CBSE Removes Vital Chapters on Democracy From Class 10 Board Exam

In order to ‘reduce the burden of the curriculum of the students’ CBSE has decided that they will not be including certain chapters in the evaluation of subjects in the Class 10 board examination in 2020. Few chapters on democracy and diversity from the class 10 syllabus for social sciences will not be a part of the evaluation from 2019-20 session.

There are three chapters that are part of the Democratic Politics Book-I, viz, Popular Struggle and Movements, Democracy and Diversity and Challenges to Democracy are the chapters that will be excluded from the evaluation in the Class 10 Board examinations in 2020.

In a circular released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the chapters that are being excluded from the evaluation will be assessed via ‘periodic tests’. Sources say it is believed that the decision has been undertaken by the Human Resource Development Ministry as part of a rationalisation exercise of the curriculum which will help reduce the burden that is put on the student by the current curriculum.

One of the former NCERT Chairman Krishna Kumar, says that the textbooks that were created by the National Council of Education Research and Training, were designed according to the National Curriculum Framework, 2005. The books were constructed in a way that the teachers could be flexible in their teaching methods as well as provide flexibility to the students. He adds that the idea of creating the books the way it has been for so many years was to delink examinations from textbooks as well as increase the students’ enthusiasm towards the subject. He further adds that the decision taken by CBSE is removing that flexibility. Kumar also says that NCERT should be the body of education that decides the curriculum for the students instead of CBSE.

Many other teachers from across India have the same thought process as that of Kumar. However, Reema Dewan, who is the principle of Delhi Public School and also the CBSE coordinator for the city, has stated that there are 20 marks that are allotted to the subject of Political Science and that the syllabus for the subject is enough. She adds that the chapters that are excluded from the board examinations will be given the appropriate weightage and be part of regular tests or examinations.

Also Read:Class 10 CBSE Results will be Declared In the 1st Week of June

Many teachers across the country have expressed their opinion on the matter and for the most part, the decision hasn’t been well received by the teaching community. Sources have said that removing these chapters will cause the students to not give heed to the chapters thus, turning a blind eye to such critical information. All the information that is being provided in the three chapters are vital for the growth of the child, sources add.

Also Read:Class 12 CBSE Results will be Released in the 3rd Week of May

What do you think? Is this decision a logical step toward unburdening the Child?

Inputs from hindustantimes