Question : Common Syllabus and Curriculum

(a) the guidelines laid down and the mechanism put in place for selection and prescription of syllabi and textbooks for school education;
(b) whether the Government proposes to introduce common syllabus and curriculum to achieve the objectives of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the measures taken by the Government for effective implementation of the RTE Act, 2009 to achieve its objectives?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)


(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the table of the House.



STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 132 ASKED BY SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU REGARDING COMMON SYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM, DUE FOR ANSWER ON 27.07.2015.

(a) The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 (as modified in 1992) recommends that the national system of education will be based on a National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which contains a common core along with other components which are flexible. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) developed by the NCERT as per the mandate of the National Policy on Education 1986 sets the guidelines and direction for the development of syllabi and textbooks at all the school stages. As a follow up to the NCF, curriculum, syllabi, text-books and other supplementary material are developed by NCERT. State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) and State Education Boards either adopt or adapt NCERT’s model syllabi and textbooks or develop their own syllabi and textbooks based on NCF.
(b) & (c) As per Section 29 of the RTE Act, 2009, the curriculum and evaluation procedure for elementary education shall be laid down by an academic authority to be specified by the appropriate Government, by notification. Accordingly, the Central Government has notified the NCERT as the academic authority for preparing the framework of national curriculum under Section 7(6) of the RTE Act. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 prepared by NCERT has been accepted as the curriculum framework in order to provide a child-centred curricular policy for the elementary stage of education which conforms to the constitutional values, encourages all round development of the child, making every child free of fear, trauma and anxiety, learning through activities, discovery and exploration in a child-friendly manner. All the States have either adopted the NCF or adapted their curriculum to the framework.
(d) All the State/UTs have notified their State RTE Rules to implement the provisions of the RTE Act, 2009 and are implementing the provisions of the Act and their Rules thereunder. The Central Government provides funds under the SSA programme to States, based on their demands expressed through Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWP&B), which are appraised based on the performance of State and availability of Central funds. In addition, guidelines under Section 35(1) of the RTE Act are issued by the Central Government from time to time for the effective implementation of this Act.
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