NEP 2020 Implementation Brought Major Reforms, Including PM SHRI, APAAR, SWAYAM Plus: Education Ministry | Education and Career News
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Education Ministry highlighted the role of digital platforms such as SWAYAM, e-PG Pathshala and UGC e-resource portal in providing students with access to quality academic content.
NIPUN Bharat focuses on ensuring foundational literacy and numeracy skills by class 3, the govt said. (File/Representative)
Following the announcement of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, several transformative reforms and initiatives have been introduced across school and higher education to facilitate its implementation, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Monday, reported ANI.
In school education, the government has undertaken several initiatives, including PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India), aimed at upgrading schools; Samagra Shiksha, which seeks to provide quality education through an inclusive and equitable classroom environment; and the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat), which focuses on ensuring foundational literacy and numeracy skills by class 3.
The government has also introduced Vidya-Pravesh, a three-month play-based school preparation module, and PM e-VIDYA, an initiative that brings together various efforts in digital, online and on-air education to provide students with coherent access to learning through multiple modes.
At the higher education level, a range of reforms and initiatives have been introduced, including the National Credit Framework (NCrF) and the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), along with guidelines and regulations such as the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes and provisions for Multiple Entry and Exit in academic programmes offered by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Other reforms include transforming HEIs into multidisciplinary institutions, allowing students to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously, and introducing the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR ID). The APAAR ID will serve as a lifelong identity for students, enabling the tracking of their educational journey and achievements from the pre-primary stage through higher education.
The government has also introduced the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme to provide financial support to meritorious students. The scheme enables collateral-free and guarantor-free loans through a simple, transparent, student-friendly and fully digital application process.
The Ministry of Education further highlighted the role of digital platforms such as SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha, e-PG Pathshala and the UGC e-resource portal in providing students with access to quality academic content. The integration of the UGC e-resource portal with the Digital Seva Portal has further widened access through Common Service Centres, particularly in rural areas, while also making selected educational content available in regional languages.
To promote flexible learning opportunities, 126 Higher Educational Institutions are currently offering around 802 online programmes, while 121 HEIs are offering approximately 1,699 Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes, the ministry said.
The government has also launched the SWAYAM Plus portal to support skill development, upskilling and reskilling of the workforce. More than 500 courses have been developed and curated in collaboration with 89 industry partners across 17 sectors, covering emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and data analytics. So far, more than 6 lakh students have registered on the platform, according to the government.
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August 11, 2026, 15:19 IST
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