Unveiling Exclusion in The National Education Policy 2020: Impacts and Implications for Indian Education

The National Education Policy 2020 promotes diversity, equity, and quality learning to reform India’s education system. This paper critically examines NEP 2020 compared with the National Policy on Education 1986 to assess its potential in addressing disparities related to gender, caste, socioeconomic status, and regional inequalities. Using qualitative content analysis of policy documents and reports, the study highlights gaps in implementation, especially for marginalised groups, linguistic minorities, and the digital divide. While NEP 2020 proposes reforms such as a flexible curriculum, regional language emphasis, technology integration, and teacher education improvements, its success depends on overcoming infrastructural and economic challenges. Comparative perspectives from Finland and Canada provide insights into public funding, multilingual policies, and evaluation frameworks. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening infrastructure, bridging digital gaps, and monitoring frameworks to ensure inclusive education in India.