National Education Policy 2020 (NEP)→ Important Terms and Their Full Forms

Q: What is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020?

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is India’s new education framework introduced to replace the 1986 education policy. It aims to transform both school and higher education by improving access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability across the education system.

Q: What is the new school education structure under NEP 2020?

NEP 2020 replaces the traditional 10+2 structure with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure , based on age groups: Foundational Stage (Ages 3–8): Anganwadi/Pre-school + Grades 1–2 Preparatory Stage (Ages 8–11): Grades 3–5 Middle Stage (Ages 11–14): Grades 6–8 Secondary Stage (Ages 14–18): Grades 9–12

Q: What is ECCE in NEP 2020?

ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) focuses on foundational learning for children aged 3 to 8 years . It emphasizes play-based, activity-based, and experiential learning to build strong cognitive and emotional foundations.

Q: What does FLN mean in NEP 2020?

FLN (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy) is a national mission aimed at ensuring that every child attains basic reading, writing, and numerical skills by Grade 3 by 2025 .

Q: What is the role of NCERT in NEP 2020?

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is responsible for developing new curricular frameworks aligned with NEP 2020 for school education.

Q: What is NCTE under the new education policy?

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) develops the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) and sets National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) .

Q: What is HECI in higher education reforms?

The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) is an umbrella body created under NEP 2020 to regulate and oversee higher education, excluding medical and legal education.

Q: What are the four verticals of HECI?

HECI consists of: NHERC: National Higher Education Regulatory Council HEGC: Higher Education Grants Council (replaces UGC for funding) NAC: National Accreditation Council GEC: General Education Council (sets academic standards and NHEQF)

National Education Policy (NEP) is India’s transformative education framework, introduced in 2020 to replace the policy of 1986. Key initiatives and terms under the NEP include significant structural and regulatory changes across school and higher education.

New Education Policy 2020 Important Terms and Their Full Forms

Table of Contents

Important Terms and Full Forms under NEP

Here are some of the important terms and their full forms associated with the National Education Policy:

Term	Full Form	Description
NEP	National Education Policy	The overarching policy document aiming to reform the Indian education system.
ECCE	Early Childhood Care and Education	Focuses on the foundational learning for children in the age group of 3 to 8 years.
FLN	Foundational Literacy and Numeracy	A national mission to ensure universal basic reading, writing, and numerical skills for all students by Grade 3 by 2025.
NCERT	National Council of Educational Research and Training	The autonomous organization that will develop curricular frameworks for school education.
NCTE	National Council for Teacher Education	The regulatory body responsible for developing the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) and National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST).
PARAKH	Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development	The new National Assessment Centre and standard-setting body for student assessments.
HECI	Higher Education Commission of India	A single, overarching umbrella body for the entire higher education sector, excluding medical and legal education.
HEGC	Higher Education Grants Council	One of the four verticals of HECI, responsible for funding and financing higher education institutions (replaces the UGC).
NHERC	National Higher Education Regulatory Council	The vertical of HECI for regulation of higher education institutions.
NAC	National Accreditation Council	The “meta-accrediting body” and a vertical of HECI for accreditation.
GEC	General Education Council	The vertical of HECI responsible for setting standards and the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF).
ABC	Academic Bank of Credits	A digital storehouse for academic credits earned from various Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to facilitate credit transfer and multiple entry/exit options.
MERUs	Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities	Model public universities for holistic, multidisciplinary education at par with IITs and IIMs.
NETF	National Educational Technology Forum	An autonomous body to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas and use of technology in education.
GER	Gross Enrolment Ratio	A key target of the NEP to achieve 100% in school education by 2030 and 50% in higher education by 2035.
SDG	Sustainable Development Goal	The NEP is aligned with the UN’s SDG 4, which aims for inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030.
MHRD	Ministry of Human Resource Development	Renamed to the Ministry of Education (MoE) under the NEP 2020.

New Structural Framework of NEP 2020

The policy replaces the traditional 10+2 curricular structure with a new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to specific age groups:

Foundational Stage (5 years): Ages 3-8 (3 years of Anganwadi/pre-school + Grades 1-2).
Preparatory Stage (3 years): Ages 8-11 (Grades 3-5).
Middle Stage (3 years): Ages 11-14 (Grades 6-8).
Secondary Stage (4 years): Ages 14-18 (Grades 9-12).

FAQs on National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

What is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020?

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is India’s new education framework introduced to replace the 1986 education policy. It aims to transform both school and higher education by improving access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability across the education system.

What are the main objectives of NEP 2020?

NEP 2020 focuses on:
Universal access to quality education
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)
Multidisciplinary and holistic education
Use of technology in education
Teacher training and professional standards
Increased Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school and higher education

What is the new school education structure under NEP 2020?

NEP 2020 replaces the traditional 10+2 structure with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure, based on age groups:
Foundational Stage (Ages 3–8): Anganwadi/Pre-school + Grades 1–2
Preparatory Stage (Ages 8–11): Grades 3–5
Middle Stage (Ages 11–14): Grades 6–8
Secondary Stage (Ages 14–18): Grades 9–12

What is ECCE in NEP 2020?

ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) focuses on foundational learning for children aged 3 to 8 years. It emphasizes play-based, activity-based, and experiential learning to build strong cognitive and emotional foundations.

What does FLN mean in NEP 2020?

FLN (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy) is a national mission aimed at ensuring that every child attains basic reading, writing, and numerical skills by Grade 3 by 2025.

What is PARAKH under NEP 2020?

PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) is the National Assessment Centre. It sets standards for student assessments and promotes competency-based evaluation.

What is the role of NCERT in NEP 2020?

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is responsible for developing new curricular frameworks aligned with NEP 2020 for school education.

What is NCTE under the new education policy?

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) develops the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) and sets National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST).

What is HECI in higher education reforms?

The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) is an umbrella body created under NEP 2020 to regulate and oversee higher education, excluding medical and legal education.

What are the four verticals of HECI?

HECI consists of:
NHERC: National Higher Education Regulatory Council
HEGC: Higher Education Grants Council (replaces UGC for funding)
NAC: National Accreditation Council
GEC: General Education Council (sets academic standards and NHEQF)

What is the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC)?

The Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) is a digital platform that stores academic credits earned by students from different institutions, enabling multiple entry and exit options in higher education.

What are MERUs in NEP 2020?

MERUs (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities) are model public universities designed to offer multidisciplinary education at par with IITs and IIMs.

What is NETF in NEP 2020?

The National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) promotes the use of technology in education and provides a platform for sharing best practices, research, and innovation.

What is GER and why is it important in NEP 2020?

GER (Gross Enrolment Ratio) measures student participation in education. NEP 2020 aims to achieve:
100% GER in school education by 2030
50% GER in higher education by 2035

How is NEP 2020 aligned with Sustainable Development Goals?

NEP 2020 aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which focuses on inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all by 2030.

What change was made to MHRD under NEP 2020?

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) was renamed as the Ministry of Education (MoE) to reflect a stronger focus on education and learning outcomes.