As per the draft National Curriculum Framework (NCF), the two board exams may be back for class 12 and the final result for class 10 and 12 will take into account the marks of the previous class.
NCF, which is being prepared as per the new National Education The policy (NEP) also proposes to do away with the existing practice of bifurcating streams into science, arts or humanities and commerce for classes 11 and 12. The NCF was last revised in 2005.
However, this is not the first attempt to reform board exams.
Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) was introduced for class 10 in 2009, but it was scrapped in 2017 and the board reverted to the old model of year-end exams.
Class 10 and 12 board exams were also split into two terms as a one-time measure during the pandemic, but this year the old format of year-end exams was resumed for important exams.
While the draft NCF proposes two term exams for classes 11 and 12, calling it “modular board exams”, it suggests that bifurcating the calendar for classes 9 and 10 is “unnecessary”.
According to education ministry officials, the draft, which is in the final stages, will soon be put in the public domain for feedback from stakeholders and the new system will be implemented from the 2024 academic session.
As per NEP 2020, the secondary stage will consist of four years of multidisciplinary study (Classes 9-12), based on a subject-oriented academic and middle-stage curricular style…more flexibility and student choice of subjects.
There are eight curriculum areas – Humanities, Mathematics and Computing, Vocational Education, Physical Education, Arts Education, Social Science, Science and Interdisciplinary.
The secondary level is divided into two stages – classes 9-10 and classes 11-12. Broader curricular areas like science, social science, humanities will be introduced in classes 9 and 10. Subjects like History, Physics, Languages within each curricular area will be introduced in class 11 and 12 to enable depth.
Describing the structure for classes 9 and 10, the draft NCF says, “To complete class 10, students will have to complete each of the eight curricular areas available out of a total of 16 required courses over the two years of classes 9 and 10. Must complete two required courses. Both classes will follow an annual structure (building a semester structure in these classes is possible but unnecessary as all students will take all required courses). “Students must pass eight board examinations at the end of class 10 – these assess each of the two required courses in each curricular area learned during classes 9 and 10. Final certification will be based on the cumulative result of each test ,” it adds.
The draft, prepared by the National Steering Committee headed by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, also suggested that the current practice of streaming in science, arts or humanities and commerce be replaced by a design that allows for different types of engagement. Through enables both. Streams and in-depth courses in areas chosen by the students.
For classes 11 and 12, the same set of eight curricular areas will remain on offer, but choice-based courses will be created based on subjects within the curricular areas (eg: the humanities discipline will offer language, literature and philosophy). Ensure deeper and more rigid engagement.
“This phase will be divided into semesters and each choice-based course will be for one semester. Students have to complete 16 choice-based courses to complete class 12th. To ensure that students have sufficient breadth, they must choose subjects from at least three curricular areas and must complete four option-based courses in that discipline.
For example, if a student chooses Social Science (Curriculum Area) and History (Discipline), he/she has to complete all the four courses in History. She could then choose the humanities as a second curricular area and take four courses in philosophy. Mathematics may be the third curricular area, with four courses in computer science. The fourth set of courses may be from one of the three curricular areas already chosen or a completely different one.
“Alternatively, if a student chooses Science (curriculum area) and Physics (discipline) within it, he/she will have to complete all the four courses in Physics. She could then choose art as a second curricular area and take four courses in music. Mathematics can be the third curricular area with four math courses. The fourth set of courses may be from one of the three curricular areas already selected or a completely different one,” the draft says.
The NCF has been revised four times – in 1975, 1988, 2000 and 2005. The new proposed amendment will be the fifth amendment to the framework.
read all latest education news Here
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)