Context:

• The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship released the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), marking a step towards the implementation of National Education Policy.

More about the news: 

• The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) is the curriculum framework for the 5+3+3+4 design of schooling as proposed by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). 
  • NCF has been drafted by the union government-appointed national steering committee headed by K Kasturirangan.
• The National Education Policy 2020 and the NCF, are not binding on the states. 
  • NEP is a policy that states are free to adopt, while the NCF provides guidelines on how school education should be conducted in classrooms.
• The entire curriculum framework for all the four stages – Foundational Stage, Preparatory Stage, Middle Stage, and Secondary Stage was released. 
• Applicability:  For students of grade 9 and above starting from the 2024-25 academic session.

Important Highlight of NCF-SE:

• Multilingualism and Indian Languages: It mandates teaching of three languages, including two Indian languages, in classes 9-10, and two languages, including one Indian language, in class 11-12.
• Transition to semester based systems: The revised NCF recommends a gradual transition to semester or term-based systems for all boards over the long run.
• Assessment: Students will be assessed on a maximum of seven subjects in Class 12. Currently, class 12 students of most school boards have a maximum of six subjects.
• Flexibility: It offers students the freedom to pursue a mix of science and humanities to reduce boundaries separating arts, commerce and science in Classes 11 and 12 across school boards.
• Environmental Education: It will be given due emphasis across all stages of schooling culminating in a separate area of study in the Secondary Stage.
• Conceptual understanding in Mathematics: Higher order curricular goals such as problem solving, mathematical thinking, coding, and communication will be given due importance.
• Physical Education & Well-being: It will be given a renewed emphasis in the curriculum by defining specific learning standards to be achieved and recommended time allocation in the school timetables.
• Engaging and effective pedagogy: It enables the entire range of age and context appropriate pedagogy which would also use effective, widely available, and highly engaging teaching-learning-material, including textbooks

Source: Indian Express