Bhubaneswar: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, introduced by the Ministry of Education to revolutionize India’s education system, is set to make a significant impact in Odisha starting from the academic year 2025-26.
Guided by its pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability, the policy emphasizes vocational skills, mother-tongue education, digital literacy, holistic child development, competency-based assessments, and foundational literacy and numeracy.
The Odisha Department of School and Mass Education recently announced the phased implementation of NEP 2020 through a notification issued on January 15, 2025. The State plans to adopt the National Curriculum Frameworks (NCFs) while tailoring them to local contexts as part of the State Curriculum Frameworks.
In alignment with NEP 2020, Odisha launched Nipun Odisha in September 2024, focusing on achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy. Additionally, PM Shri model schools are being established to showcase the policy’s vision.
A significant change announced on January 15 is the revision of the minimum age for Grade 1 enrollment to 6+ years as of September 1 of the academic year. Furthermore, “Shishu Vatika” centers will be introduced in all primary schools to provide preschool education for children aged 5 and above.
The transition to the 5+3+3+4 structure, spanning ages 3-18, will also begin in 2025-26. This structure includes:
- Foundational Stage (5 years): Ages 3-8, comprising 3 years of preschool and Grades 1-2.
- Preparatory Stage (3 years): Ages 8-11, corresponding to Grades 3-5.
- Middle Stage (3 years): Ages 11-14, covering Grades 6-8.
- Secondary Stage (4 years): Ages 14-18, corresponding to Grades 9-12.
The foundational stage will be prioritized initially, with modifications for preparatory, middle, and secondary stages introduced in subsequent phases.
To guide the NEP rollout, the Odisha government had earlier formed a high-level task force chaired by the Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary. A State Steering Committee, led by Prof. Nityanand Pradhan, Former Principal of RIE, Bhopal, is tasked with developing localized State Curriculum Frameworks aligned with the NCF.
A three-day National Workshop on NEP 2020 implementation will be held in Bhubaneswar from January 21 to 23, 2025. The event, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, aims to sensitize state teams and create a roadmap for Odisha’s phase-wise adoption of NEP.
