'NCERT syllabus to be reduced in 2-3 years'

The government is going to reduce the syllabus of NCERT textbooks in the coming two to three years, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Monday.

The Minister told a media conference here that the idea to have quality education in the country was predominant at the six workshops held by the ministry as well as during meetings with state education officials.

"A large number of NGOs, education experts, state government officers, and many teachers took part in these meeting," he said.

Javadekar also stressed that plenty of information is not education. "Students are not data banks. The main aim of education is to bring out a good human being. It is the need of the hour to inculcate value education, life skills, experiential learning and physical fitness in our daily life."

He added that the idea to reduce the burden is to make students learn the basic principles of various subjects.

"We have asked the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) to evaluate the present curriculum and decide what can be done away with and what should be retained."

The minister also said that the ministry will put out this week on its website the request for suggestions from teachers, parents, educational experts, students and stakeholders concerned in the field of education on reducing the syllabus of NCERT.

He said that after two months, he will review the suggestions and will accordingly take measures to reduce the syllabus.

--IANS

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