NCF brings pre-draft recommendations to overhaul the current Indian education system

Indian education system, the union education ministry has made public the draft recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework, its fifth revised version since 2005. 

The recommendations in the draft NCF which has been created under the New Education Policy 2020 has some massive changes being proposed to how children learn in India right from Class 1 to Class 12.

At the outset, it is necessary to point out that these changes that have been proposed are only suggestions at this stage from the national steering committee headed by Ex ISRO scientist K Kasturirangan.

It is for the utmost transparency that the minister of education has invited stakeholder consultations on the draft policy by putting it in the public domain.

Some of the major changes that the 800-page draft NCF has proposed span across the four stages of schooling -- 5+3+3+4, which are foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary stages.

THE NEW INDIAN SCHOOLING SYSTEM INCLUDES:

The Foundation Stage is for children ages 3 to 8.

The Preparatory Stage is for three years and includes Grades 3, 4, and 5.

The Middle Stage is for three years and includes Grades 6, 7, and 8.

The Secondary Stage is for four years and includes Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.

PROPOSAL TO HOLD BOARD EXAMS TWICE A YEAR

The recommendation is to have board exams twice for the secondary stage education grades.

“Board examinations should be offered at least twice a year to ensure that students have both enough time and the opportunity to perform well. Students can then appear for a Board examination in courses they have completed and feel ready for," states the draft NCF.

STUDENTS NEED TO CLEAR 8 BOARD EXAMS AT THE END OF CLASS 10

To complete studies in Grade 10, students will be given the option to complete any two essential courses from each of the eight courses in a year.

This means students will study 16 courses in grade 9 and grade 10 in total.

These two essential courses can be from various streams - Humanities (that includes languages), Mathematics and Computing, Vocational Education, Physical Education, Arts, Social Science, Science, and Inter-disciplinary Areas.

Students must clear eight board examinations at the end of Class 10 -- these assess each of the two essential courses in each curricular area learned during Classes 9 and 10.

The final certificate will be based on the cumulative result of each of the examinations.