Demand to curtail science syllabus

The pre-university syllabus which has been upgraded to the CBSE level this year, is receiving a lot of opposition. On behalf of students, particularly those from a rural background and who have taken the state level tests, The All India Save Education Committee (AISEC) and the All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) are battling to have the syllabus reduced.

On Tuesday, members from both the organisation met Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, primary and secondary education minister with their demands. “We submitted a proposal for the need to reduce the upgraded syllabus by 20 hours. We have been told them this will be looked into,” said VN Rajashekar, state president of AIDSO.

The organisation has given a proposal wherein they have given topics to be reduced chapter wise in each subject (physics, chemistry, maths and biology). “What is being taught currently is very impractical. Last year, when the syllabus was designed for 75 hours, lecturers had to take classes for over 100 hours through special classes,” he said,  adding that most students have done the state syllabus and are unable to cope with the upgraded syllabus.

The team had earlier met the minister earlier in August who was agreeable to reducing the number of teaching hours and syllabus from the present 120 hours to 100 hours.

Initially, they had opposed the change and were demanding that no changes take place. However, once it was implemented by the pre-university department, they have taken on to have the syllabus reduced.

“We have also informed the minister that the continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) is hampering the process of teaching and learning and cultivation of knowledge. Students will become exam oriented and bookworms,” he said “The minister also agreed saying that there has been a lot of opposition about CCE,” said Rajashekar.