(IV) APPENDIX D
MEMORANDUM ON ITEM 7 : METRIC
 SYSTEM IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYLLABI
 

The metric system is being progressively introduced in various fields in the country from October 1, 1960. The use of metric weights. in trade has become compulsory in selected areas covering over 20 per cent of the population of India. The use of metric weights over the entire country has been allowed from April 1, 1960 and will become compulsory throughout the country from April 1, 1962. It is intended to begin introduction of capacity measures, from April 1, 1960. Already from October 1, 1960, metric weights are being used in transactions involving the purchase of raw materials or sale of products of many major industries like cotton textiles, vanaspati, soap, chemicals, cement, iron and steel, etc. Metric system is already in use in the distribution of petroleum products throughout the country. The Railways in their commercial branches have changed over from April 1, 1960. Customs and excise have changed over from October 1, 1960 and Posts and Telegraphs Department is likely to change over shortly. Thus the metric system is already in use substantially in many fields of activity and economy in the country.

The use of decimal coinage is now universal, and coins of denomination of 1 anna and 1 Paisa only remain to be withdrawn from circulation. These are expected to be withdrawn shortly.

As a result of these advances, it is now necessary that their practical use should be reflected in the educational field as well. Recently a conference was held at New Delhi attended by principals of technical colleges and institutions and a programme of changeover in engineering and technical education was chalked out. According to this programme, the full adoption of metric system in teaching would commence in the first and second year classes from the academic session of 1962-63 and in 1963-64 in the third and fourth year classes, to be followed by the introduction in the fifth and final year classes in 1964-65. The FPS system will be taught only as supplementary to the metric system.

In view of these recommendations and to, co-ordinate the programme of adoption of metric system in school education with that for technical education, it is necessary that the curriculum of the subjects using units for weights and measures, particularly for arithmetic, for all classes has to be revised, so that the subjects are taught using mainly metric system.

At present in most of the States and Union Territories the metric system is taught in addition to all the other prevailing systems and supplements of the metric system have been included in the existing textbooks. This only means an addition to the burden of education of children and does not do any justice to the metric system in preference to the other systems.

It will be seen that in order to achieve the objective of the full introduction of the metric system in school education and particularly, for

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arithmetic, it is necessary to lay down a definite programme for the change-over in the curriculum and textbooks.

In view of the programme chalked out for technical education, the change-over in schools cannot be postponed and we have to begin. at the earliest moment.

The important problems connected with the change-over are the revised curriculum and revised textbooks. The Board may make recommendations of these two aspects of the reform and lay down a definite programme for the full introduction of metric system in school education.