New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will be reviewing syllabus and textbook to reduce the pressure on students.
The idea is to cut curriculum load from the next academic year so that children can make a “speedy recovery” in learning, which has been hit hard by COVID-19 disruptions.
NCERT director in-charge Sridhar Srivastava has written to concerned department heads of the organization asking them to carry out the review and propose changes by December 28. Internal and external experts will be engaged in the process.
Srivastava pointed out that students had struggled a lot while learning through online and other modes.
“Though we are in the process of making our National Curriculum Frameworks, the development of new textbooks may take some time to come out. But in view of giving children the opportunity for speedy recovery in their learning continuum, NCERT needs to take a step towards rationalization of its syllabi and textbooks for the next year across the stages. We have somewhat rationalized the textbooks at the primary stage for the next year. Given its continuity with higher stages, this exercise needs to be done in every subject area and for all the classes from VI to XII also,” Srivastava stated.
NEP 2020 has suggested reduction in content and increased flexibility of school curriculum, along with emphasis on constructive rather than rote learning.
NCERT carried out such review exercises in 2017 and 2019. In 2019, NCERT made additions and corrections in textbooks, while in 2019 some deletions were effected, particularly in history textbooks.