The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 provides an important opportunity to move Indian education from “sorting and selection” to “human development,” enabling every student to develop to their maximum potential. Although the NEP focuses on foundational literacy and numeracy, and early childhood education is welcome, delivering on its promise will require sustained attention to implementation. Three principles will be very important for implementation: (1) a focus on independent and reliable measurement of outcomes; (2) rigorous evaluations of policy and programme effectiveness; (3) careful cost-effectiveness analyses of alternative policy proposals. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education severely. An increased focus on involving parents in education and in using technology effectively (while bridging the digital divide) will be important for recovery.