UPSC Express

About National Curriculum Framework (NCF)

• NCF provides the framework for creation of the school syllabi and the writing of textbooks, while giving guidelines on teaching practices in India.
• It addresses four issues:
  • Educational purpose
  • Educational experience
  • Organization of experience
  • Assessing learner
• NCF is only suggestive and provides guidelines on different aspects of education.
• All the states also developed State Curriculum Framework (SCF) in line with NCF.
• Purpose: To make education comparable across the country in qualitative terms and also making it as means of ensuring national integration without compromising on the country’s pluralistic character.
• NCF past guidelines came in 1975, 1988, 2000 and 2005.
  • NCF 1975: General Science as a compulsory subject, activity based integrated science recommended up to Class X.
  • NCF 1988: Science curriculum should be learner- centered, develop well- defined abilities in cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.
  • NCF 2000: Teaching of Science and tech in upper primary and secondary, part of environment studies in primary recommended.
  • NCF 2005: Focus on learning without burden, reduction in syllabus, including age appropriate concepts.

In brief: NCF 2005

• It was undertaken by National Steering Committee headed by Yashpal.
• The Committee took into consideration a number of aspects:
  • The government reports on education that encouraged making learning a joyful experience.
  • National Policy of Education 1986-1992
  • The recommendations in the position papers of the 21 National Focus Groups (each tasked with producing a research-based paper providing a comprehensive review of existing knowledge and the field reality, especially in rural schools).

News Summary

• NCERT is already working on rationalization of textbooks which will form the basis of the review of the 2005 NCF.
• The revised NCF will focus on experiential learning, which will further take forward the shift of focus from teachers to the student to promote learning without burden and to change the tendency to learning by rote.
• In keeping with the reforms, NCERT is also planning a mammoth training programme for 42 lakh government elementary school teachers by December 2019, which is aimed at improving the learning outcomes.

About National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

• It is an autonomous organisation set up in 1961 by the Government of India to assist and advise the Central and State Governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school education.
• Objectives:
  • Undertake, promote and coordinate research in areas related to school education
  • Prepare and publish model textbooks, supplementary material, newsletters, journals and develops educational kits, multimedia digital materials, etc.
  • Organise pre-service and in-service training of teachers
  • Develop and disseminate innovative educational techniques and practices
  • Collaborate and network with state educational departments, universities, NGOs and other educational institutions
  • Act as a clearing house for ideas and information in matters related to school education
  • Act as a nodal agency for achieving the goals of Universalisation of Elementary Education
• NCERT is also an implementation agency for bilateral cultural exchange programmes with other countries in the field of school education.
• The NCERT also interacts and works in collaboration with the international organisations, visiting foreign delegations and offers various training facilities to educational personnel from developing countries.