To compensate the instructional hours lost in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE, will release details regarding syllabus reduction for 2020-21 academic year soon. An official from the national education board has confirmed to NDTV that the details on reduced syllabus are likely to be announced today.
“An official announcement in this regard is expected soon, may be today itself,” an official told NDTV.
Meanwhile, the Centre on Monday informed the Madras High Court that rules and regulations are being framed for online education which is in place for class room teaching since the COVID-19-induced lockdown was announced in the country in March.
Additional Solicitor General Sankara Narayanan made a submission to this effect before a division bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice R. Hemalatha and said the Centre is in the process of framing the rules and regulations for online classes and itis likely to be published on July 15.
Last month, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had pitched for a 30 per cent reduction in syllabus for all grades to make up for the loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Later in a meeting with education department officials, he had a discussion in this regard to cut syllabus up to 50 per cent.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the board which conducts the ICSE and ISC annual exams, has on last week decided to reduce the syllabus by 25 per cent for next academic year due to the “significant shortening of the academic year and loss of the instructional hours” in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
“While a number of CISCE affiliated schools have tried to adapt to this changed scenario and have tried to keep alive the teaching learning process through online classes, there has been a significant shortening of the academic year and loss of the instructional hours,” a statement from the Board said.
Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the central government announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day. While the government has eased several restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.
