Measuring the Impact of the National Education Policy 2020 on Public Engagement with Experiential Learning in India: An Interrupted Time Series Study (2015–2024)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70112/arss-2026.15.1.4369Keywords:
Experiential Learning, ELT, National Educational Policy, NEP 2020, Google Trends, Interrupted Time SeriesAbstract
India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marked a significant pedagogical shift towards learner-centered and experiential approaches. This study investigates the policy's macro-level impact by quantifying changes in public interest in experiential learning, utilizing Google Trends data from 2015 to 2024. While existing research primarily addresses NEP's institutional and curricular dimensions, this study fills a gap by providing a long-term, data-driven analysis of its societal reception. Drawing on Information Seeking Behavior Theory, online search patterns serve as a proxy for evolving public engagement with experiential learning concepts. Grounded in Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, eight search terms, categorized into "core ELT concepts" and "ELT-aligned pedagogical models," were selected. Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis was applied to assess structural shifts in search behavior post-2020 policy intervention. Results: Findings reveal a statistically significant increase in public engagement across both categories, indicating experiential learning's growing cultural traction after the NEP's announcement. This research offers a unique data-driven perspective on the reception of experiential learning in India and highlights avenues for future inquiry into education policy and public discourse.
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