TED NewsDesk, New Delhi: Due to the COVID-19, most of the educational institutions continue to face major setbacks in completing their respective syllabi via the online class mode. To cope with this problem, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia proposed a reduction in the syllabus of 12th boards as well as both NEET and JEE entrance exams.
Sisodia was present during NCERT’s 57th General Council Meeting presided by the Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank; also present, were education ministers of other states. Sisodia provided his suggestion during the meeting.
According to Sisodia, “The current academic session is seriously disturbed due to ongoing Corona crises. The syllabus for all classes be reduced to 50 per cent because of the continued loss of school days. Next year’s entrance exams like JEE and NEET should also be based on this reduced syllabus to align with the current year’s class syllabus.”
Another suggestion from him was to not conduct the 12th board exams during the usual time which is February-March. He proposed the exams should be postponed to be held in May which will give the students enough time to study and prepare for them. To this end the Government of Delhi had made these suggestions via a letter to the Central Board of Secondary Education.
In the letter the Directorate of Education (DoE) reasoned that a big part of the syllabus of the current school session remains incomplete due to the pandemic. Almost seven months went unutilised for physical mode of education since schools are still closed in Delhi till 31st of October.
It should be noted that all the schools and colleges in the country were closed on March 16th to curb COVID-19, and on 25th of March, the government announced a countrywide lockdown. Although the lockdown has been almost entirely been revoked, the educational institutions are still not operational across the country.
In latest developments, the government has decided to open the schools, colleges and universities that are not in any of the COVID-19 containment zones. Most states and Union Territories have complied to the opening order which will take place after October 15th. But the Delhi Government is going to wait till October 31st to stake out the situation regarding the pandemic, after which it will reassess the whole situation.
The pandemic has proved to be a huge setback for the education of students across the world. In such a situation, it has become important to consider the difficulties of students and make it easier for them to catch up with their studies and move forward.