India’s education system has undergone several policy reforms since independence, with major national policies introduced in 1968, 1986 (modified in 1992), and most recently, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Each policy reflected the socio-economic aspirations and developmental priorities of its time. This paper undertakes a comparative study of NEP 2020 and earlier education policies to understand their foundational objectives, structural reforms, pedagogical approaches, and implementation strategies. NEP 2020 marks a significant shift from earlier frameworks by promoting holistic, multidisciplinary, and skill-based education with a focus on digital literacy, competency-based learning, and inclusive access.

The study highlights key differences such as NEP 2020’s emphasis on early childhood care, foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), technology integration, and the restructuring of school and higher education formats. At the same time, it draws attention to the continuity in policy goals like equity, access, and quality. The paper also critically examines how the challenges faced by earlier policies-such as inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, and uneven implementation-remain relevant today. By analyzing these continuities and transformations, the study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of India’s evolving educational vision.