Given below are two statements:
Statement I : The National Education Policy 2020 envisages that the extant 10+2 structure in School Education will be modified with a new pedagogical and curricular restructuring of 5+4+4+3 covering ages 3-18.
Statement II : The National Education policy 2020 envisages, that prior to the age of 5 every child will move to a “Preparatory class” or “Balvatika”, which has an ECCE- qualified teacher.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is D

· Statement I is incorrect because the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposes a restructuring of the school education system into a 5+3+3+4 structure, not 5+4+4+3. This structure is designed to cover ages 3-18 and is aimed at providing more age-appropriate curriculum and pedagogy. The correct breakdown is:
· 5 years of foundational stage (ages 3-8, including 3 years of pre-primary and Grades 1-2)
· 3 years of preparatory stage (Grades 3-5)
· 3 years of middle stage (Grades 6-8)
· 4 years of secondary stage (Grades 9-12)
· Statement II is correct. The NEP 2020 indeed emphasizes Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and mandates that before the age of 5, every child should attend a "Preparatory Class" or "Balvatika," facilitated by a teacher trained in ECCE. This step is crucial for building a strong foundation for formal schooling.
Information Booster 1. The new 5+3+3+4 structure replaces the old 10+2 system to provide more flexibility and a holistic approach to child development.
2. Foundational stage emphasizes play-based and activity-based learning for ages 3-8, including pre-primary education.
3. Preparatory stage (Grades 3-5) focuses on discovery, activity-based learning, and interaction.
4. Middle stage introduces more abstract concepts and builds upon the foundational skills acquired in earlier stages.
5. Secondary stage prepares students for higher education or vocational skills with a choice of subjects and streams.
6. The policy places significant importance on multilingual education and the integration of skills like coding and digital literacy.