NCERT Forms 35-Member Committee, Headed by Michel Danino, to Revise Social Science Syllabus for Classes 6 to 12 in Alignment with the NEP
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in India has undertaken a substantial transformation in school education. Under the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC), a 35-member committee chaired by Michel Danino has been established. The primary focus of this committee is to revamp the Social Science syllabus for Classes 6 to 12.
Prominent Members and Objectives of the Committee
The committee includes distinguished members such as Sanjeev Sanyal, Banabina Brahma, MD Srinivas, and other experts with diverse educational and research backgrounds.
Assigned the responsibility of crafting syllabi and educational materials for history, geography, political science, sociology, and psychology, the committee aligns its objectives with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for school education.
Emphasis on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
The main goal of the endeavor is to align the school curriculum with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020. Prioritizing continuity across grades, fostering interdisciplinary connections, and integrating cross-cutting themes in social sciences, the committee aims to deliver teacher handbooks by February 25, 2024.
Curriculum Advisory Groups (CAGs) and Coordination Efforts
The NSTC had envisaged establishing a minimum of 11 Curriculum Advisory Groups (CAGs) catering to various subject domains. Presently, CAGs are in operation for innovative pedagogy and teaching-learning materials, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), and social sciences.
These groups collaborate to ensure coherence with Classes 3 to 5, promote interdisciplinary cohesion, and integrate cross-cutting themes in social science.
Vertical and Horizontal Integration in Social Sciences
Highlighting the necessity for both vertical and horizontal linkages and interdisciplinary integration in social sciences, the NCERT notification states, “Both the CAGs – Social Science and Economics will ensure this integration by sharing and discussing drafts of materials prepared with each other.
