Assessment of Government Policies for Inclusive and Equitable Education in India: An Attempt to Review the Alignment of National Education Policy – 2020 in context of Sustainable Development Goal 4

Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations (UN) aim to create a unified educational environment worldwide, ensuring education is accessible to everyone by the year 2030. India is actively engaged in efforts to develop a sustainable education system that is fair and inclusive, in accordance with UN's Sustainable Development Goal-4 (SDG-4), to guarantee that all individuals in the country have access to educational opportunities. This paper seeks to develop an analytical framework to align UN's SDG-4: Quality Education with India's National Education Policy 2020, examining the intentions and outcomes of both initiatives. Through this paper, a thorough evaluation of these programs is conducted in various contexts. Despite the ongoing implementation of NEP-2020 in India, there are still gaps that need to be identified and addressed to achieve a cohesive educational environment that promotes inclusivity and equity. The government is urging Higher Education Institutions to adopt NEP-2020, yet there are existing barriers that must be recognized and overcome. This paper thoroughly examines the transformation of India's current education system by effectively aligning SDG-4 and NEP-2020 through mapping. Keywords: Quality Education, Sustainable Development Goals, National Education Policy, Inclusive & Equitable Education