India under a legislative framework with custom regulatory norms.
• High-performing Indian universities receive support to set up offshore campuses.

Key Facts for Quick Revision

• Gross Enrolment Ratio Target: Increase GER in higher education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035.
• Excluded Domains from HECI: Medical education and legal education remain outside the purview of the Higher Education Commission of India.
• Phasing Out Affiliation System: College affiliation system to be completely phased out in 15 years through graded autonomy.
• Ph.D. Eligibility: Direct Ph.D. entry permitted after a 4-year undergraduate degree with research, bypassing Master’s or M.Phil.
• Discontinued Degree: The M.Phil program stands discontinued under NEP 2020 guidelines.
• Digital Credit Repository: Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) stores digital credits to facilitate student mobility across institutions.
• Research Funding Nodal Body: Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) established via the 2023 Act to direct national research grants.
• Model Multidisciplinary Universities: MERUs established at par with IITs and IIMs to set national standards for holistic education.