Digital Pedagogical Opportunities in Higher Education under National Education Policy 2020

Abstract

India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions a comprehensive transformation of the educational landscape, with particular emphasis on integrating digital technologies into higher education. While individual studies have examined specific digital tools or pandemic-driven pedagogical responses, a consolidated analysis about mapping NEP 2020’s digital education provisions into the available technological resources remains limited. The present study addresses this gap through a narrative review of secondary sources, including scholarly articles, policy documents, and institutional reports, to analyse the opportunities and challenges associated with digital pedagogy in Indian higher education under NEP 2020. The analysis reveals that digital platforms such as SWAYAM, NPTEL, MOOCs, and various learning management systems offer substantial support for realising NEP 2020’s objectives, including interdisciplinary education, flexible learning pathways, and competency-based assessment. However, a few persistent challenges, including the digital divide, inadequate faculty training, infrastructural limitations, and concerns about academic integrity, hinder its effective implementation. The findings underscore the need for targeted investments in digital infrastructure, systematic faculty development programs, and inclusive policy frameworks to fully realise the transformative potential of NEP 2020’s digital education agenda.