Uttarakhand to Mandate 10 Subjects for Class X Students | 15 Jan 2025

Why in News?  

A draft has been prepared by the Uttarakhand’s State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has proposed Class X students to study 10 mandatory subjects, replacing the current practice of five.  

Key Points 

  • The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has prepared a draft of the state curriculum framework, aiming to enhance educational standards and better prepare students for future challenges.  
    • The new curriculum marks the first major implementation since the NEP of 1986, which succeeded the policy of 1968 
  • The draft of the state curriculum framework, prepared through various committees, will be reviewed by the state government.  
    • It includes only those subjects that have been recommended by the NEP. 
  • All children studying in government schools will be required to take these subjects. They will have the option to change subjects starting from the 11th grade. 
  • The inclusion of new subjects under this policy will foster an entrepreneurial spirit among students. These will include courses in beauty and wellness, drone technology, and various IT-related programmes.  

National Education Policy, 2020 

  • About: 
    • The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”. It is only the 3rd major revamp of the framework of education in India since independence. 
      • The two earlier education policies were brought in 1968 and 1986. 
  • Salient Features: 
    • Ensuring Universal Access at All Levels of schooling from pre-primary school to Grade 12. 
    • Ensuring quality early childhood care and education for all children between 3-6 years. 
    • New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure (5+3+3+4) corresponds to the age groups of 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. 
      • It covers four stages of schooling: Foundational Stage (5 years), Preparatory Stage (3 years), Middle Stage (3 years), and Secondary Stage (4 years). 
    • No hard separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams; 
    • Emphasis on promoting multilingualism and Indian languages 
    • Setting up of a new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) 
    • A separate Gender Inclusion fund and Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups.