Maharashtra cuts syllabus for classes 1 to 12

Pune: The state government has given its approval for slashing 25 per cent syllabus of Class 1 to 12 students of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. The government has also asked the Maharashtra State Council of Education Research and Training (MSCERT) to publish the reduced portion of the syllabus on its website at the earliest for the convenience of students and parents.

The academic year 2020-21 started on June 15, but the schools are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. Some schools have started conducting classes online, while some have sent recorded videos to students on their parents email addresses. Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, Union Minister for Human Resources and Development, had also earlier tweeted that the parents and teachers have demanded to reduce the syllabus for this year considering the unprecedented situation due to Covid-19.

The SCERT had however clarified earlier that reducing the syllabus does not amount to skipping any part of the course. Some portions will be asked to be completed at home by the students and some portion which is not directly related to the next grade will be reduced. Expert committees were appointed to work on each subject and prepare the revised syllabus. The subject matter experts have considered all aspects while cutting short any part of the syllabus.

After the SCERT had announced its plan for reducing the syllabus, many students, parents, teachers and schools were eager about its final decision. Even though the schools had started online sessions, students and teachers did not have any clarity on the portions which were going to be exempted. As a result the online sessions could not be planned properly.

As a solution to this problem, the SCERT had asked the schools and junior colleges to complete the theory portion first and schedule the practical portion for the next semester. If the theory portion is reduced, then accordingly the practical portion will also be reduced.