NCERT to revise 14-yr-old curriculum

New Delhi, October 16

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is planning to review the 14-year-old National Curriculum Framework (NCF) in accordance with a new national education policy (NEP) and set up a committee for the purpose.

According to NCERT Director Hrushikesh Senapaty, the council will announce a committee by month-end that will revisit the NCF to bring it in line with the new education policy. The NCF has been revised four times so far — in 1975, 1988, 2000 and 2005. The new proposed revision will be the fifth of the framework.

“We are just waiting for the new education policy to be finalised and a committee for reviewing the NCF will be announced by month-end. The committee, however, will keep NEP as the base of revision. Ultimately the textbooks will be revised as per the new framework,” said Senapaty.

“It has been over 14 years since the last framework was revised. We did review the textbooks in past two years but once the new education policy is in place, the curriculum framework will need thorough revision,” he said.

The council is also undertaking a survey in six blocks to analyse the quality of primary education available and the areas that need change.

“The blocks that have been identified for the preliminary survey are in Shillong, Mysore, Rajasthan, Bhopal and Orissa. NCERT officials are visiting each of the block and conducting the survey. Once the findings are received, the survey will be conducted in more areas and the findings will also be reviewed for the new curriculum framework,” Senapaty said.

The revision of NCERT textbooks has also been recommended in the new education policy draft. It has been advised that the textbooks should be revised to contain only the essential core material in each subject, keeping in mind a constructivist, discovery-based, analysis-based, engaging, and enjoyable style of learning.

A panel led by former Indian ISRO chief K Kasturirangan had submitted the draft of the new national education policy to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ when he took charge. The draft was then put in public domain to seek feedback from various stakeholders and over two lakh suggestions were received by the HRD Ministry about the same. — PTI 

Fifth time since 1975 

• This will be the fifth revision of the National Curriculum Framework. It was earlier revised in 1975, 1988, 2000 and 2005
• Proposed panel will keep national education policy as the base of revision and will revise textbooks as per the new framework
• A survey is being undertaken in six blocks to analyse quality of primary education available and areas that need change