4.3.4 Choice of language for study and examination: Having the option of mother tongue for writing examinations is crucial. If it can be ensured that students take tests in a language they speak fluently, their learning achievements will automatically go up. Also, efforts are required to prevent language barriers for students studying outside of their home state, and to ensure that their education is not negatively impacted by using regional languages. Several steps have been taken in this direction. The Navodaya Vidyalayas use the regional language as the medium of instruction up to Grade 8, for students who join at Grade 6. The Central Board of Secondary Education offers more than 35 languages for choice of subjects. The National Institute of Open Schooling offers the Indian Sign Language as a subject to students. E-content is available in over 30 languages on the DIKSHA platform and in over 11 languages in the Swayam Prabha TV channels of Government of India. 4.3.5 Contextualisation of the teaching-learning process: Effective instruction and pedagogy must consider contextual factors and involve a variety of stakeholders to ensure that the context of the learners is addressed and integrated into the curriculum transaction. Children learn best when they can recognise the concepts learnt in their real lives, in their situations, languages, culture, etc. NEP 2020 and NCFSE 2023 have delineated a strategy for implementing this. 5. SOLUTIONS - EXISTING, PROPOSED AND POSSIBLE Quality education and its effect on closing the gap in academic achievement among students have received much attention recently, particularly with the launch of India's NEP 2020. The NEP 2020 seeks to transform the educational system and guarantees that all students have access to high-quality instruction, minimising inequalities in student learning results. Additionally, UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes Quality Education (SDG 4) as one of its goals, recognising the transformational impact of education. The objective underlines the necessity of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and fostering possibilities for lifelong learning for everyone. Consolidated efforts are being taken at the policy and implementation level, and along with this, more efforts at the community and individual levels will surely help to close the access gap to high-quality education in all areas. 5.1 At the policy level 5.1.1 The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: NEP 2020 represents a paradigm shift in the process and delivery of education and aims to address the many expanding developmental imperatives of our nation. The policy proposes the revision and revamping of all elements of the educational framework to create a new system that is in keeping with the aspirational goals of the 21st-century and builds upon India's traditions and value systems. Moving away from the current culture of rote learning and towards actual understanding and learning how to learn will be the primary objective of all stages of curriculum and pedagogy reform. The purpose of education will be to develop students’ character and cognitive capabilities to produce wellrounded individuals equipped with crucial 21st-century skills. According to NEP Journal of the National Human Rights Commission, Vol. 22, 2023 55