ABSTRACT
Shadow education refers to private, fee-charging educational services that supplement or substitute for formal public education systems. It includes test preparation coaching, private tutoring, and supplementary classes outside of regular schools. Despite its widespread popularity, shadow education has been criticized for exacerbating existing educational inequalities and diverting resources away from the public education system. This paper analyses the provisions of the new National Education Policy (NEP 2020) in relation to its potential to address the challenges posed by shadow education. This paper tries to answer whether shadow education provides equal opportunities or unequal outcomes, whether it is for the pursuit of excellence or is it the price of pressure. The findings suggest that the NEP 2020, through its focus on revamping the formal education system and promoting a culture of learning, has the potential to address some of the key issues arising from the emergence of shadow education in India.
