Mumbai: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has confirmed that it would reduce its syllabus within a month as part of its curricular reforms process. Chairperson of the board, Manoj Ahuja confirmed that the slash in syllabus was as much part of the overall shift from structured rote-learning, examination based system to a competency based learning system that was being implemented from 2020-21 to improve educational experiences of students by bringing in decentralisation, diversity and autonomy in the classrooms.
Speaking at a virtual conference on Future of Schools organised by Ashoka University on June 6, Ahuja stated that competency-based education system would start from Class 1 and the reduction in syllabus would weed out “the duplications in concepts, the superfluous and simple concepts that students could self-learn”, while retaining the core concepts necessary for learning outcomes. Unlike the existing system that emphasizes on knowledge of facts, the new competency-based system will assess a student’s understanding of concepts and its practical applications.
Ahuja, who took charge in mid-May, also revealed that undetected learning gaps among students in understanding basic concepts kept growing as child progresses to higher grades and CBSE was working to plug the gaps in learning.
However, he reassured students and parents that changes will be introduced gradually and incrementally without giving any sudden shocks and in collaboration with schools and principals. He also emphasized that all decisions would be taken by keeping the concerns of students and schools foremost and ensuring that there would be no need for “heightened anxiety on issues” and that children are parents are comfortable and able to do their best.
