Neoliberal Education: Problems and Alternatives

Abstract

This paper explores the influence of neoliberalism and New Public Management (NPM) on contemporary education, particularly in the context of India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The paper argues that neoliberal principles, disguised as NPM, are transforming educational institutions into factory models focused on efficiency and economic gain at the expense of critical thinking, social justice, and intellectual inquiry.

This leads us to think about the alternative offered by Paulo Freire. However, this alternative cannot happen on its own. It needs unrelenting efforts on the part of faculty, students and policy makers.