Our focus is on hosting dialogue on sustainable, scalable educational reforms that ensure equity and prepare learners for the challenges of the 21st century.

We hope to catalyze systemic change by bringing together thought leaders to discuss, debate, and deliberate on the implementation of NEP 2020 and the future of education in India.

Research Symposium

Explore, Engage, and Envision the Future of Education

Our focus is on hosting dialogue on sustainable, scalable educational reforms that ensure equity and prepare learners for the challenges of the 21st century.

We hope to catalyze systemic change by bringing together thought leaders to discuss, debate, and deliberate on the implementation of NEP 2020 and the future of education in India.

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Highlights from Research Symposium 2024

Research Symposium 2026

NEP 2020: From Policy to Praxis: Measuring Impact, Interrogating Assumptions and Scaling Evidence-based Innovations

26-27 February 2026 I National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru

Submissions Closed

About the Symposium

The conference focuses on evidence-based research documenting the early-to-mid-stage outcomes, implementation challenges, and scaled innovations with a focus on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 across the Indian education system. The symposium aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, organisations (nonprofit or otherwise), and academic institutions to present rigorous empirical research (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method) that demonstrates a clear pathway from evidence to policy learning to assess the ground-level realities of NEP implementation. We invite submissions of research that:

Examines what has changed, for whom, and under what conditions;
Interrogates the assumptions embedded in policy design;
Assesses implementation fidelity, administrative capacity, and financing constraints;
And evaluates whether early- and mid-stage outcomes align with the equity, quality, and systems-transformation goals articulated in the policy.

Who Should Participate?

Education researchers (quant, qual & mixed-methods)
Policy scholars and analysts
Government officials from SCERTs, DIETs, Samagra Shiksha
Practitioners working on FLN, TPD, governance, assessments, or technology
NGOs, think tanks, EdTech and development-sector organisations
Students, doctoral scholars and early-career researchers

Conference Themes

Theme 1: Foundational Learning & ECCE in Action

Investigating scalable and equitable models for achieving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) goals, integrating ECCE, and assessing learning outcomes. Key research questions to address:

What evidence exists regarding the efficacy of state-level FLN programs?
How are Anganwadi-school linkages, curricular alignment and workforce capacity shaping early learning outcomes?
How are new pedagogical models improving foundational skills across diverse socio-economic contexts?

Theme 2: Causal Inference, Scale and the Politics of Evidence in Education Reform

Empirical studies detailing the design, implementation, and impact evaluation of educational interventions using Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) and high-quality quasi-experimental designs (QEDs). Submissions should demonstrate methodological rigour, reflect on ethical and logistical constraints, and critically examine how causal evidence informs decision-making in complex public systems. Key research questions to address:

What design, sampling, and field-level challenges arise in conducting RCTs in education settings, and how can issues such as attrition and contamination be minimised?
How can quasi-experimental approaches (e.g., Difference-in-Differences, Regression Discontinuity, instrumental variables) be appropriately applied when randomisation is infeasible?
What are the methodological and political limits of experimental and quasi-experimental evidence for informing system-wide policy reforms under NEP 2020?
How can researchers strengthen the reliability and validity of outcome measures (le.g., learning assessments, psychometric tools, and administrative datasets) used to identify causal impact?

Theme 3: Reforming Teacher Education and Institutional Capacity Focus

Research on the effectiveness of new frameworks for Teacher Professional Development (TPD), the revitalisation of public institutions like SCERTs and DIETs, and governance reforms to enhance bureaucratic capacity. Key research questions to address:

Which model of teacher professional development (TPD/CPD) demonstrably improves classroom practices at scale?
How are SCERTs, DIETs and teacher education universities adapting to the NEP 2020 mandates?
What governance, financing, and accountability mechanisms enable or inhibit sustained institutional reform?

Theme 4: Moving Beyond Foundational Skills: The Future of Learning and 21st Century Competencies

Research exploring educational models, curricula, and assessment methods specifically designed to cultivate higher-order 21st-century skills (such as critical thinking, creativity, complex problem-solving, and computational thinking). Submissions should analyse the transformation required to shift pedagogy from content mastery to competency development as envisioned by the NEP 2020. Key research questions to address:

What valid and scalable assessment frameworks can credibly measure creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving?
How are state boards, examination systems, and teacher preparation responding to the demand for competency-based learning?
How effectively are computational subjects (data science, AI, coding) being integrated in ways that are pedagogically sound and equitably accessible, or are they exacerbating digital divides?

Submission Guidelines

Extended Abstract

Length: Minimum 900 words - Maximum 1200 words (excluding references)

Preferred Citation Style: APA

Content Structure: Must clearly include the following five mandatory sections:

Context & Policy Linkage (to NEP 2020)
Research Question(s)
Methodology & Data Sources (must be detailed)
Key Findings/Results
Policy Implications & Relevance to NEP 2020

Language: English

Author Details: Should be submitted on a separate cover page/form to ensure a blind review process

Panel Submissions

We invite proposals for Panel Presentations that bring together complementary perspectives from research, practice, and policy. Panels must:

Include at least one professor, one doctoral researcher, and one practitioner working directly within the education system.
Clearly indicate the panel title and the conference theme under which the submission falls.
Submit a collective panel abstract (250-300 words) that outlines the central question, conceptual framing, and the intended contribution of the discussion.
Include individual summaries (150-200 words each) for every panellist, describing their specific perspective, empirical or practical grounding, and how their contribution strengthens the coherence of the panel.

Each panel will be allotted 45 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for audience questions.

Given the limited time available, only one and at most two panel submissions will be selected. Selection will be highly competitive and based on conceptual clarity, relevance to NEP 2020, diversity of perspectives, and the panel’s ability to offer meaningful insight into policy and practice.

Poster Presentations

We also invite Poster Presentation submissions, particularly from graduate students and early-career researchers. Posters offer an opportunity to showcase ongoing research, pilot studies, or innovative methodologies related to NEP 2020.

Poster submissions (300-500 words, excluding references) must clearly articulate research questions, methodological choices, and preliminary findings.

Important Dates

Extended Abstract Submission Deadline: 16th January 2026

Notification of Acceptance: 31st January, 2026

Presentation Draft Submission (For selected candidates): 18th February

All submissions will undergo a double-anonymised peer-review process. Accepted abstracts will be compiled in a digital Book of Abstracts (non-archival). We look forward to receiving your research contributions that shape the discourse on educational policy in India.

For any questions, you can reach us at symposium2026@leadershipforequity.org