NEP-2020: Big wins on flexibility but lag on autonomy

NEP-2020: Big wins on flexibility but lag on autonomy   25.07.2025

New Delhi : Five years after its launch, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has begun to reshape India’s higher education landscape, with notable gains in curriculum flexibility, faculty development and alignment with national frameworks, reports Manash Gohain . 

However, only 36% of higher education institutions (HEIs) have implemented the multiple entry-exit option — a core NEP reform — while just 14% have appointed industry linked “Professors of Practice”, according to the first implementation progress report by QS I-GAUGE. The findings by the independent education rating system are based on responses from 245 senior academic leaders across 165 institutions in 21 states and three UTs, including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal. 

The report highlights that while reforms like curriculum flexibility and teacher training have seen broad uptake, several critical directives remain under-implemented. Among areas of strong adoption, 90% of institutions offer flexible curricula and 96% have aligned programme and course outcomes with the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF).