The Awareness and Implementation Challenges of National Education Policy-2020 Among Secondary School Teachers of Mathura District

Abstract

The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) represents a landmark reform in Indian education, aiming to transform the nation into a vibrant knowledge society through holistic, flexible, and multidisciplinary education. This study investigates the awareness of NEP-2020 among secondary school teachers and the challenges encountered in its implementation in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh. Employing a descriptive survey method, data were collected from 400 secondary school teachers using a structured questionnaire with 50 items across four sections: demographics, awareness, implementation, and challenges. Stratified random sampling ensured representation across gender, school type (government/private), and locality (rural/urban). Findings reveal high overall awareness of NEP-2020 provisions (Mean=4.08), with structural reforms and teacher professional development awareness being highest. Implementation status was satisfactory (Mean=3.91), though a notable gap exists between awareness and implementation, indicating translation challenges. Key implementation challenges included inadequate infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, limited digital resources, resistance to change, and administrative difficulties. Significant differences were found in awareness and implementation levels based on school type and locality, with private and urban schools showing higher scores. The study concludes that while awareness of NEP-2020 among teachers is encouraging, bridging the awareness-implementation gap requires systemic interventions, enhanced teacher support, improved infrastructure, and sustained professional development programmes.