International Journal of
Innovation, Management and Technology

Abstract

India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions a comprehensive transformation of the educational landscape, thereby emphasizing integration of digital technologies into higher education. While individual studies have examined specific digital tools or pandemic-driven pedagogical responses, a consolidated analysis that systematically maps NEP 2020’s provisions for digital education into the available technological resources remains limited. The present study addresses this gap through a structured narrative review of 48 secondary literary sources, including scholarly articles, policy documents, and institutional reports, to analyse the opportunities and challenges associated with digital pedagogy in Indian higher education under NEP 2020. The study contributes to the literature in two ways: first, it provides a systematic mapping from NEP 2020’s specific policy provisions and the existing digital platforms to implement them, and second, it critically identifies the structural gaps between policy intent and ground-level adoption. The analysis reveals that digital platforms such as SWAYAM, NPTEL, MOOCs, and various learning management systems offer substantial support for realising NEP 2020’s objectives, including interdisciplinary education, flexible learning pathways, and competency-based assessment. However, persistent challenges, including the digital divide, inadequate training for faculty members, infrastructural limitations, and concerns about academic integrity, hinder its effective implementation. The findings underscore the need for adequate investments in digital infrastructure, systematic faculty development programmes, and inclusive policy frameworks to fully realise the transformative potential of NEP 2020’s digital education agenda.