Indian students in Higher Education spend more time in classrooms than their EU and North American peers, especially post-NEP 2020, leaving less scope for self-study and critical thinking.
Contributing Factors
- Higher Proportion of Teaching Time in Course Credits: Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, a significant portion of course credits is allocated to classroom teaching.
- Larger Number of Courses per Semester: NEP 2020 mandates that Indian students take a greater number of courses each semester.
- This increased course load further limits the time available for self-study, reading, and other academic activities essential for deep learning and understanding.’
| Comparison:EU and North America: An average student in a university in the EU or North America takes around four courses per semester, with a maximum of three hours of lectures per course per week. This results in a total of 12 hours of classroom time per week.India (NEP 2020): Indian students enrolled in the new four-year undergraduate programs are required to take five courses per semester, with four hours of lectures per course per week. This adds up to 20 hours of classroom time per week, which is significantly higher than their global counterparts. |
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Impact of Increased Classroom Hours
1. On Academic Activities: The increased classroom time significantly reduces opportunities for essential academic activities outside the classroom, such as:
- Self-study and reflection
- Reading
- Working on assignments and research projects
As a result, students are more likely to experience exhaustion and diminished learning effectiveness.
| Comparison: Faculty in the EU and North America typically have a total teaching load of nine hours a week across two to three courses, while Indian faculty members are expected to teach 14-16 hours per week. |
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2. On Assessments and Learning Diversity
- Reduction in Assessments: The extended classroom hours limit time for diverse assessments. In the previous three-year program, students had more opportunities for continuous assessment.
- Currently, with only two assessments per course, assessment diversity is reduced, leading to a preference for easily graded multiple-choice questions over reflective tasks like essays or term papers.
- Shift Towards Rote Learning: Limited assessments and extended classroom time promote rote learning over critical thinking.
- Universities should foster active learning, reflection, and peer collaboration, which remain lacking in most higher education institutions (HEIs) in India.
3. On Faculty and Teaching Quality
- Faculty Workload: The additional eight hours of classroom time per week for Indian teachers reduces the time available for critical academic activities, including:
- Research
- Revising courses
- Developing new courses
- Engaging in cross-disciplinary collaborations
This heavier teaching load limits opportunities for professional development and impairs teaching quality.
Way Forward
- Reconsider Classroom Time and Course Load: Reduce the number of courses per semester and the weekly classroom hours in the four-year undergraduate programs to provide more time for self-study and reflection.
- Shift the Focus from Rote Learning to Active Learning:
- Provide students with opportunities to reflect, explore, and collaborate outside the classroom.
- Encourage assignments and projects that foster critical thinking, cross-disciplinary problem-solving, analysis, and creativity.
- Promote Continuous Assessments: Introduce a variety of assessments throughout the semester, enabling students to build their final grades incrementally. This approach will encourage sustained learning, reduce the tendency for last-minute cramming.
| Q. While NEP 2020 aims to transform India’s higher education, the increased classroom hours might be counterproductive to its objectives. Critically analyse how balancing teaching hours with self directed learning could enhance educational outcomes while maintaining global competitiveness. Suggest reforms needed at institutional level. (15 M, 250 words) |
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