No more Secularism, Democracy, Nationalism chapters for CBSE students, opposition flares up controversy
In a significant decision, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to drop several chapters on all subjects for secondary and senior secondary level to help students cope up with the academic loss caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the reports, the decision to drop these topics were made afterthe direction of the HRD ministry which asked the CBSE to reduce the syllabus for classes 9 to 12 by 30 per cent to compensate for the academic loss caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent closure of schools.
What has been removed from courses for class 9th to 12th :
From class 9th syllabus, chapters on ‘Democratic Rights’ and ‘Structure of the Indian Constitution’ have been removed by the CBSE from Political Science course, while a chapter on ‘Food Security in India’ has been completely removed from Economics syllabus.
From class 10th, the chapters on ‘Democracy and Diversity’, ‘Caste, Religion and Gender’, and ‘Challenges to Democracy’ have been removed from the political science syllabus.
From class 11th, chapters on Federalism, Citizenship, Nationalism and Secularism were ‘completely removed’ from the Political Science syllabus, while only two units — ‘Why do we need Local Governments?’ and ‘Growth of Local Government in India’ — from ‘Local Government’ chapter has been deleted.
From class 12th Political Science syllabus, chapters on ‘Security in the Contemporary World’, ‘Environment and Natural Resources’, ‘Social and New Social Movements in India’, and ‘Regional Aspirations’ were completely removed.
Units of ‘Changing Nature of India’s Economic Development’, ‘Planning Commission and Five Year Plans’ from the chapter ‘Planned Development’ was removed from class 12th syllabus.
‘India’s Relations with its Neighbours: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar’ was also deleted for the present session from the chapter on ‘India’s Foreign Policy’.
Opposition’s Reaction to the syllabus modification:
The Congress said removal of chapters on Federalism, Secularism, Nationalism and citizenship, which are the pillars of Indian democracy, is a crude joke on democracy and is highly condemnable.
Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said it is unconstitutional and wondered if it is part of a “bigger conspiracy”.
Singhvi also said that he would challenge the action in court in his individual capacity and not on behalf of the Congress.
“It is a crude joke and a wrong step and needs to be condemned. Federalism is an integral part of the basic structure of the Constitution. Federalism and secularism are institutional and non-institutional pillars of Indian Democracy. What message are you giving to our children if you say these words do not mean much,” he said at a press conference.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury termed the CBSE move as “atrocious” and “unacceptable”.
“Using the pandemic, Modi government is deleting sections dealing with India’s diversity, plurality, democracy, etc that uphold our Constitutional values,” he tweeted.
He alleged that it is being done to advance the “RSS vision of an exclusivist, theocratic, intolerant, fascistic nation. This is nothing but the destruction of our Constitution”.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said while reducing the syllabus workload was welcome, it should not become an excuse to curtail different streams of thoughts.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also objected to the CBSE’s decision to drop topics such as “citizenship”, “federalism” and “partition”.
She appealed to the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry not to curtail important lessons at any cost.
