NEP 2020: UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS' EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF HIGHER EDUCATION

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims for holistic student development by integrating co-curricular activities, arts, and vocational education into the curriculum. NEP 2020 aims to improve students' skills to enhance employability and train them for lifelong learning. In other words, NEP 2020 is more student centric, giving flexibility to students to pursue their passion at the same time improving their skills facilitating them to become more employable. Undergraduate degrees will be of either a 3 or 4 years duration, with multiple exit options within this period, with appropriate certifications, e.g., a Undergraduate Certificate after completing 1 year in a discipline or field including vocational and professional areas, or a Undergraduate Diploma after 2 years of study, or a Bachelor’s Degree after a 3-year duration. However, since it offers the chance of experience the entire spectrum of holistic and multidisciplinary education, a four-year multidisciplinary Bachelors Degree will be the recommended choice. Students can now pursue multiple interests through majors and minors. Undergraduates college students expect to receive higher education that is a good return on their financial investment. A main expectation is that their Bachelors Degree will lead to better employment prospects and train them with the needed skills and knowledge for the workforce. It is, in this context, the present study is undertaken amongst undergraduate students to explore their expectations from higher education under NEP 2020. A small research study is undertaken amongst the undergraduate college students who have enrolled in different disciplines of study in three different colleges of the Thoubal district of Manipur. The study also tries to investigate their experiences of higher education in the colleges.