SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS READINESS TO IMPLEMENT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF NEP-2020

Inclusive education is an important component of equitable and quality education envisioned under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The effective implementation of inclusive education largely depends on teachers preparedness, professional competence, confidence, and institutional support. The present study explores the readiness of secondary school teachers to implement inclusive education in the context of NEP 2020. A qualitative research approach with a phenomenological design was adopted to understand teachers perceptions, experiences, challenges, and professional development needs. The study involved 100 secondary school teachers from government secondary schools in Sadar and Harichandanpur Blocks of Keonjhar District, Odisha, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and open-ended questions and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teachers generally demonstrated a positive understanding and willingness towards inclusive education. However, their readiness was moderate due to limited practical training, insufficient confidence, and inadequate classroom experience. Large class sizes, shortage of teaching-learning resources, lack of professional training, and time constraints emerged as major barriers to effective implementation.