Accessibility of quality education to all has been a major challenge in countries all over the world. In India, there are several disadvantaged groups, such as women, minorities, SCs and STs, OBCs, PwDs, EWSs, who lag behind others in the field of education. Taking all together in the development of the nation is the prime goal of the Government of India. Accordingly, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes the need to address the issues of students belonging to Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs). The students belonging to SEDGs face several challenges and difficulties in accessing quality education because of socio-cultural, economic, and historical reasons. The NEP 2020 has indicated people with the following identities as Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) and emphasized on their increased participation, particularly in higher education
Objectives
- Improving equitable access to quality education for SEDGs through bridge courses, earnwhile-learn, and outreach programme.
- Extending and ensuring basic facilities and amenities to SEDGs for inclusive, healthy, safe, and secure environments on campuses.
- Setting up SEDGs Cell for the purpose of sensitization of all stakeholders, policy implementation, monitoring, equalizing access to inclusive quality higher education, ensuring respectful dignity, promoting egalitarian and constitutional values, and grievance redressal in the HEIs.
The following measures are suggested in the NEP 2020 to achieve the above
Objectives
- Make admission processes more inclusive.
- Make the curriculum more inclusive.
- Develop bridge courses for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds.
- Ensure sensitization of faculty, counselors, and students on the gender-identity issue and its inclusion in all aspects of the HEI, including curricula.
- Strictly enforce all no-discrimination and anti-harassment rules. 6. Develop a road map that contains specific plans for action on increasing participation from SEDGs, including but not limited to the above items.