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NEP 2020 at Six Years: An Analytical Review for the LIS Profession
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Library and Information Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722227
Abstract
Objective: The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) completed six years of implementation in July 2026. This paper analyses the policy's cumulative impact on the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession in India, examining how its provisions on multidisciplinary education, digital infrastructure, research culture, and skill development have reshaped the mandate, curriculum, and practice of academic and institutional libraries. Methodology: The study adopts a conceptual and analytical design based on document review and literature synthesis. Primary policy texts (the NEP 2020 document, PIB releases, UGC and regulatory notifications) are read alongside ten peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2025 on NEP 2020 and libraries, supplemented by government-reported six-year achievement indicators. Key Findings: NEP 2020 has repositioned libraries from passive repositories to active partners in multidisciplinary, research-oriented, and technology-enabled learning. Reported gains include curricular restructuring toward the 5+3+3+4 framework, expansion of digital learning infrastructure, growth in research-support services, and revision of LIS curricula toward data science, digital curation, and information literacy. However, implementation remains uneven: rural and tribal libraries report ICT penetration of only 25-40 per cent, LIS professional cadres remain understaffed, and no dedicated national library policy or library cadre-restructuring instrument has yet been notified to operationalise NEP's library-related commitments. Conclusion: NEP 2020 provides a credible and largely favourable framework for repositioning the LIS profession, but six years of progressive implementation reveal a persistent gap between policy vision and library-level resourcing. Sustained investment in professional development, rural digital infrastructure, and a dedicated library policy instrument is required to convert the NEP's stated intentions into demonstrable professional and institutional outcomes.
Keywords
NEP 2020, Library and Information Science, Academic Libraries, LIS Education, Multidisciplinary Learning
References
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[2] Aithal, P. S., & Aithal, S. (2020). Analysis of the Indian National Education Policy 2020 towards achieving its objectives. International Journal of Management, Technology and Social Sciences, 5(2), 19-41. https://doi.org/10.47992/IJMTS.2581.6012.0102
[3] Bapte, V. D. (2022). Libraries in the context of National Education Policy. Annals of Library and Information Studies, 69(3), 221-224. https://doi.org/10.56042/alis.v69i3.63666
[4] Jayamma, K. V., Mahesh, G. T., & Kotur, M. (2023). Role of libraries in implementing the New Education Policy 2020 in higher education in India. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 13(2), 66-71. https://doi.org/10.51983/ajist-2023.13.2.3748
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[6] Ministry of Human Resource Development. (2020). National Education Policy 2020. Government of India. https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
[7] Singh, A. P., & Chaurasia, A. (2025). The pivotal role of libraries in India's NEP 2020. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 15(2), 48-54. https://doi.org/10.70112/ajist-2025.15.2.4364
[8] Sontakke, S. G., Kadam, D. B., & Vartale, S. P. (2022). National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: India's new and strong higher education program. SUMEDHA Journal of Management, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.46454/SUMEDHA/11.3.2022.433
[9] Soni, M. (2023). A literature survey on National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and libraries. Journal of Learning and Educational Policy, 3(4), 13-23. https://doi.org/10.55529/jlep.34.13.23
[10] Thapa, N. (2022). NEP 2020: Pivotal role of libraries in achieving the goals. International Journal of Research in Library Science, 8(4), 168-175. https://doi.org/10.26761/ijrls.8.4.2022.1587
[11] Vagdal, T. S., & Acharya, S. (2023). The role of academic libraries in the context of national education policy (NEP)-2020. IP Indian Journal of Library Science and Information Technology, 8(1), 32-36. https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijlsit.2023.006
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How to cite this paper
@article{1722227,
author = {Harihararao Mojjada, Dr. D. Narayana, Dr. P. Suresh Kumar},
title = {NEP 2020 at Six Years: An Analytical Review for the LIS Profession},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {2},
pages = {924-931},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722227.pdf},
abstract = {Objective: The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) completed six years of implementation in July 2026. This paper analyses the policy's cumulative impact on the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession in India, examining how its provisions on multidisciplinary education, digital infrastructure, research culture, and skill development have reshaped the mandate, curriculum, and practice of academic and institutional libraries.
Methodology: The study adopts a conceptual and analytical design based on document review and literature synthesis. Primary policy texts (the NEP 2020 document, PIB releases, UGC and regulatory notifications) are read alongside ten peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2025 on NEP 2020 and libraries, supplemented by government-reported six-year achievement indicators.
Key Findings: NEP 2020 has repositioned libraries from passive repositories to active partners in multidisciplinary, research-oriented, and technology-enabled learning. Reported gains include curricular restructuring toward the 5+3+3+4 framework, expansion of digital learning infrastructure, growth in research-support services, and revision of LIS curricula toward data science, digital curation, and information literacy. However, implementation remains uneven: rural and tribal libraries report ICT penetration of only 25-40 per cent, LIS professional cadres remain understaffed, and no dedicated national library policy or library cadre-restructuring instrument has yet been notified to operationalise NEP's library-related commitments.
Conclusion: NEP 2020 provides a credible and largely favourable framework for repositioning the LIS profession, but six years of progressive implementation reveal a persistent gap between policy vision and library-level resourcing. Sustained investment in professional development, rural digital infrastructure, and a dedicated library policy instrument is required to convert the NEP's stated intentions into demonstrable professional and institutional outcomes.},
keywords = {NEP 2020, Library and Information Science, Academic Libraries, LIS Education, Multidisciplinary Learning},
month = {August},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722227}
}