NCERT syllabus to be cut by half: Prakash Javadekar

New Delhi: In a move that is sure to bring cheer to students, parents and teachers, Union human resource development Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that the NCERT syllabus will be reduced by half. Speaking to a television channel, he said that school syllabus in India is more exhaustive than that of BA and B. com courses, and needs to be reduced by half so that students get time for other activities for their all-round development.

“At the stage of development of cognitive skills, students need to be given full freedom. I have asked NCERT to reduce the syllabus by half and it will be effective from the 2019  academic session,” he said. Regarding the reforms in school education under consideration, he said examinations and detentions would be introduced and added that a Bill in this regard will be introduced soon.  

“Without examination, there is no competition and no target. There must be  an element of competition for better outcomes,” he said.  If a student fails in March, he would get another chance in May. If student flunks both the times, then only he/she would be detained, he added.  Javadekar also expressed concerned over the poor quality of teachers, which he said was resulting in poor learning outcomes. “The basic task of teachers is to assess the strengths and weaknesses  of students and mentor them accordingly,” he added. 

The minister also informed that under the Right to Education Act, 20 lakh teachers were to be trained by 2015 but only five lakh of them could be covered. 
Over 14 lakh teachers were undergoing a skill upgradation programme. It should lead to better results, the minister added. Regarding the much talked-about New Education Policy, Javadekar informed that a report in this regard will be submitted by the end of next month and it  would be unveiled soon thereafter after necessary approvals.