Sansad TV Perspective: Draft National Curriculum Framework

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: ‘Draft National Curriculum Framework’.

Anchor: Vishal Dahiya

Guests:

1. Swati Popat Vats, Educationist
2. Aditi Tandon, Sr Journalist
3. Dr. CB Sharma, Professor of Education
4. Shalini Agarwal, Principal, Dwarka International School
5. Vrinda Swarup, Former Secretary, Dept. of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education

Context – Ministry of Education has invited suggestions on Draft National Curriculum Framework for School Education. The NCF brings to life the aims and commitments of the National Education Policy. This includes the full range of human capacities, values and dispositions that are aimed to be developed in school education.

Introduction

National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 aims at transforming the whole education system in India including school education and higher education. In the context of school education, NEP recommends a shift from the 10+2 system to a 5+3+3+4 system and suggests curricular and pedagogical shifts at different stages – foundational, preparatory, middle and secondary.

National Curriculum Frameworks (NCF)

As a follow-up of the NEP 2020, the development of four National Curriculum Frameworks – NCF for School Education, NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education, NCF for Teacher Education and NCF for Adult Education has been initiated. 

• NCF for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) was launched by the Ministry of Education on 20th October 2022.
• The NCF for School Education pre-draft is also ready and the Ministry of Education has invited suggestions on Draft NCF for School Education. It will be finalised after further rounds of discussions involving the National Steering Committee led by former ISRO Chairperson K. Kasturirangan.
• The draft framework for Teacher and Adult Education is underway.
• Inclusion and Special Education needs a separate NCF which has not been covered yet.

National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education

The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF) is developed based on the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, and to enable its implementation. The draft NCF aims to break the straitjacket of streams and recommends a bouquet of eight curricular areas each for Classes 9-10 and 11-12. In Classes 11-12, students can opt for any 16 choice-based courses from the eight curricular areas, to be covered over four semesters. 

• The eight curricular areas are humanities, mathematics and computing, vocational education, physical education and sports, arts education, social science, science and interdisciplinary areas.
• For Classes 9-10, the annual schedule will be followed but two board exams for each year have been recommended. 
• NCF-SE is integrative and holistic with equal status to all subjects and learning domains from Maths to Sports. It integrates vocational education in all schools, and there is integration across subjects while developing rigorous subject understanding and capacities.
• It addresses the real challenges of our current education system. It moves away from an overemphasis on rote memorisation and content accumulation. 
• Modular Board Examinations will be offered as opposed to a single examination at the end of the year. The final certification will be based on the cumulative result of each of the examinations.
• The modularisation of the board exams will reduce the pressure on one date for high performance and give more choices to students to showcase their best. 
• The objective of an exam system should be to elicit the best performance from the student with the least pressure. This modular, twice-a-year option is an improvement towards this goal.
• Under the NCF draft framework, students are given increased flexibility and choice of subjects to study, particularly in secondary school – thereby allowing them to design their own curriculum. There will be no hard separation among ‘curricular’, ‘extracurricular’, or ‘co-curricular’, among ‘arts’, ‘humanities’, and ‘sciences’, or between ‘vocational’ or ‘academic’ streams. 

Characteristics of NCF-SE

• Goal-directed
• Educationally valid
• Engaging
• Improvement driving
• Diversity embracing
• Practice enabling
• Mutually reinforcing elements

Implementation of NCF

The NCF for School Education is one of the core transformational forces of NEP.

• The curriculum implementation of this NCF requires several actions around the development of content, pedagogy in the classroom and assessment of student learning 
• A supportive ecosystem is essential for the implementation of NCF like the availability of adequate infrastructure and resources, and the criticality of teachers.
• Four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) has been introduced. The curriculum for the specialisations within the ITEP must be based on the curriculum and pedagogy of the NCF. 57 institutions have been identified for offering ITEP.

Challenges 

• Since education is a concurrent subject, most states have their own school boards. Therefore, state governments would have to be brought on board for the actual implementation of NCF.
• The education sector continues to grapple with the shortage of teachers. School clustering has been mentioned in the policy to tackle the shortage of resources.
• Schools with small sizes and tight resources may find it difficult to offer all options to their students.
• Well-trained teachers are required to handle the transformation and adapt themselves to the change.

Conclusion – The aim of the NEP is not only cognitive development but also building character and creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with 21st-century skills. The National Education Policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high-quality education to all, thereby making India a global knowledge superpower.

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