By Sachin Rana More than three decades have passed since the last policy on education was enacted.  Now in a paradigm shift, New Education Policy (NEP)2020 is in vogue and aspires to create a wave of Reform- Transform- Perform in the education sector of the country. The policy is being portrayed as the landmark which will be holistic, comprehensive and inclusive. Once implemented, it shall be impacting more than 400 universities, 40,000 colleges and 2.50 crore students approximately. The NEP 2020 has been prepared by the committee headed by Dr K Kasturirangan ji and he has meticulously taken feedback from the indian and foreign educational experts. The policy has also fetched comments and feedbacks from more than 2.25 lakh people coming from 2.5 Gram Panchayats, 12,500 institutes and 675 districts. By any simple account it would be the highest level of participation that any policy has ever taken from the common people.  In one of its recommendations, the name of the earlier Ministry of the Human Resources Development has been changed to the Ministry of Education that is to bring the core function of the ministry to impart education and training back into the forefront. The NEP 2020 is aiming to recognize, identify, and foster the unique capabilities of each student. The focus is on multidisciplinarity and a holistic education across the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, ethics and human and constitutional values and sports in order to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge. The policy also envisages that the extant 10+2 structure in school education shall be modified with a new pedagogical and curricular restructuring of 5+3+3+4 covering ages 3-18. The policy is also facilitating multi entry and multi exit points to the students with Academic Bank of Credit and Choice Based Credit System. However, the challenges are many for this aspirational policy to achieve the intended outcomes. The public expenditure on education has not been ever given due share. In the policy of 1968, it was directed that at least 6 per cent of the GDP should be spent on Education. However, so far it is still a distant dream. India ranks 62nd in total public expenditure on education per student and measures of the quality of education (pupil-teacher ratio in primary and in secondary education)  and the country spent 3 per cent of its total GDP on education in 2018-19' said International Institute for Management Development (IMD). Education is in concurrent list of 7th Schedule of Article 246 of the Indian Constitution. However, in the vibrant federal structure like ours the role of the States is equally important and they should be taken onboard before deciding such an important policy.  West Bengal and Jharkhand for instance have raised their objections on the policy. Therefore it is expected from the Union Government to take them along so that students of these States do not lag behind. Even though the policy is advocating the options to the students to study subjects as per their interests and understanding. But are we sure that the students are in a position to make such decisions? The rationality of their decisions will be limited by their exposure and the advice of their relatives and at best the teachers. The course selection can only be made effective when there are apt number of students opting for a course and the school or college in the vicinity is offering such a course. In view of the lack of such options the old system of education will continue wherein students are made to study what is made available by the institution. Under the policy, there is a concept for the Cluster of Institutions wherein a cluster should be made from the small institutions so as to have a minimum of 3,000 students and the resources to be shared by them. However, former UGC chairman Sukhdev Thorat, and teachers' unions in Maharashtra, opposed the concept of school complexes sharing resources such as library, laboratory and teachers. Under the Right to Education Act, each school must have these facilities. Further, the inclusion of social workers in the teaching sphere for the children of the age of 3 to 6 years and emphasis on peer learning is sure to leave many qualified teachers unemployed.  The issue of the vacancies in the education sector will pose another challenge to the policy implementation and the issue of the teachers' protest, their rights and the contractual nature of the jobs etc need to be settled in a time bound manner. As highlighted in the policy itself, 'œteachers truly shape the future of our children - and, therefore, the future of our nation. It is because of this noblest role that the teacher in India was the most respected member of society. Only the very best and most learned became teachers.' This can be achieved by creating an All India Service for Teachers wherein teachers are selected on merit by an independent agency of the Union Government and deputed to universities of the States for imparting quality education. For clear recognition, it may be named as Indian Teaching Service (ITS). Similarly, a State agency may recruit other State level teachers for deploying them in the Schools. This NEP is the most important policy of our country as it will be the guiding document for the generations to come. Without any iota of doubt, the policy has been drafted with the best intentions, futuristic and visionary mindset to not only provide best quality education to children but also to make India an education destination like it was once during the time of Takshshila, Nalanda and Vikramshila. But miles to go before we sleep! The author is an IAS officer and working as Special Secretary cum Director Technical Education, Chandigarh. The views expressed are personal.