A Comparative Study of the Changes in the Role of Teachers after the New Education Policy-2020, with Reference to the Kota and Bundi Districts of Rajasthan State

Abstract

Background: India's National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) mandates a systemic shift from didactic instruction to competency-based, learner-centered, and technology-integrated pedagogy. While the policy has been rolled out nationally, district-level empirical evidence on how structural contexts mediate teacher adaptation across urban–rural divides remain critically limited.

Purpose: This study comparatively investigates the structural determinants of NEP 2020 adaptation among secondary and higher-secondary teachers in Kota (urban) and Bundi (rural) districts of Rajasthan, examining how professional capital accumulation varies by context and mediates reform outcomes.

Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 600 teachers using a validated structured questionnaire grounded in Teacher Professional Capital theory. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 40 purposively selected teachers. Independent samples t-tests and multiple regression analyses examined district-level differences and predictors of adaptation.

Results: Findings reveal statistically significant urban–rural disparities across all three professional capital dimensions: human, social, and decisional. Infrastructure readiness and digital competency showed the largest effect sizes. Human capital emerged as the strongest predictor of adaptation outcomes; social and decisional capital significantly mediated reform sustainability. The adaptation gap appears structurally determined rather than motivationally driven.

Conclusions: NEP 2020 implementation requires differentiated, district-responsive policy support. Homogenous reform frameworks risk deepening existing structural inequities. Targeted infrastructure investment, decentralized professional development, and collaborative institutional cultures are essential prerequisites for equitable and sustainable reform outcomes.