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Latest News |
| 18th
February 2010 / Times of India / Mumbai Edition |
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State board syllabus will see most changes
Common Curriculum For Math & Science Is Quite
Similar To What ICSE And CBSE Currently Follow, Claim
Officials
Mumbai: When it comes to education , the rules of the
game are fast changing. A day after education boards across
the country announced plans to adopt a common curriculum
for science and mathematics in Std XI and XII, TOI does
a reality check to see what this means for various boards,
and how much they will have to tweak their curriculum
to align it with the common syllabus.
When it comes to the Maharashtra state board, officials
say they will have to introduce a great deal of changes
in the syllabus. The national boards have a more in-depth
curriculum for science and math. Its a good thing that
there will now be a common syllabus, as the state board
has been at the receiving end of a great deal of flak
for its curriculum.
But the question is will institutions following the state
board curriculum in Classes XI and XII be able to fit
in the vast quantum of curriculum that a common science
and math syllabus involves
At schools affiliated with the national boards, science
students only have to study one language, but when it
comes to the HSC, there are two languages . This reduces
the periods for teaching the core science subjects, said
an official with the state education board.
While the state board is in the process of revamping its
curriculum, officials say that they will not be adopting
the textbooks created by the National Council of Education
Research and Training, but will instead design their own
study material. We will design textbooks based on the
common curriculum. But we want to ensure that they are
localised for children in the state, said the official.
Those associated with the CBSE board feel there will be
little or no change in the present curriculum. The CBSE
curriculum is updated almost every year, and 10% of obsolete
syllabus is removed , said Avnita Bir, principal of R
N Podar, a CBSE school in Santa Cruz. She added that the
common curriculum will, by and large be modelled around
the CBSE. The CBSE curriculum is already in tune with
professional entrance tests, she added.
Gerry Arathoon, spokesperson for the ICSE boardthat conducts
the ISC exam for Class XII, and is one of the two national
boards in the countrysaid the new common curriculum is
very similar to the one followed by the ICSE board. There
are only a few changes that will have to be made in our
syllabus, said Arathoon. Currently, I keep hearing statements
about how engineering entrance tests are tailor-made to
suit those who have studied the CBSE curriculum . I do
not think that is true. I am glad that there will now
be a common curriculum for science and math in Classes
XI and XII, he added.
Arathoon is also in favour of the proposal to introduce
a common entrance test for medicine and one for engineering,
a system that will put Class XII students across the country
on an equal footing.
A couple of years ago, the Council of Boards of Secondary
Education an umbrella organisation encompassing all education
boards in India, had decided to create a common curriculum
for science and math in Classes XI and XII. The curriculum
is in place. All boards have contributed towards it, said
Arathoon.
There is hope that Classes IX and X will also follow a
similar path.
While currently, there is no move to do so, a representative
of one of the boards told TOI that all boards would decide
on this in consultation with each other. While the international
boards operating in India are also members of COBSE, they
will not be following the new common curriculum.
Move hailed as step in right direction
Across professional institutes, opinions are divided over
whether or not the state should introduce a common science
and math curriculum in Classes XI and XII. Many, like
Dr Satish Khadse, cardiologist and faculty member at Grant
Medical College, feel that a common curriculum for Class
XII is a good idea, but does not solve the inequalities
existing in the system. For instance, a student from Mumbai
or Delhi will have far better access to infrastructure
and quality of teaching compared to those from the interiors,
he said, adding that coaching, classes, too were numerous
in big cities.
Jitendra Shah, former professor at VJTI, feels that the
common curriculum is definitely a step in the right direction.
But I hope that the new curriculum is constantly updated
and not kept in deep freeze for a decade, he adds. Like
Khadse, Shah, too, feels its not just a common curriculum
thats needed but equality of opportunity and infrastructure
across the country.
DIFFERING OPINIONS
The National Knowledge Commission states the need for
variety in the education system. The aim is for every
student to find his comfort in a particular board and
syllabus. If we make the syllabus common, we leave students
with no option
Fr Frazer Mascarenhas | PRINCIPAL OF ST XAVIERS
COLLEGE, DHOBI TALAO
The national boards have a more in-depth curriculum for
science and math. Its a good thing that there will now
be a common syllabus, as the state board has been at the
receiving end of a great deal of flak for its curriculum
Meera Isaacs | PRINCIPAL OF CATHEDRAL AND JOHN
CONNON SCHOOL, FORT
There are only a few changes that will have to be made
in our syllabus
Gerry Arathoon | SPOKESPERSON FOR THE ICSE BOARD, THAT
CONDUCTS THE ISC EXAM FOR CLASS XII
The syllabus has to be designed keeping SSC students in
mind as they are the majority
Fr George | ST MICHAELS HIGH SCHOOL, MAHIM
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