Lok Sabha Question No. 941 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-08
Subject: Reducing syllabus
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Queen Oja, Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 941 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2021

## Reducing Syllabus

- †941. SHRIMATI QUEEN OJA: DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether curriculum of students has been reduced keeping in view the lockdown;
- (b) if so, the names of courses for which curriculum has been reduced;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to reduce the courses of Universities also;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) and (b): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rationalized syllabi of major subjects for classes IX-XII only for the purpose of summative examinations 2021. This is a one-time temporary measure for this year to mitigate the effect of school lockdown. The Committee of Courses for each subject in CBSE considered the following criteria for rationalizing the syllabus content as it had become a necessity in absence of face to face classes:

-  Schools are closed resulting in no face to face teaching and many students have been deprived of online classes due to multiple reasons.
-  All topics are important therefore all topics to be learnt through the Alternative Academic Calendar of National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT). It emphasizes providing variety of learning opportunities based on learner-centered-pedagogies focusing on learning outcomes to students and not entailing reduction of syllabus as far as learning is considered.
-  In this extraordinary situation, certain topics which students have already studied or will study in detail in higher classes may be omitted from summative assessments. Teachers can discuss these topics as required.
-  The topics/concepts that are duplicated in other subjects in the same class, or already covered in previous classes to a certain extent can be minimized. This is considered as the teachers can integrate the previous knowledge while teaching a particular topic.
-  Appropriate changes in Practical components as per revision needs to be done.
-  CBSE is a progressive Board and over the years has encouraged thematic, concept based and integrated approach of teaching and learning.

The Details of deletions of major subjects for classes IX to XII such as Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Maths, Science, Social Science, History, Political Science, Economics, Accountancy, Business Studies etc., can be accessed on the website of CBSE i.e., http://www.cbseacademic.nic.in/Revisedcurriculum\_2021.html.

(c) and (d): The University Grant Commission (UGC) has circulated Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID-19 Pandemic and UGC Revised Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID 19 Pandemic to all the universities. The universities can reduce the curriculum according to their own requirement and online resource available to the students. These guidelines can be accessed on the website of UGC i.e., https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/4276446\_UGC-Guidelines-on-Examinations-andAcademic-Calendar.pdf.

- (e): In view of part(s) (a) to (d) above, question does not arise.

*****