Lok Sabha Question No. 3676 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-16
Subject: Uniform Syllabus for all Schools
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3676 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2020

## Uniform Syllabus for all Schools

3676. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

- Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government proposes to protect the right of students in schools and colleges, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the harassment of students are reported from schools and colleges; (c) if so, the action taken by the Government to prevent such harassment; (d) whether the Government proposes to have a uniform curriculum and syllabus for all students in same class irrespective of Government or private schools; (e) if so, the action taken by the Government thereon; (f) whether it comes to the notice of the Government that private managements fix their own syllabus for the students and prefer text book of their own author with high cost; and (g) if  so,  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  prescribe  uniform  syllabus  for same class in all schools?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a) The Right of Children to  Free  and  Compulsory Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009, inter-alia, mandates that every child of the age of six to fourteen years shall have a right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school till completion of elementary education. The RTE Act, 2009 also prohibits 'physical punishment' and 'mental harassment' and makes it a punishable offence. The RTE Act, 2009, interalia ,  place a duty on the appropriate Government and the local authority to ensure that the child belonging to weaker section and the child belonging to disadvantaged group  are  not  discriminated  against  and  prevented  from  pursuing  and  completing elementary  education on  any  grounds. So  far as the College students are concerned,  the  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  has  framed  guidelines  on Student's  Entitlement  and  other  student  related  services  and  simplification  of

procedure for settlement of such claims / entitlements for compliance by all Higher Education Institutions.

(b) & (c) Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the constitution and substantial majority of schools are under the jurisdiction of State/UT Governments, it is  for  the  respective  State/UT  Governments  to  take  note  of  the  incidents  of harassment of students and take appropriate action to prevent such incidents. So far as Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools are concerned, the CBSE follows directions given under the RTE Act and the Rules framed there under  as  well  as  other  Rules  and  directions  issued  by  the  Central/State/UT Governments in this regard. However, the sporadic incidents of corporal punishment and bullying, etc., reported from affiliated schools are dealt with by the Board as per the provisions of its Affiliation Bye-Laws.

in

UGC  has  notified  the  UGC  (Promotion  of  Equity  in  Higher  Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012 to eliminate discrimination against or harassment of any  student  in  all  forms  in  higher  educational  institutions  by  prohibiting  it  and  by providing  for  preventive  and  protective  measures  to  facilitate  its  eradication  and punishments for those who indulge in any form of discrimination or harassment and to  promote  equality  among  students  of  all  sections  of  the  society.  UGC  has  also notified  the  UGC  Anti  Ragging  Regulations  on  curbing  the  menace  of  ragging  in higher educational institutions, 2009 to protect student from ragging in Universities and Colleges. In order to prevent ragging in Higher Education Institutions, UGC has setup a nationwide toll free 24x7 anti ragging helpline 1800-180-5522 12 languages.

(d) to (g) The National Curriculum Framework (NCF), developed by the National Council  of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (NCERT),  sets  the  guidelines  and direction for the development of syllabi and textbooks at all the school stages. Based on  the  NCF,  NCERT  has  developed  model  syllabi  and  textbooks  across  different stages of schooling. However, education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution  and  a  substantial  majority  of  schools  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the State  Governments,  it  is  for  the  respective  State/  Union  Territory  Governments  to decide about the syllabus and curriculum for their schools. So far as CBSE affiliated schools  are  concerned,  they  all  follow  the  curriculum  and  syllabus  developed  by NCERT.

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