From Rote Learning to Critical Thinking: How NEP Transforms Assessment Systems
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For years, India’s education system was characterised by rote learning. Students memorised textbooks, read them verbatim in examinations, and were rewarded for correct reproductions, not comprehension. While this method perhaps yielded instant good results, it left very little room for innovation, problem-solving, or critical thinking. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to rewrite that script. By redefining testing and putting critical thinking at the forefront of education, the NEP is bringing about a paradigm shift from rote to meaningful understanding.
Why Rote Learning No Longer Works
For a long time, people have criticised rote learning because it turns education into a mechanical process. Students who just memorise things without really understanding them often forget everything soon after their exams, which doesn’t leave much lasting benefit. This approach can stifle curiosity, discourage students from digging deeper into subjects, and doesn’t really equip them for the real world, where adaptability and creativity are key. In today’s world, with all its fast technological changes and complex social issues, the shortcomings of rote learning are more obvious than ever.
The NEP’s Vision for Assessments
The NEP 2020 reimagines assessment systems to move beyond grades and marksheets. Its goal is to evaluate higher-order skills like analysis, creativity, collaboration, and communication. Instead of just relying on one-time, high-stakes exams, this new policy is pushing for ongoing assessments that look at what students can actually do. It wants to get a full picture of a student’s progress. So, portfolios, project work, presentations, and even peer assessments are encouraged, right alongside more traditional tests.
This shift lines up well with Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy, which says that simply remembering facts is just the starting point. The real goal is to help students analyse information, evaluate it, and even create new ideas. The NEP wants assessments to act as tools that help students grow, not just judge them. The aim is to build their confidence and keep their natural curiosity alive.
Learning by Doing: The Experiential Push
Critical thinking cannot be attained through lecturing alone, it requires practice. The NEP strongly encourages experiential learning, where learners can apply theory in experiences through real-world scenarios. Experiential learning through projects, internships, field visits and lab-based experiments help learners observe, think about and create new ideas.
This approach is all about the theory of experiential learning, which focuses on a cycle of doing, reflecting, understanding, and experimenting. For example, engineering students might work on projects that connect with real industries, while kids in Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) get use tools to build their own creations. By engaging hands-on, students move beyond passive memorisation to active problem-solving.
Towards Holistic Development
Another important part of the NEP is its focus on well-rounded learning. Education is not only about passing tests—it must also develop emotional intelligence, social skills, ethics, and physical health. Schools are encouraged to include sports, arts, and community service into their curriculum as these experiences build resilience, empathy, and collaboration.
This wider perspective helps students understand that education is deeply connected to real life. They’re learning not just to pass exams, but to become responsible citizens and contribute meaningfully to society.
Technology as a Catalyst
Technology is critical to facilitating this transformation. There are platforms like DIKSHA, SWAYAM, and e-Pathshala, which promote interactive content and assist in facilitating differentiated learning. Interestingly, virtual labs, coding modules, and AI based tutorials, now provide the opportunity for learners to explore subjects in ways that are more interactive than ever before, with a level of adaptability to meet individual needs. The pandemic expedited digital adoption, and the blended learning model—combining online and offline—has quickly become a feasible and inclusive model for the future.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
While NEP 2020 holds out the promise of a smooth transition, it comes with its challenges. Teachers, trained in conventional ways, require extended support and training to imbibe new ways of working. Infrastructure deficits, particularly in rural India, may restrict access to experiential and technology-enabled learning. And attitudinal changes in society—where test scores still take precedence—are necessary to appreciate learning beyond mere memorisation.
The success of such a transformation rests with collective effort on the part of policymakers, educators, parents, and communities. Curriculum overhauls, teacher preparation, and public education will play central roles in infusing critical thinking and holistic evaluations into routine practice.
Closing Thoughts
The NEP’s move from rote learning to critical thinking is a societal change, not just an educational reform. The NEP aims to create learners who can question, create, and solve problems, not just learn. By viewing assessments as tools for growth, learning through experience, and embracing holistic development, India is setting up a generation for success in the 21st century.
If NEP 2020’s vision is attained, the classroom will not merely be about recalling facts but about unveiling truths. It will be a space where curiosity flourishes, learning is fun, and all students can think, innovate and lead.
Views are personal
Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Managing Director, AASOKA by MBD Group
