Uttarakhand

• 15 Jan 2025

Uttarakhand to Mandate 10 Subjects for Class X Students

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.  

• This decision follows the framework set by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.  

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 11^th 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 3^rd 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.