National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Student Well-Being in Higher Education: A Qualitative Policy and Document Analysis

Abstract

Student well-being has emerged as an important concern in higher education policy, encompassing mental, emotional, psychosocial, social, and academic dimensions of student development. This study critically examines the conceptualization and policy provisions on student well-being in India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and identifies the institutional and implementation conditions required for its operationalization. The study adopts a qualitative policy and document-analysis approach based on a purposively selected body of national policy documents, official reports, and relevant peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2026. The analysis followed a macro–meso–micro policy–institution–student well-being framework, linking national policy commitments with institutional processes and documented student-level concerns. The results indicate a comprehensive vision of NEP 2020 for student development, with provisions for multidisciplinary study, inclusion, flexible learning, counseling, student support, and life skills development. Many implementation challenges remain, especially around measurable indicators of well-being, institutional responsibility, consistent support systems, professional capacity, and implementation guidance across higher education settings. The analysis suggests policy commitments cannot be directly translated into students' support and must be mediated by institutions, supported by resources, available services, and systems of monitoring and accountability. The study contributes a policy-oriented analytical perspective by clarifying the relationship between policy commitment, institutional operationalization, and student well-being. Given its documentary design, it does not measure the causal or actual effects of NEP 2020 on student well-being; rather, it identifies the policy and institutional conditions that require attention for its well-being commitments to be effectively translated into practice.