Shodh Prabha: A Multidisciplinary Journal

A Sociological Review on Education Reform in India: In the Context of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

Education in India constitutes a central institution for socialisation, citizenship formation, and socio-economic mobility, yet access and outcomes remain structured by enduring inequalities of caste, class, gender, disability, region, and language. This study undertakes a sociological review of educational reform in India, with specific reference to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which proposes a system-wide restructuring from early childhood education to higher education. Adopting a qualitative approach based on secondary sources, the analysis examines key policy reforms including the 5+3+3+4 curricular structure, Early Childhood Care and Education, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy initiatives, multilingual pedagogy, competency-based assessment reforms, vocational integration, multidisciplinary higher education, credit transfer and multiple entry–exit pathways, digital learning platforms, and regulatory reorganisation, and evaluates their implications for equity and social stratification. The findings indicate that NEP 2020 articulates a comprehensive equity-oriented agenda; however, its transformative potential is contingent upon implementation capacity, adequate financing, teacher preparation, and coordinated governance within India’s federal framework. The study concludes that NEP 2020 must be assessed not only as policy design but as a social process mediated by institutional and structural conditions.