BENGALURU: A few days ago, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) announced another controversial revision to Class 10 textbooks, with chapters on challenges to democracy, the periodic table and more being the latest casualties of NCERT’s rationalisation exercise.
The decision, based on the premise of alleviating the burden on students, has sparked debate regarding its potential consequences, including making students ill-equipped for higher education. Karyn Felsinger, a teacher whose son is currently studying in Class 10 believes that revisions to textbooks over the last year is an attempt to revise history.
“Chapters on Mughals and Gandhi’s assassination were also removed recently. When children enter that delicate age of 15-16, they need to be taught about the world. These days, children get a lot of information on their own from the internet and if schools aren’t presenting them with an accurate picture of the world, then what is the point? I am worried about the upcoming generation,” she adds.
Meanwhile, Manan Pirgal, a Class 10 student at Ekya International School believes that the changes are not impactful to his learning. “We have already studied these concepts in earlier grades. It does not make a difference as people who will take science after Class 10 will study them again,” says Pirgal, who will pursue commerce from Class 11.
Fr Suniel Fernandes, principal of St Joseph’s Boys’ High School believes the changes are detrimental to the ability of students. “It is a good idea to expose students to many perspectives and ideas. I don’t think concepts like democracy and the periodic table are going to burden a child. Rather, they get to learn about an idea and its pros and cons. We have to remember that schools are supposed to equip students with the fundamentals. It’s not about exams and whether it will burden a child’s ability to get good grades,” he says.
Meanwhile, Suma Bhat, another parent, believes children should be allowed to choose what they want to study from Class 8. “If they think teaching these concepts are burdening students, then students should be allowed to choose what they want to study, perhaps in Class 8 or later. If someone wants to study science, they shouldn’t have to study social sciences and vice-versa, rather than removing chapters from textbooks,” she adds.