CBSE's classes 9 to 12 students will be studying a "rationalised syllabus'' for the next academic session as the COVID-19 pandemic has already disrupted the beginning of the classes and other academic activities. A CBSE official told NDTV that syllabus of these classes will be rationalised to make up "in view of loss of time" and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will take a call on the reduction in whole curriculum as it did in the cases of Class 1 to 8 students.
According to news agency PTI, the Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE, the national level secondary and higher secondary education regulator, is considering rationalising the syllabus for classes 9 to 12 for the next academic year to make up for lost time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The news agency has also reported that Board is presently in the process of assessing the situation as well as the loss and a call in this regard will be taken accordingly.
Earlier, the Board had decided to promote students in class 9 and 11 on the basis of internal assessments of school including projects, periodic tests, term exams, etc. conducted so far.
"It has come to our notice that though several schools affiliated to CBSE have completed their examination, evaluation and promotion process for students who were studying in grades 9 and 11 in the 2019-20 academic session, there are several schools that have not been able to do so," CBSE said in a statement.
Based on this, most of the CBSE schools have started to conduct classes for grade 10 students in online mode, according to reports.
The Board had also made decision to promote students from 1 to 8 without exams.
Meanwhile, the CBSE Class 10 results will be declared after completing the pending examinations of northeast Delhi students and the evaluation process. The Board had decided the conduct only important pending examinations which were postponed in March in view to arrest spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
Last week, the NCERT announced an alternative academic calendar for students enrolled in classes 1 to 8 to be followed as they study at home due to the lockdown.
CBSE is presently in the process of assessing the situation as well as the loss and a call in this regard will be taken accordingly.
The council is in the process of developing similar plans for higher classes as well.
"NCERT has come out with revised activities calender for classes 1-8 , the CBSE is assessing the situation and loss time to rationalise syllabus for classes 9-12 and inform in due course of time," a senior board official said.
Alternative academic calender
In order to engage students meaningfully during their stay at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, which has been now extended till May 3, through educational activities with the help of their parents and teachers, the NCERT, under the guidance of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), has developed the alternative academic calendar.
This calendar was released by Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' in New Delhi on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion the Minister said that this calendar provides guidelines to teachers on the use of various technological tools and social media tools available for imparting education in fun-filled, interesting ways, which can be used by learner to learn even while at home.
However, it has taken into account, the varying levels of access to such tools-Mobile, Radio, Television, SMS and various social media, according to a statement form HRD ministry.
The fact that many of us may not have internet facility in the mobile, or may not be able to use different social media tools- such as whatsapp, facebook, twitter, google, etc., the calendar guides teachers to further guide parents and students through SMS on mobile phones or mobile call. Parents are expected to help elementary stage students to implement this calendar, the statement added.
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