Embracing Inclusive Education: An Analysis Of New Education Policy 2020

Inclusive Education (IE) is a novel method of educating children with disabilities alongside their typically developing peers within the same educational setting. The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) describes inclusion as a commitment to guaranteeing that each student is provided with education in their assigned school and classroom, to the highest degree possible. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 2005 and the SEN and Disability Act (SENDA) of 2001 aim to prevent discrimination between disabled and non-disabled children, ensuring equal access to educational and infrastructural resources. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), introduced by the Union Cabinet of India on July 29, 2020, significantly expands the scope of Inclusive Education. Chapter 6 of NEP 2020 focuses on Equitable and Inclusive Education, emphasizing that education is a powerful tool for achieving social justice and equality. The policy highlights the importance of ensuring that no child in India is deprived of learning opportunities and success due to their background or circumstances of birth. According to MHRD statistics from 2009, approximately 80% of the rural population in India lacks access to special schools, and an estimated 8 million children are out of school due to factors such as caste, gender, poverty, and disability. Research on Inclusive Education and NEP 2020 underscores the necessity for further studies on key areas such as the challenges and obstacles to inclusive education in India, the attitudes of stakeholders like students, teachers, parents, and the public towards IE, the main issues faced by educational institutions in implementing IE, and the advantages and disadvantages of IE within NEP 2020.