NCERT syllabus for 2019 to be reduced by half: Prakash Javadekar

New Delhi : NCERT will be cutting its syllabus for the academic year 2019 by half, announced Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar.

While making the announcement, he claimed that syllabus for school was even more than BA and B.Com courses. Reducing syllabus had become a necessity to ensure students get time for more activities.

"At the stage of development of cognitive skills, students need to be given full freedom. I have asked NCERT to reduce the syllabus by half and it will be effective from the 2019 academic session," he told Rajya Sabha TV in an interview.

EXAMS WILL KEEP COMPETITION ON

Speaking over the reforms in school education under consideration, he said that examinations and detentions will stay.

"Without examination, there is no competition and no target. There must be an element of competition for better outcomes," he said.

Any student failing to clear exams in March will get a second chance in May same year. If he fails in both the exams, only then he will be detained.

Mr. Javadekar also expressed concern over the poor quality of teachers, which he said was resulting in poor learning outcomes. “The basic task of teachers is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of students and mentor them accordingly,” he added.