Mahesh Kumar, V. K. Jain
The National Education Policy 2020 is a significant initiative aimed at bringing comprehensive reforms to the Indian education system. The policy seeks to make higher education more inclusive, multidisciplinary, skill-oriented, and research-driven. However, several practical challenges have emerged in its effective implementation. The present research paper conducts a qualitative study of the major issues related to the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 in higher educational institutions. The study analyzes the views of teachers, students, and administrative officials. The findings reveal that lack of resources, shortage of trained human resources, digital inequality, language-related issues, and administrative complexities are major obstacles to the successful implementation of the policy. The study further found a clear disparity in facilities and opportunities between rural and urban higher educational institutions, creating difficulties in the uniform implementation of the policy. Lack of awareness regarding multidisciplinary education, the Academic Bank of Credits, and technological integration also emerged as significant challenges under the new education policy. In addition, the inadequacy of continuous professional development and training programs for teachers has affected the achievement of the policy objectives. The study indicates that coordinated efforts among the government, educational institutions, and society are essential for the effective implementation of the policy. The research emphasizes financial support, development of digital infrastructure, teacher training, mother tongue-based education, and simplification of administrative processes. This study provides practical guidelines for the successful implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 in higher education.