Secularism, Citizenship, And Demonetisation Among Topics Cut By CBSE To Reduce Syllabus

The CBSE had announced earlier that a 30 percent syllabus will be cut to ease the workload on students. The chapters that have been deleted include topics on Democracy, Secularism, and Demonitisation.

(PTI)

New Delhi: In light of the ongoing pandemic, and students depending mostly on online classes for the next foreseeable future, the CBSE had cut down 30 percent of the 2020-2021 academic session syllabus to make it easier on students and teachers. In the updated curriculum for the Class 10 syllabus, the chapters deleted include Democracy and Diversity, Gender, Religion and Caste, popular struggles and movement, and challenges to democracy. For Class 11, the deleted portions include the chapters on Federalism, Citizenship, Nationalism, Secularism, and Growth of local governments in India. Environmental Chemistry has been removed from Chemistry. Similarly, Class 12 students will not be required to study the chapters on India's relations with its neighbours -- Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, the changing nature of India's economic development, social movements in India. CBSE has removed Demonetisation from Class 12 Business Studies books as well. A PTI report says that according to Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry officials, the syllabus has been rationalised to reduce the burden on students, but the core concepts have been retained. "The loss of instructional time for a proportionate reduction in the curriculum load for exams was assessed. Accordingly, the course committee of the board had initiated the work on the reduced syllabus. Suggestions were invited from various stakeholders. Heads of schools and teachers have been advised by the board to ensure that the topics that have been reduced are explained to the students to the extent required. However, the reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for the internal assessment and the year-end board examination," a senior CBSE official in a PTI report. Aside from the CBSE, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) have reduced 25 percent of the ICSE syllabus to lower the burden on students and teachers.