The Union Education Ministry released the revised National Education Policy (NEP) 2025 guidelines, introducing sweeping changes to both school and higher education. From the upcoming academic year, schools will transition to a semester-based assessment system from Class 6 onward, replacing the traditional annual exam model. Coding and computational thinking have been made compulsory from Class 5, while mother-tongue instruction will be extended through Class 8 in government schools. The board exam pattern for Class 10 and 12 will allow two attempts per year to reduce examination pressure.
In higher education, the policy introduces a flexible credit system allowing students to pause their degree programmes and return within five years without losing academic credits, modelled on best global practices. Universities will be permitted to offer online and hybrid programmes worth up to 40% of total credits. Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar said approximately 2.5 crore school students and 40 lakh college students will be directly impacted by the new framework when it takes full effect by 2027.