Leveraging EdTech for Inclusive Growth: Analysing NEP 2020’s Vision for Social Transformation in Indian Education

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 conceptualizes digital technology as a structural catalyst for reconfiguring India’s education system while promoting equitable socio-economic development (Government of India [GoI], 2020). In a nation characterized by demographic diversity, socio-economic stratification, linguistic plurality, and regional imbalances, Education Technology (EdTech) is positioned as a foundational public digital infrastructure capable of expanding access, improving quality, and mitigating entrenched inequalities. This paper critically examines the extent to which EdTech initiatives introduced under NEP 2020 contribute to inclusive growth and broader social transformation. The research evaluates progress in digital infrastructure, student engagement, teacher readiness, governance reforms, and equity results by utilizing secondary data sources such as the Economic Survey 2023–24 (Ministry of Finance, 2024a), Union Budget 2024–25 (Ministry of Finance, 2024b), UNESCO (2023), ASER (2023), NITI Aayog (2021), and peer-reviewed research (2020–2024). Key initiatives like DIKSHA, SWAYAM, PM eVIDYA, National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR), and the proposed Digital University are examined within the larger context of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The results reveal that although EdTech has greatly expanded outreach and facilitated scalable delivery methods, ongoing issues related to connectivity, device ownership, digital skills, linguistic diversity, and gender access still hinder inclusive outcomes. The research contends that digital transformation can foster inclusive growth only when it is backed by continuous public investment, enhancement of institutions, and implementation frameworks that prioritize equity. The study emphasizes that for digital transformation to effectively encourage inclusive growth, it is essential to have equity-focused implementation frameworks, strengthened institutions, and reliable public investment