National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A Vision for Tribal Education

Abstract

The Union Cabinet has approved the New National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as a reformative measure aimed at enhancing the Indian education system to meet the needs of 21st-century India. The policy aims to provide students with access to quality higher education, with a major goal of universalizing primary education (for the age group 3–6 years). In the realm of tribal education, support schemes for employment will be strengthened through cutting-edge technological updates in fields such as Artificial Intelligence, 3D modeling and analysis, and biotechnology. The policy sets a target of achieving a 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2030, and to this end, it proposes a public expenditure of 6% of GDP on the education sector through collaborative efforts between the NEP and state governments. Under this new policy, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has been renamed as the Ministry of Education. One of the key strategies for developing life skills among tribal children is investment in sports. A marked improvement has been observed in their self-efficacy and team spirit. As part of this initiative, tribal children in states like Jharkhand, Mizoram, Manipur, and Assam were engaged in football and hockey activities, resulting in enhanced community engagement and team-building capacities. The community has also been encouraged to share indigenous knowledge related to herbal medicine.