NCERT Undertakes Textbook Rationalization to Reduce Content Load

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has announced that it is undertaking a need-based exercise to rationalize textbooks with the aim of reducing the content load.

According to the NCERT, the new set of books will only be used for the upcoming academic year and are not intended for long-term use. This rationalization is a temporary measure as the NCERT is currently in the process of finalizing the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) based on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Once the NCF-SE is completed, a new set of textbooks will be introduced for the following academic year. The removal of the chapter on the periodic table from Class 10 Science textbooks and the deletion of passages on evolution were part of the rationalization exercise conducted in June 2022.

The NCERT stated that these changes were made considering the mental health of students during the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

The NCERT is committed to developing scientific thinking in students by providing updated and globally standardized textbooks in all subject areas, including Science. The development of the new textbooks will align with the principles outlined in the NEP 2020.