CBSE Reducing Syllabus

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) removes chapters on Secularism, Nationalism, Federalism and Citizenship from its 9 to 11 textbooks in the name of "reducing syllabus" during Pandemic

From PTI News Reports
Updated by India Parent Magazine

The move is seen as many critics as "ideologically driven" and if a politically motivated agenda is being pushed. In addition chapters on Democratic Rights, Democracy and Diversity, Gender Religion, and Caste, Challenges to Democracy have also been deleted

Amid outrage and protests over the changes, the CBSE said the reduction or "rationalization" of syllabus for classes 9 to 12 had been "interpreted differently" and that it was a "one-time measure" to reduce the exam stress of students due to the health emergency and to prevent learning gaps.

"The topics being mentioned as dropped are either being covered by the rationalized syllabus or in the Alternative Academic Calendar of NCERT," CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi said in a statement. The board clarified that no questions would be asked from the reduced syllabus only in the board exams of 2020-21.

Former director of NCERT Krishna Kumar (2004-2010) is quoted in the NDTV news as saying that the rights of school students to read and understand history, democracy and diversity has been violated by these decisions. He also adds that there are contradictions in the choices made by the government's decision to remove these chapters. Chapters on federalism have been deleted but that government wants to teach about constitution. Chapters on social movement are being deleted but it wants to teach history. How is that possible, ask many concerned educators and historians.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was "shocked" by the decision to drop subjects like democratic rights, federalism and secularism from the Economics and Political Science syllabuses of Classes 9 to 12.

"Shocked to know that the central government has dropped topics like citizenship, federalism, secularism and partition in the name of reducing CBSE course during the COVID-19 crisis," Mamata Banerjee tweeted. A section of academicians claimed the move appeared to give importance to "political considerations" than academics.

"On the face of it, it appears that there is some ideological element in the choice of what is deleted. How do you optimize learning during this time? You are trying to reduce the investment in education, you are compromising on the learning of students," Surajit Majumdar, a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, was quoted as telling PTI.

"Reduction does not have to be because of the pandemic but for optimization of learning," Prof Majumdar said. Rajesh Jha, a political science professor at Delhi University, said: "Unfortunately, political considerations have taken over academics. This will only affect academic rigor and quality. The concepts of liberty, equality, social justice, and secularism are linked. How can one be taught without other?"