New curriculum framework proposes 2 board exams in a year

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) finalised by the union Education Ministry has recommended that Class 10 and 12 board examinations be held twice every year and students be allowed to retain the best score.

The NCF, based on the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP), is the benchmark document that is used by the NCERT to prepare syllabi and textbooks taught in CBSE-affiliated schools between classes 3 and 12.  However, it is not mandatory for state boards to follow the NCF.

Prepared by the national steering committee headed by former Isro chief K Kasturirangan, the final draft of the NCF was handed over to the NCERT by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday during the first joint workshop of the National Curriculum Framework Oversight Committee and the National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee.

The NCF suggests key changes in language policy. As per the recommendations, students will have to mandatorily study three languages till class 10, out of which two will be native Indian languages. Class 11 and 12 students will have to study two languages including a native Indian language.

Currently, students are taught only one language in classes 11 and 12. The NCF also recommends that foundational literacy be taught to children in their mother tongue or a language that is most familiar to the student.

The framework also suggests doing away with the rigid compartmentalisation of streams like science, commerce, and humanities. Minister Pradhan, while making the announcement, said that efforts are on to make new textbooks available from the 2024 academic year.

While textbooks will be the primary curriculum content source for students in Grades 9 and 10, in Grades 11 and 12, students will be encouraged to source content from multiple channels. “Course compendiums can be utilised in Grades 11 and 12 to make the choice of content more dynamic and flexible,” the NCF suggests. Textbooks, playbooks and workbooks are recommended only from Grade 1.

Students will also have to study Environmental Education as an interdisciplinary area of study. The NCF also suggests that the current system of study in annual and two-year patterns move to a semester system. Students will also be given choice-based courses to enable flexibility and to remove hard separations between disciplines and academic areas. 

The education ministry said that the consultation for the NCF took place across 500 districts, and over 50 consultations with different ministries, religious groups, civil society organisations, NGOs and universities. Through the process, more than 8,000 stakeholders participated. A survey on a mobile app received feedback from around 1,50,000 stakeholders, the ministry said, adding that a ‘Citizen Centric Survey’ launched in August last year received inputs from more than 12,00,000 stakeholders. 

The last NCF was finalised in 2005 under the UPA regime when Arjun Singh was the Union HRD Minister.

NCF highlights 

*More languages
Students in Grades 9-10 will now have to study three languages, including two Indian languages; Grades 11-12 will have to study two languages, including one Indian

*School system redesigned from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4
School curriculum is now divided into four stages — Foundational (3 to 8 years), Preparatory (8 to 11 years), Middle Age (11 to 14 years), and Secondary (14 to 18)

*No textbooks till Grade 1
Toys, puzzles, picture books, and manipulatives to be teaching material during first three years

*Routine exams
In 10 years, Examination Boards should be prepared to offer certification through ‘modular examinations’

*Promotion of ancient traditions of India
Schools will use local resources of learning, including language, practices, experts, histories as well as environment as rich sources of illustrations or case studies