The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has recently undertaken a “rationalization” exercise, leading to the removal of certain chapters from its Class 10 Science textbook. Read more about the current NCERT rationalisation process here. This article on education in India is aligned with the UPSC Syllabus and is relevant for prelims and mains examination.
Periodic Table, the Missing Chapter
- Importance of the Periodic Table: The Periodic Table is a fundamental concept in chemistry, providing a framework for understanding the elements and their properties.
- Deletion and Rationale: Despite its significance, the chapter on ‘Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties’ has been removed from the Class 10 Science textbook as part of the rationalization exercise.
- The reason cited is the need to reduce content load on students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other Deletions and Changes:
- Evolution and Fibre and Fabrics: The topic of ‘Evolution,’ including the Darwinian theory of natural selection, has also been removed from the Class 10 Science textbook. Similarly, chapters on Fibre and Fabrics in Classes 6, 7, and 8 have been spiked.
- The Charkha Reference: The chapter on Fibre and Fabrics in Class 6 contained a reference to Mahatma Gandhi and his promotion of charkha during the Independence movement. This reference has been omitted from the revised textbook.
- “Why Do We Fall Ill” and Covid-19: The chapter addressing viruses and air-borne diseases, including Covid-19, has been completely removed from the Class 9 Science textbook.
- Ironically, the rationalization was carried out due to disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Factors Behind the Deletions:
- Overlapping Content: Some chapters were removed because their content overlapped with material covered in other classes or subjects.
- Relevance and Outdated Information: Certain topics were deemed not relevant or outdated in the present context, making them eligible for removal.
- Difficulty Level and Accessibility: Chapters that were considered difficult or easily accessible for self-learning or peer-learning were omitted from the textbooks.
Conclusion:
- The NCERT’s rationalization exercise in its Science textbooks has resulted in the removal of significant chapters, including the Periodic Table, Evolution, and Fibre and Fabrics.
- While the aim is to reduce the content load on students, these changes have raised concerns about the comprehensiveness and depth of the curriculum.
Periodic Table, the Missing Chapter from NCERT’s Rationalisation Exercise:- Download PDF Here
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