From Policy Intent to Implementation Reality: A Critical Assessment of India's New Education Policy 2020 Through the Lens of Inclusivity, Democracy, and Universal Access

Abstract

The transition from India's National Policy on Education 1986 to the New Education Policy 2020 represents a fundamental reimagining of educational governance, emphasizing inclusive, democratic, and universal access to quality education. This mixed-methods study critically examines NEP 2020 through empirical analysis of 531 stakeholders—alumni (n=104), current students (n=145), faculty (n=52), employers (n=30), and two-level analysis participants (n=210)—investigating the theoretical foundations of both policies, evaluating NEP 2020's democratizing opportunities, and identifying implementation challenges. Findings reveal strong conceptual support for NEP 2020's inclusive principles (80.8% faculty agreement on enhanced opportunities), yet significant implementation challenges emerged including infrastructure inadequacies (78% faculty dissatisfaction with previous policy resources), geographic disparities affecting universal access, and varying institutional readiness. Cross-tabulation analyses indicated statistically significant associations between implementation status and stakeholder perceptions of inclusivity (χ² = 12.45, p < .05). While NEP 2020's theoretical framework comprehensively addresses Education Policy 1986's limitations—particularly regarding equity, flexibility, and multidisciplinary approaches—successful implementation requires systematic capacity building, faculty development, and geographic equity measures to realize its democratic vision of universal quality education.