NCERT syllabus to be half from 2019 session, announces HRD Minister Javadekar

Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday announced that the NCERT syllabus would be reduced by almost half from the 2019 academic session.

The decision was taken in a bid to provide relief to school students, who complained of existing vast syllabus.

Divulging details of the decision, Javadekar said the school syllabus was more than that of BA and B.Com courses, and it needed to be reduced by half so that students get time for other activities for their all-round development.

"At the stage of development of cognitive skills, students need to be given full freedom. I have asked NCERT to reduce the syllabus by half and it will be effective from the 2019 academic session," Javadekar said. 

Elaborating on the reforms in school education under consideration, the minister said examinations and detentions would be introduced.

He said a Bill in this regard will be considered in Parliament in the next part of the Budget Session.

"Without examination, there is no competition and no target. There must be an element of competition for better outcomes," he said.

If a student fails in March, he would get another chance in May.

If a student flunks both the times, then only he or she would be detained.

Javadekar also expressed concern over the poor quality of teachers, which he said was resulting in poor learning outcomes.

"The basic task of teachers is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of students and mentor them accordingly," he added.

He also informed that under the Right to Education Act, 20 lakh teachers were to be trained by 2015 but only five lakh of them could be covered.

Over 14 lakh teachers were undergoing a skill upgradation programme.