The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a transformative shift in India’s education landscape, aiming to overhaul the existing system to make it more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, and aligned with the needs of the 21st century. This paper presents a critical analysis of the NEP 2020, with a focus on its vision, foundational principles, and the practical challenges involved in its implementation. The policy proposes sweeping reforms at all levels of education-from school to higher education-while emphasizing equitable access, foundational literacy, early childhood care, experiential learning, multilingualism, teacher training, and technology integration.

While NEP 2020 presents a progressive vision of inclusive and forward-looking education, it also poses several implementation challenges such as infrastructural inadequacies, teacher preparedness, digital divide, curriculum overhauls, and funding constraints. The paper examines these issues in detail, offering insights from various stakeholders including educators, policy analysts, and institutional administrators.

By critically analyzing both the strengths and limitations of the policy, this paper seeks to contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding education reform in India. It emphasizes the need for consistent policy execution, stakeholder collaboration, and resource optimization to realize the policy’s ambitious goals. The study concludes that while NEP 2020 is visionary, its success will depend significantly on political will, phased implementation, and contextual adaptability across India’s diverse educational ecosystem.