Bokaro: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday reduced the syllabus for the social sciences exam providing relief to the students of Class X. Educationists, parents and students in Bokaro found it a welcome step.
Sources said, a total of five units from the social sciences theory topics have been removed for the students. The CBSE would conduct the social sciences paper on May 27. The decision of reducing the syllabus has been taken in view of providing flexibility to students in the Class X Board examination.
Due to coronavirus pandemic, the working days in schools have been reduced significantly this year, students attended classes online, in such a situation students and parents were expecting such a decision.
According to the Union Education Ministry in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, concrete suggestions were invited from academicians from all over the country on the subject of syllabus reductions. More than 150 academicians across the country have sent their suggestions on this subject.
Mahesh Tripathi, secretary of one of the prominent school of the town, Chinmaya Vidyalaya find the reduction of social science syllabus for class X examination by CBSE is a welcome step. He said, in this session, Teaching Learning Process (TLP) has got affected due to abrupt stoppage of regular classes in schools premises on physical mode.
“Even best of online classes couldn’t save complete damage, for example, project-based experiential learning and mutual interactive learning in the classes could hardly take place. We have seen that students felt difficulty in coping with offline pre-board examinations as they got disconnected with writing long answers for subjective questions,” said Mahesh Tripathi.
The excessive pressure on students was more visible in papers like social sciences where four subjects viz. History, Geography, Political Science and Economics from the syllabus. It was really very difficult to cope with the stress and complete the lengthy topics. “CBSE deserves our thanks for their sensitivity and timely approach in reducing the syllabus without much loss in a learning outcome,” he added.
Principal of Guru Gobind Singh Public School, Soumen Chakraborty said, this period has been tough for both the teachers and students. But as life demands changes, the pattern of imparting knowledge is also changing. With the passage of time, both the Preacher and Learner are getting well acquainted with handling digital learning. So, our teachers have become a ray of hope and students a patient learner.
According to the Union Education ministry in the wake of the corona virus pandemic, concrete suggestions were invited. So, we the teachers of Social Science department have come up with the following suggestions.
• During the complete lockdown when movement was restricted, reduction of syllabus has proven to be a boon for the learners.
• It is beneficial for slow learners.
• It has lessened the burden on the children so that they get lavish time to study the content efficiently with full focus and concentration.
• Integrated learning also helps students to reduce stress.
• Teachers feel that the reduced syllabus allowed them much needed breathing space in the shortened academic year. Teachers got enough time to complete the syllabus and students got sufficient time for revision. No burden of syllabus completion due to sufficient time available. Reduced syllabus has in fact lightened the load on students.
• But, basic foundation of students preparing for competitive exam has been obstructed. The topics left out in the reduced syllabus may prove to be fundamental in future classes.
• Changes in the pattern of question paper like increase in one – mark questions have proven to be difficult for gaining full marks.
• It is definitely good for obtaining better marks but not good for their knowledge. Ultimately knowledge matters.
