 EDUCATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND 
HUMANITIES

In Social Sciences and Humanities, the NCERT is focussing its Programmes and activities towards research and development in curriculum and instructional materials training/orientation of teachers and teacher educators consultancy/academic support to the educational authorities of states/UTs in the development and evaluation of curricula and instructional material and studies for the different stages of school education.

10 EDUCATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

In Social Sciences and Humanities, the NCERT is focussing its programmes and activities towards research and development in curriculum and instructional materials, training/orientation of teachers and teacher educators and consultancy/academic support to the educational authorities of states/ UTs in the development and evaluation of curricula and instructional material and studies for the different stages of school education.

Development of Curricula and Instructional Materials

Preparation of new/revised versions of some of the textbooks has been undertaken on the basis of their evaluation and feedback received from teachers and students. For Hindi language, while the revision of Bal Bharati, Part III and Manak Hindi Vyakaran Aur Rachana for Classes IX- X was initiated, the new versions of Class VII textbook Kishore Bharati and two supplementary readers were finalised. A draft of Sukti Saurabham in Sanskrit was prepared. Preparation of a revised Framework of Curriculum for Secondary Language Teaching with special reference to English is in progress. In Social Sciences the revision of Geography textbooks for Classes VIII, X and XII and of Civics textbook for Classes IX-X was taken up and Hindi version of Class XI textbook on Medieval India and Urdu version of Class XI textbook on Ancient India were prepared. In the area of Art Education, two monographs for teachers on Music and Clay Modelling were prepared. The new areas which have been taken up are Consumer Education and Human Rights Education. Various issues for developing a general framework of common education for various stages of school education were discussed. These will form the basis for further work in this area. For Human Rights Education, preparation of Hindi and Urdu versions of Human Rights - A Source Book, brought out earlier, was undertaken. Various issues relating to human rights were identified and these would be kept in view when the revision of curriculum is taken up during 1997-98.

Status Studies

Studies of the position of different subjects in school curriculum in different parts of the country are being given high priority. The study of the overall position of Social Sciences was completed and the draft report of the study was finalised. Subject-wise status studies in Social Science subjects and Commerce, initiated during 1995-96, continued. Under the Sixth Educational Survey, data regarding the status of the implementation of the Three-language Formula in the country has, inter alia, been collected. A programme to study the status of languages in the school curriculum in India with a focus on the Language curriculum, the syllabus, the textbook and the examination in an interrelated manner has also been taken up.

A study on the status of Hindi as a medium language for Social Science subjects in Classes IX-X of Navodaya Vidyalayas was completed and a study on 'Evaluation of Linguistic Competencies in Hindi Language Acquired by Students of Arunachal Pradesh at the end of Class V' was initiated.

Evaluation of Textbooks

The work on the evaluation of textbooks from the standpoint of national integration continued. The aspect of Human Rights has been added to this exercise. A sample of materials on values/moral education used in different parts of the country was evaluated. The report of the empirical evaluation of four textbooks of WERT in Social Sciences, one each in History, Geography, Economics and Civics, in the four Demonstration Schools attached to the Regional Institutes of Education at Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Mysore, is being finalised. Chapter-wise try-out of these textbooks was done on the basis of a questionnaire. An evaluation report based on the analysis of feedback data is being prepared.

Birth Centenary Celebration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

As a part of the birth centenary celebration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, an all India Essay Competition for students of secondary and higher secondary classes was organised. The competition received tremendous response from students all over the country. 2,681 students sent their entires for the competition. Eight essays were selected for award (one essay each for first, second and third prize, and five essays for consolation prizes),. A biography of Subhas Chandra Bose, written by a well-known historian, Professor. Gautam Chattopadhyaya, was brought out. The book was released in Calcutta during the Calcutta Book Fair.

National Prize Competition for Children's Literature

The 29th National Prize Competition for Children's Literature was organised. This competition is organised once in two years with a view to promoting as well as recognising and rewarding. excellence in children's literature in 19 languages (including all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution) and English. Children's books published during 1993 and 1994 and manuscripts on the theme 'The World of Children - Their Rights, Happiness and Dignity' were invited for this competition. Out of 969 entries in various languages, 28 books and manuscripts were selected for the award. the awardees include authors of these 28 award-winning books and manuscripts and artists/illustrators of the books/manuscripts for the younger age-group (5 to 8 years).

Commonwealth Project on Human Rights Education

A study on Young People's Understanding of Human Rights' was conducted as a part of the four-country study sponsored by the Centre for Multicultural Studies of the University of London Institute of Education. The other Commonwealth countries which participated in the study were Botswana, Zimbabwe and Northern Ireland in the U.K. The Indian part of the study included review of curriculum and materials, a survey of students' perception of human rights based on a questionnaire which was administered to a sample of eight selected schools in different parts of the country and interview with students, teachers and administrators.

Regional Level Inputs to Education in Social Sciences and Humanities

The RIE, Ajmer developed training packages for (i) teaching of Social Studies (for Himachal Pradesh), and (ii) teaching of Urdu (for Jammu and Kashmir). The practice sets in Book Keeping on the entire syllabus of Accountancy (Vocational) of the Board of Secondary Education of Rajasthan developed earlier were field-tested. A study on Teaching English Using Communicative Approach' was completed. A Resource Book in Economics was developed.

The RIE, Bhubaneswar developed and tried out techniques for teaching English using communicative approach. Training was also imparted to a set of English teachers of the CBSE system. A Resource Book in Economics was developed for the teachers.

The RIE, Mysore developed and tried out a training package for the English teachers of Mysore city. The package is being finalised for use in the training programmes for secondary school English teachers.

Reports and Other Materials Brought Out during 1996-97

1. Hindi Shikshan Pathya Yojanayen

2. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayon Ki Nauvi aur Dasvin Kakshaon Mein Samajik Vigyan Ke Vishayon Ke Liye Madhyam Bhasha Ke Roop Mein Hindi Bhasha Ke Prayog Ki Sthiti (Shikshan Satra 1994-95 Ke Adhar Par) (typed)

3. Bal Bharati, Part I

4. Bal Bharati, Part II

5. Subhas Chandra Bose - A Biography

6. Business Studies, Part II

7. Young People's Understanding of Human Rights-A Four- country Study (a Commonwealth project) - Country Report: India (draft for discussion)