Adapting to Changing Pedagogies: Building Teacher Resilience in the NEP 2020 Era

Abstract

The transition towards student-centred and competency-based education in India, accelerated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has significantly transformed classroom practices and teacher roles. While these shifts aim to enhance learner outcomes, they have simultaneously increased the cognitive, emotional, and professional demands placed on educators. Teachers are now expected to continuously upskill, integrate technology, and address diverse learner needs, often within resource-constrained environments. This evolving landscape has contributed to rising levels of stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue among teachers. This paper argues that teacher well-being must be addressed as a systemic priority rather than an individual responsibility. Drawing on psychological frameworks and existing literature, it proposes a structured intervention model focused on distress regulation and resilience enhancement among educators. The model integrates cognitive, emotional, and behavioural strategies that can be applied within everyday teaching contexts, ensuring both feasibility and sustainability. Further, the paper advocates for the inclusion of teacher-focused psychological support within educational policy and training systems, aligning with the goals of NEP 2020. By positioning teacher well-being as central to educational reform, the study highlights the need for institutional and policy-level mechanisms that enable teachers not only to adapt to changing pedagogies but to sustain their professional effectiveness over time.