Covid-19 pandemic has affected the education sector in a tremendous way, students have not been able to attend the classes and the e-learning model is not very effective in India yet.
Considering all the factors The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) has reduced 30% of the syllabus of classes XI and XII. Following the norms for the pandemic and restrictions of the lockdown students haven’t been able to attend classes for months now, this decision will certainly help to reduce the mental burden on them.
Lessons on Jawaharlal Nehru, the Mandal Commission report, the 2002 Gujarat riots and writings on caste and marginalisation have been removed from the Class 12 state board syllabus in Assam.
In Political Science, the removed sections under the topic ‘Politics in India since Independence’ are: ‘First three general elections; Nehru’s approach to nation-building; Famine and suspension of five year plans; Nehru’s foreign policy; Political succession after Nehru; Politics of Garibi Hatao; Navnirman movement in Gujarat; Punjab crisis and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984; Implementation of Mandal Commission report; UF and NDA governments; Elections 2004 and UPA government; Ayodhya dispute; and Gujarat riots’.
In History, ‘Kinship, Caste and Class’ section has been omitted while English no longer include ‘Memories of Childhood.’
“It is well known to all that due to Pandemic Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) students of our state (have) already lost valued academic time. After the CBSE decided to reduce the volume of the course for class XI & XII, the AHSEC was seriously deliberating upon the issue,” wrote Manoranjan Kakati, Secretary of the AHSEC.
“The main objective is to reduce the exam stress of the students of the session 2020-21, due to this pandemic situation and to prevent learning gaps,” he added.
A senior board official said in July, the AHSEC had sought views from the principals of colleges and schools and most of them were in favor of reducing the volume of course contents. Based on their feedback and instructions from state education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the academic committee meeting of the AHSEC has finally given the go-ahead to the decision.
