Sociology of education and the national education policy (NEP) 2020: A sociological analysis of inclusion, functionality, and social transformation in India

Abstract

The sociology of education provides a critical lens for examining how education, as a social institution, functions within broader social structures. It analyzes the interconnections between education, culture, power, and inequality, highlighting how educational systems simultaneously reproduce and transform social realities. This paper explores the sociological foundations of education with special reference to India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which marks a paradigm shift toward equity, inclusion, and holistic learning. Drawing on classical and contemporary sociological theories—Durkheim’s functionalism, Marxist and Althusserian conflict perspectives, Bourdieu’s theory of cultural reproduction, and symbolic interactionism—the paper examines how education both sustains and reshapes social order. The analysis situates NEP 2020 within this theoretical framework, illustrating its alignment with global objectives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on inclusive and equitable education. The paper further discusses the school as a social system, the processual dimensions of schooling, and the sociological significance of inclusive education in transforming the Indian socio-educational landscape. Ultimately, it argues that NEP 2020 embodies a shift from a utilitarian view of education toward a sociological and humanistic understanding that integrates cultural heritage, critical reasoning, and social transformation

Keywords: Sociology of Education, NEP 2020, Functionalism, Social Inclusion, Cultural Reproduction, Educational Equity, India, Social Change.