CBSE now says chapters not deleted, but covered under ‘alternative academic calendar’

CBSE Tuesday said 2020-21 syllabus for classes 9 to 12 has been reduced by 30% keeping in mind the loss of academic time due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Representational image | PTI

New Delhi: Facing criticism over its decision to revise the syllabi for classes 9 to 12, which saw many important chapters getting axed from the curriculum, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Wednesday said the portions have not been “deleted”.

It said all these chapters have been covered in the “alternative academic calendar” launched by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) earlier this year.

The CBSE Tuesday announced its revised syllabus for the session 2020-21, which has been reduced by 30 per cent keeping in mind the loss of academic time that students have had to face because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The move garnered a lot of criticism after it was found that complete chapters on federalism, secularism, nationalism have been removed from the political science syllabus, while topics like GST and demonetisation were removed from the business studies syllabus.

In a statement to the media Wednesday, CBSE Secretary Anurag Tripathi defended the move. “The rationalisation of syllabus upto 30 percent has been undertaken by the board for nearly 190 subjects of Class 9 to 12 for the academic year 2020-21 as a one-time measure only.”

He added, “The objective is to reduce the exam stress of students due to the prevailing health emergency situations and prevent learning gaps.”

Tripathi also clarified that no questions will be asked in the board exams from the parts removed from the syllabus.

“The schools have also been directed to follow the Alternative Academic Calendar prepared by NCERT in transacting the curriculum,” he added.

NCERT alternative academic calendar 

NCERT had in May launched an alternative academic calendar for students from classes 1 to 10 and another one last month for classes 11 and 12.

Tripathi said the topics that are being referred to as deleted have been covered under the alternative academic calendar already in force for all schools affiliated to the board.

However, though the CBSE denied that the chapters have been “deleted”, it has uploaded on its website the list of all topics and chapters removed from its syllabi under the “deleted portion” category. In its press release issued on Tuesday also, the board had said it is rationalising the syllabus by “removing” certain topics and chapters.