Deleted parts in NCERT’s alternative calendar: CBSE on syllabus change

NEW DELHI: After heavy criticism, the Central Board of Secondary Education, or CBSE, has issued a statement clarifying the “rationale” behind the revised syllabus for Classes 9 to 12 on Wednesday. The CBSE has said that its July 7 notice has been "interpreted differently".

According to the official notice, chapters deleted from the revised syllabus have been covered in the alternative academic calendar issued by the National Council for Research and Training, or NCERT. All schools have been directed to follow the academic calendar while the restrictions on gathering due to the coronavirus outbreak last.

The CBSE has also clarified that the decision to reduce 30 percent syllabus for the academic year 2020-21 is “one-time measure” to reduce the stress of students amid the pandemic, the notice said. All the parts removed from syllabus will not be asked in the board examinations.

“The board has clarified that no question shall be asked from the reduced syllabus in the board exams 2020-21 only,” read the official statement.

Core concepts like citizenship, constitutional design, secularism and federalism have been dropped from the new CBSE syllabus of Class 11. Major topics from literature and science have also been removed.

The minister of Human Resource Development, on Tuesday, had assured that “core concepts” will be retained in the new curriculum.

Soon after its announcement, the new syllabus was heavily criticised for dropping important topics. Academics and school representatives have also called the move “ideologically driven.”

Also read:

• HRD Minister launches NCERT’s academic calendar for Classes 1-5
• COVID-19 in NCERT’s alternative calendar for Classes 9 and 10

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