NCERT on rationalisation of textbooks: ‘Need-based exercise aimed at reducing content load’

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued a statement regarding the ‘rationalisation of textbooks’ calling it a need-based exercise aimed at reducing the content load. The NCERT asserted that a new set of books will be used from next academic year and these books are not for a long time.

“The rationalised textbooks are part of this transitional phase, i.e., this academic year 2023-24 only, as NCERT is engaged in the process of finalising the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) based on NEP 2020. This will be followed by a new set of textbooks which will be used from next academic year. So, this should be very clear that these books are not for a long time,” read the statement.

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Recently, it came to light that NCERT has removed the chapter on periodic table from Class 10 Science textbooks as a part of the rationalisation exercise. The rationalisation exercise which was carried out in June 2022 also deleted passages on ‘evolution.’

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As per NCERT, it has been done keeping in view the students’ mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath. It said that it is committed to developing scientific temper in students through fully updated and global standard textbooks for all subject areas including Science.

The new textbooks will be developed, keeping in the spirit of NEP 2020 as the fundamental principle.