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On Friday, state education minister Chandrakant Patil said around 144 autonomous Maharashtra educational institutions would start implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) from the current academic year.

While addressing a news conference, the higher education minister stated that the National Education Policy 2020 will be enforced in phases. The minister stated that in the first phase, 87 general and 57 professional autonomous educational institutes in Maharashtra would execute the policy this academic year.

He mentioned that the University Grants Commission approved 36 educational institutes to work as independent bodies.

Minister added that these (autonomous) institutes should begin the programmes/courses according to the new National Education Policy using their autonomy. The initiative will deliver at least 3,500 institutes in the state with a framework or model for implementing the new policy.

The minister said by September 30, all universities will declare a plan for implementing the NEP and finalise it by December 31.

"From January 1, 2024, six months before (the beginning of the academic session), the NEP enactment plan can be declared," Patil said. According to a statement, the National Education Policy implementation will be 100% in the academic session 2024-2025. The NEP substitutes the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NEP) framed in 1986. It aims to pave the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education strategies in order to make India a global education hub.

The chance between 3 or 4-year undergraduate programme, multiple entry and exit opportunities in degree, adding 3.5 crore seats in higher educational institutions (HEIs), discontinuing MPhil courses, and focus on fee fixation are among the higher education reforms summarized in the new policy.