NEP 2020: Dharmendra Pradhan Champions Education as the Cornerstone of Viksit Bharat 2047
In an aspirational step toward transforming India into a global player, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailed the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as the anchor of Viksit Bharat 2047, our aspiration to achieve a developed country by our centennial year of independence. Pradhan made these remarks while addressing the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2025 in New Delhi on July 29, 2025. As part of his address, Pradhan referred to NEP 2020 as a “philosophical document” which universalizes world-class education to develop creativity, inclusiveness, and innovation. The NEP’s fifth anniversary sparks a new renaissance in Indian education, and raises the question of how this, so-called bold blueprint, will contribute to a prosperous and knowledge-driven nation.
NEP 2020 was launched on July 29, 2020, under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership to effectively change India’s education system to meet 21st century demands. Pradhan establishing India’s civilizational ethos of learning – the heart of nation-building – was a vision expressed in his remarks at the Samagam attended by education ministers from 13 states, vice-chancellors and academics.
The new National Education Policy (NEP) is the country’s first comprehensive approach of its kind for higher education, aiming for a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in India’s higher education system by 2035, up from the 26-27% GER currently with 4.46 crore students registered in higher education, which translates to more than 30% growth since 2014, including greater than 38% growth in female students and positive growth for SC/ST students, which is inclusive.
The introduction of the NEP 2020 has reforms that include: multiple entry-exit points to higher education; incorporation of vocational pathways along with traditional disciplines; and promotion of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). Pradhan referred to the important reforms of NEP2020 taking place this year to classrooms, to campuses, and to communities, including the expansion and institutionalization of early childhood education for the first time in history. In fact, at the Samagam, Pradhan announced funding for over ₹4,000 crore in new initiatives, including TARA App and My Career Advisor App, to expand digital learning and career guidance. Pradhan concluded his presentation by paying tribute to the main architect of the NEP, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, and declaring that the NEP is a “national mission” for Viksit Bharat.
The policy’s Panch Sankalp – next-gen education, multidisciplinary learning, innovation, holistic development, and IKS – lays out a roadmap through which universities can develop not just job-seekers, but job-creators and ethical innovators. Pradhan urged the institutions to revise their curricula, improve their digital infrastructure, and focus on skilling to achieve Modi’s ambition for a culturally rooted education system that is anchored in an international context. With 1,200 universities and 50,000 colleges in India, it is pivotal to continue the change for the 300 million students who will implement their learning in the future and contribute to building India.
As India walks towards 2047, NEP 2020 represents a glimmer of hope, growing the empowerment of learners and developing a knowledgeable economy. An education system is not a policy; it is a movement that grows opportunity and a space for India to recreate itself in the global arena. Be part of the movement and see how education is creating a developed, inclusive, and innovative Bharat.
