RAIPUR,CG: In a bid for all-round development of students in Chhattisgarh, the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will be implemented across all state and private universities starting with the academic session 2024-25.

Prasanna R, Secretary of the Higher Education Department, Government of Chhattisgarh addressing media announced that with the exception of two universities, the NEP-2020 would be adopted by all state and private universities. The policy will be implemented at Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Bilaspur in January 2025, and at Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh from the academic session 2025-26.

The NEP-2020 will be rolled out in three phases in the state. The first phase begins with the academic session 2024-25, the second phase in 2025-26, and the third phase in 2026-27. Comprehensive preparations have been made. The policy will initially be introduced at the undergraduate level in courses such as B.A., B.Sc., B.Sc. (Home Science), B.Com., BCA, and BBA starting from the academic session 2024-25.

Six committees have been formed by the Higher Education Department to strategize the policy’s implementation. According to the NEP-2020 draft, the undergraduate degree can span 3 or 4 years with multiple entry and exit options, offering a certificate after 1 year, a diploma after 2 years, and the degree itself to be completed within a maximum of seven years. The policy also stipulates a 30 percent weightage for internal assessment and 70 percent for semester exams, Prasanna R said.

The NEP-2020 includes provisions for internships and entrepreneurship courses, with students able to utilize online platforms such as SWAYAM/MOOC for various courses. The overarching goal of NEP-2020 is to facilitate the holistic development of students, create self-employment opportunities through the study of generic elective subjects, and promote value-oriented education, skill development, and capacity building. It aims to prepare students for critical thinking, digital literacy, and physical growth, and to integrate students from forest and remote areas into the mainstream educational framework, he added.