5 Years of NEP 2020: Over 13,000 PM SHRI Schools, 2,469 Institutions on ABC, Says Pradhan at ABSS 2025

NEP reforms reshape higher education with 153 universities offering multiple entry-exit options, 13,000+ HEIs onboarded on SAMARTH platform

Marking five years of the National Education Policy 2020, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that over 13,000 schools have been designated as PM SHRI Schools and 2,469 institutions have joined the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).

Inaugurating the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, Pradhan hailed NEP 2020 as “the most crucial pathway to Viksit Bharat”, and reaffirmed the Centre’s resolve to implement the policy in letter and spirit to make India a global hub of education and innovation.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the National Education Policy 2020 is “the most crucial pathway to Viksit Bharat” as he inaugurated the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam to mark the five-year milestone of NEP 2020. Describing the policy as a philosophical and futuristic framework, Pradhan said it will drive the transformation of India into a global hub of knowledge, innovation, and talent.

The ABSS 2025 brought together education ministers, vice-chancellors, school leaders, academicians, regulators, and EdTech innovators to reflect on the NEP's journey since its launch on July 29, 2020, and to chart the next phase of its implementation. “NEP 2020 is not just a reform, it is a renaissance,” Pradhan said, reaffirming the government's commitment to implementing the policy in both letter and spirit.

Highlighting the key achievements of the past five years, Pradhan said that NEP 2020 has laid strong foundations for a student-centric, flexible, and multidisciplinary education system. He noted that more than 13,000 schools have been designated as PM SHRI Schools and are functioning as model institutions aligned with NEP. Over 13,000 higher education institutions across 32 states and UTs are now using the SAMARTH e-governance platform.

The minister also shared that the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) has seen over 2,469 institutions onboarded with more than 32 crore IDs issued to students. Multiple entry-exit options have been rolled out across 153 universities. The push for biannual admissions, skill development integration, and the introduction of the National Credit Framework (NCrF) were also among the landmark initiatives discussed.

At the school level, Pradhan highlighted the role of NIPUN Bharat, PARAKH, and UDISE+ in improving foundational literacy and numeracy, learning assessments, and school data governance. He said that the policy has also strengthened the emphasis on Indian Knowledge Systems, Bharatiya languages, and mother tongue-based education, in line with India’s civilisational ethos.

ABSS 2025 featured discussions on key NEP themes such as reimagining school education, vocational education, digital learning, research and innovation, and building holistic and inclusive institutions. The summit also stressed the need to build capacity among teachers, empower school leaders, and make curriculum and assessment more competency-based.

Pradhan acknowledged that while NEP 2020 has initiated structural changes, its full impact will unfold over the next 10 to 15 years—especially when students educated entirely under the new framework complete their academic journeys. “Our vision of Viksit Bharat depends on how effectively we shape young minds today. NEP 2020 is our blueprint,” he said.