The Felony of being an Academically Rigorous Student in 2026

Imagine this — you are a topper at Mumbai University. The CGPA for your Bachelors is 9+. You somehow underperformed one day by chance in one exam. Simply because it can happen to any one of us. We all are humans, after all, not machines. Life is uncertain at times. In a logical world, a one-time performance would be weighed against the consistent performance of an entire undergraduate tenure. That long-term academic rigor should be equally important, if not more so. But, alas, that is not the case. The truth is, it is not at all important in the eyes of Delhi University. It simply means, if the topper of a Mumbai University college underperforms one day in one exam, namely the CUET PG, they will officially not be able to pursue higher studies in Delhi. This is the New Education Policy.
It is not just an imagination. It is a reality for me as I am a daughter of transferable civil servants. Frequent relocations affected my studies, and I was unable to prepare for the exam (and believe me, this is a valid argument because life, be it yours or mine, hits us all often in uncertain ways).
Let the imagination continue so that you, the reader, can experience the pain I am going through. And now you are left begging for admission in the colleges under the University of Delhi. Obviously, you are unable to convince the team looking after admissions there. Your academic records are perfect and you have a spectacularly ineffable knowledge of your subject domain. The colleges, on seeing your marks and other academic credentials, want to admit you but they simply cannot, as their hands are tied by a system, namely the New Education Policy (henceforth mentioned as the NEP) 2020.
Just for your information, the NEP was supposedly about flexibility. So, be it you or me, we always wanted to pursue an education which helps us become a "good human being," an "impressive personality," who wants to fulfill their dreams and live their life happily. What else do we, the people of our country, need from the education system? In Mumbai, I was pursuing a BA in English Literature with a history minor. At the time of filling the form for CUET PG, I did not know that a transfer to Delhi would happen this academic year. None of us, neither me nor my parents, were aware that a need would arise at a later date for me to pursue an MA in History from Delhi University. And to our surprise, that is exactly what happened.
Now I am searching for an MA course in History from Delhi University. As I write my pain here, I am not very hopeful for anything to change, and yet being an optimist, who knows, maybe something shifts? The chances are bleak though.
The colleges under Delhi University are telling me that I cannot enroll in MA History after my Bachelors in English language and literature, simply because I did not apply for History in CUET PG. My marks and highly superior academic records of the last three years in History as my minor subject in graduation are immaterial to them. I simply cannot pursue an MA in History from the University of Delhi as I did not appear for the CUET PG exam in History. That is the only entry point for University of Delhi.  
Now again, let the imagination resume. Just as it happened to me, any eventuality can happen to any one of us. I am thus not fortified by the modern education system of our nation as it offers us the New Education Policy. Add further the fact that I was the topper for most of the time in my three years of graduation? All dead and vain. 
Then why do we even have CGPAs? The system will say you can do your fourth year only if you have a 7+ CGPA. That is all in a CGPA's power. But what about a 9+ CGPA? And still not being able to pursue any course of your choice across the country? Is this NEP 2020? 
Let me quote here our esteemed Constitution, which is written for the worst-case: education is guaranteed only till the age of 14 under Article 21 A. It is our fault that you, me, and all the graduating students across India are 20. It is a personal pursuit that we want to be educated and not take up politics and become leaders. Education is a sin.
And yet, everything will be regulated by a government that refuses to look at the ground reality. Every college under the NEP runs a different credit system. If a student wishes to change their college, they need to cover the extra credits (if any). A change in university is even more complex. Your registration number will never be created. You will be stuck in a turbulent whirlpool of clerical and technical glitches' limbo and shall wait forever.
The bird's-eye idea of the NEP sounds very good. But when it comes to the ground reality, it is almost impossible to implement. Our NEP does not simplify, it complicates. The government might call this a "transition phase." But what about the students who face the wrath of this transition? Are they being offered any zephyr of relief? Absolutely not. They are the free guinea pigs of the government's almost delusional and highly experimental endeavour, as I shall dare say.
The recent changes in syllabi have included more information on topics excluded before, which is greatly appreciated. However, much has been removed. The quality of literature included has significantly reduced, too.
It must be understood that the India which has made its mark in the world right now was educated in the previous education system. This means that education system, with its flaws, was still able to render a very talented, skilled set of workforce.
For the students who are children or wards of people in transferable jobs (especially Government of India Employees), life is even more difficult with the NEP. I say this with experience.
While the University of Delhi limits students by a tight bottleneck system of a centralized once-a-year examination like CUET PG, a very appreciable selection is depicted by the University of Mumbai.
Using merit as a basis for the evaluation of the candidate, colleges under University of Mumbai display the exact academic diversity and choice to a student that is required. They truly wish to impart knowledge, and create impact, directly interacting with the student; while Delhi is stuck in systemic rules where scarcity in the name of education is being created.
In a world where AI is quickly taking over, and the value of a degree is being questioned increasingly, there is a need to create more space and not scarcity in education. Educational spaces can only evolve into centers of excellence when people are allowed to join them without much to prove. We must remember, seeking admission in a college is not a job application. Students are applying to learn. They might not know everything. Not to mention, NTA has also been losing its credibility, and the future of youth is dependent on a system of mechanical failures and restrictions created by a "pro-flexibility" New Education Policy. 
As of now, the only accessible quality education lies in Universities that still consider a student's abilities and academic rigor without a 2-hour centralized test. 
Especially in the context of subjects of humanities, it is a quintessential paradox to ask objectively a subject which is completely subjective and interpretive. Convenience is being chosen over quality. Just so that checking doesn't take time, the NTA came up with a set, standard, one-size-fits-all MCQ approach. This is how Science-centric our education system is.
Plato famously wanted creative people to stay out of his utopian Republic, fearing the destabilizing power of those who deal in truth rather than mere logic. Of course, the torch bearers of truth are feared by the people in power. Today, the NTA acts as the modern Platonic Guardian. Through the Science-centric lens of the MCQ, it has successfully exiled the Humanities scholar. In a world where AI is becoming the master of the objective, we are being punished for our subjectivity. We are told that our academic rigour is a felony because it cannot be summarized in a 1 or a 0. We have traded the Torch of the seeker for the 4 option bar of the compliant, and in doing so, we have built a Republic of Nothingness.
Not to mention, I was asked in college to write an appreciation for the NEP, which can only be described as a lugubrious drollery. And you see the irony for yourself. 
To conclude, you are free to believe anything you wish to. But to consciously choose looking at truth and accepting it is something not everyone is capable of. And again, you are free to pick your side.