 WHY & HOW OF THE NEW 10+2
 PATTERN OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

It was with the appointment of Calcutta University Commission in 1917, popularly known as Sadler Commission, that for the first time the idea of an educational structure formed an important part of discussion. This commission recommended that the dividing line between the University and secondary courses should more properly be drawn at the Intermediate Examination rather than at the Matriculation. The Commission desired the Government to establish Intermediate Colleges which would provide instructions in Arts, Science, Medicine, Engineering etc. A faint re-echo of this 58 years old idea may be discerned in the proposed New Pattern. The 30 years between the Sadler Commission and the independence, chronicled several recommendations emanating from various academic forums and were mainly intended to answer the then existing needs and for welfare of the masses. The Hartog Committee in 1929 recommended the branching off of more students into industrial and commercial channels at the end of the middle stage. The Sapru Committee in 1934 recommended diversified courses at the secondary stage-one for entering the University and the other for getting into the Vocational stream.

The University Education Commission (1948-49), the first Education Commission in independent India, thought it unfortunate that the importance of Intermediate College in educational system of India had not been realised and recommended that the admission to the university should be preceded by 12 years of schooling. The objective was to raise the standard of University Education.

The Conference of Vice-Chancellors (1962), the All India Council for Secondary Education (1963), the Conference of State Education Ministers (1964)--all recommended a 12-year course of schooling before admission to a 3-year degree course. as the goal towards which the country must move.

Philosophy & Need

The Education Commission of India (1966) emphasised that there is a direct link between education, national development and prosperity and stated that this can be vitalised only when the National system of education is properly organised, both qualitatively and quantitatively. This Commission also pointed out that the existing system of education was largely unrelated to the life, needs and aspirations of the people and there was a wide gulf between its contents and purposes as well as interests of National development. One of the major weaknesses of the present educational system is that secondary education fits students for college and almost unfits them for everything else.

In any well designed National system of education, secondary education must have two specific objectives:

(1) to prepare a student for the University, or

(2) to become terminal and prepare a student for some vocation in life.

Realising that the total period of education and the duration of its different stages have a direct bearing on the quality of education imparted for achieving the goal, the Education Commission recommended:-

(1) Broadly uniform pattern of education;

(2) Extension in the total period of schooling to bring about a general rise in the standards of attainment; and

(3) Vocationalisation of education.

National Policy Statement

Bearing in mind the recommendations of the Commission, the Government of India issued in 1968 a National Policy statement on education for the country. In this statement, the Government of India stated that it was convinced that a "radical reconstruction of education on the broad lines recommended by the Education Commission, is essential for economic and cultural development of the country, for national integration and for

realising the ideal of a socialistic pattern of society. This will involve a transformation of the system to relate it more closely to the life of the people, a continuous effort to expand educational opportunity, a sustained and intensive endeavour to raise the quality of education at all stages, and emphasis on the development of Science and technology and cultivation of moral and social values".

The policy statement also stated that it would be advantageous to have a broadly uniform educational structure in all parts of the country. The ultimate objective should be to adopt the 10+2+3 pattern.

The conference of Education Secretaries and Directors of Public Instruction held on 15th & 16th September, 1972 passed the following resolution:

"Adoption of a uniform pattern of school and College classes (10+2+3).

(1) A uniform pattern of education of 15 years, duration, leading to the first degree, should be adopted by all the States.

(2) There should be very close co-ordination between the vocational courses attached to the higher secondary stage, the Industrial Training Institutes and the Poly- technics. Courses selected should have close affinity to the skills and services in demand in the locality. This will involve man-power studies and production centres as well as financing of the skilled personnel on cooperative or institutional pattern for self-employment or employment in production centres.

(3) The scheme of Vocationalisation of Education as well as work experience deserves the highest priority in the Plan and should be assisted fully.

(4) Vocational courses prescribed in the Institutions would need constant review and replacement as technology, materials and demands change. They would have to keep pace with development of local industries also,

particularly the small scale, cottage and consumer industries".

The recommendations of the Conference of the Education Secretaries and Directors of Public Instruction were endorsed by the Central Advisory Board of Education in its 36th session held on 18th and 19th September, 1972, in New Delhi.

Almost simultaneously the Government of India, Ministry of Education and Social Welfare appointed a National Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. P. D. Shukla, with the following terms of reference;

(1) To suggest practical steps to be taken for-the implementation of the uniform pattern of 10+2+3 for the school and college classes in all States and Union Territories of the country.

(2) To estimate the cost of implementing the programme.

New Pattern in CBSE Schools

In view of the overwhelming national importance of this matter the Central Board of Secondary Education set up a special committee to suggest ways and means to implement the new pattern in the member- schools of the Board and advise it on the educational innovations which should be introduced. With this Committee were associated eminent educationists and the experts from sister agencies like Directorate of Education, Delhi, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, National Council of Educational Research & Training and other such bodies. This committee favoured the introduction of the change for the following reasons:-

(1) It will provide an opportunity and a means to re- vitalize and rationalize school curricula and to structure them on more scientific lines so as to serve the social and economic needs of the adolescent in a better manner.

(2) It will help initiate other educational reforms such as modernization of teaching methods and evaluation techniques, essential to raise the general standard and quality of education, particularly at the school stage.

(3) A broadly uniform pattern in all States and Union Territories will facilitate the Board to share its resources and experience with other such bodies, in the areas of production of books and reading materials, teaching aids, training of teachers and their movement, reconstruction of syllabi and improvement in examination practices.

(4) It will do away with the present practice wherein a student is required to take a decision at too early an age about the particular stream of education to be taken up by him for future studies. At the same time it will help reduce pressure for admission on Universities and other centres of higher education.

(5) The improved academic and intellectual equipment of the student will provide him with an edge to face the challenges of modern life.

(6) A broadly uniform pattern of education all over the country will strengthen national integration.

(7) It will remove difficulties in the matter of education of children of the mobile population, to which this Board specially caters.

(8) It will serve as a vehicle of social transformation.

From what has been detailed heretofore it is apparent that this change has been long overdue to give a new direction to education.

Syllabi & Courses

In keeping with the objectives set by the National Policy on Education, The Central Board drafted syllabi and courses for classes IX & X, the first stage of the new structure, on modern lines incorporating latest pedagogical techniques. A large number of seminars of teachers & educationists were held in which the draft syllabi & courses with particular reference to their coverage and feasibility, were discussed. The new courses aim at the promotion of higher intellectual capacities as also the harmonious development of the physical, emotional and other aspects of the pupil's personality. They seek to provide a wide range of knowledge to develop students into well-informed citizens and train them for democratic living and community service; at the same time to imbibe a scientific outlook for modern living.

A few of the salient features of the new courses are mentioned below:-

(1) They provide a comprehensive general education with work experience as an integral component.

(2) Science and Mathematics. formerly denied to almost 50% of the students, are now available to every student, which are so essential for the day-to-day life in the existing context.

(3) These envisage compulsory Health & Physical Education.

(4) They aim at Optimum relevance to the current life situation.

(5) Through community service, a sense of involvement in national reconstruction is planned to be generated in the student.

(6) Work experience makes learning possible by the use of hand and pave the way for vocational education at the subsequent stage.

(7) These aim at the development of the student upto the stage when he can successfully branch off into the academic stream or the vocational channel in accordance with his aptitude.

Modernising Evaluation Procedures

Educationists all over the world are unanimous on the inherent drawbacks in the prevailing system of assessment through examination. In actual practice, the entire system of education tends to focus on the score in the examination. The new scheme of assessment, therefore, aims at rationalisation and imbibes the following features:-

(1) Internal Assessment along with external examination.

(2) System of Grading instead of marks.

(3) Standardisation of raw scores.

(4) Question Banks.

(5) Improving quality of question papers.

(6) Improving evaluation procedures.

Other Steps Taken

The new pattern of school education has come into force in 1000 and odd member-schools of the Board scattered all over the country and abroad, from the academic session 1975-76.

(1) The syllabi, soon after finalization. along with the lists of equipment for science subjects and work experiences, were circulated well in advance among the member-schools so that they could do the required spade work in time.

(2) To further strengthen the syllabuses and explicate them in more operational terms the Board undertook to prepare quality textbooks for the subjects of English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Economics and Civics, while National Council of Educational Research & Training prepared those for Mathematics, Physics. Chemistry, Life Sciences, History & Geography; thus covering all the compulsory subjects laid down in the scheme. In this venture help of other expert agencies like Central Institute of English, Hyderabad and Directorate of Education, Delhi was also secured to have books on improved lines.

(3) Besides ensuring quality, a set of new textbooks for classes IX and X now costs only about Rs. 60/- as against Rs. 150/- to Rs. 190/- earlier for the higher Secondary classes.

(4) Science equipment and work experience materials worth Rs. 20 lakhs have been made available to the schools during 1974-75. Funds to the tune of Rs. 30 lakhs are planned to be invested in various inputs during 1975-76.

(5) The successful introduction of the new pattern primarily depends on the timely orientation of teachers in the philosophy and contents of new courses. This summer vacation, about 5000 teachers of the member- schools of the Board were provided in-service training through Summer Institutes of 2 weeks to one month duration. These institutes were organised not only in Delhi but in different parts of India also.

The Plus Two Stage

Classes XI & XII under the new pattern will provide diversified courses, both academic & vocational. The first batch of students will join class XI under the new pattern in July 1977 and the first batch of students will take the Board's Higher Secondary Examination at the end of class XII in March, 1979.

While drawing up curricula it is being ensured that these are relevant to the current needs of the society.

The syllabi are being prepared in Units with provision for bridge courses to enable the students to change over from academic to vocational courses and vice versa.

Provision is also being made for non-formal education.

Some Clarifications

The new scheme has been well received in the field. Some doubts however, still persist. Some of the common queries and answers there to are listed below:-

Q. 1. Why a general course of studies?

A. In their formative years it is necessary that the students get opportunity for balanced growth i.e. they develop intellectually, physically and emotionally to the optimum. Diversification at this tender age not only leads to lopsided development but fails to give a sound base for specialised education in later life. Various National Commissions and bodies were therefore, unanimously

of the opinion that general education should be extended upto class X to be followed by diversified education. It is with this broad purpose in view that the Board has provided a core syllabus covering compulsory study of languages, Sciences, Mathematics, and Social Sciences. For gaining a certain minimum standard of proficiency in other facets, compulsory study of and participation in Physical and Health Education, Community Service etc., have been prescribed in the curricula.

Q. 2. No provision for character building and discipline has been made in the syllabi.

A. The whole education system aims at character building of which personal, moral and social disciplines form essential components. These have been in-built in the syllabi. Moreover, Community service provides yet another opportunity to cultivate these qualities.

Q. 3. The syllabus is very heavy and little time is left for work experience.

A. Keeping in view the explosion of knowledge in all its branches and the objective that a base for diversified education should be prepared, the syllabus has to be heavier but the burden can be reduced through improved methodology and subsequent revisions.

Q. 4. With the allotment of 48 periods in the Middle Classes and 45 periods of 40 minutes duration in class IX & X under the new scheme, no uniformity has been kept.

A. Several periods have been suggested to keep the quantum of content in check. The schools are however free to re-allocate the periods according to their requirements.

Q. 5. Steps for providing workshop at the District level for work experience programme as provided under rule 12 of the Delhi School Education Rules 1973, have not been taken.

WHY & HOW OF THE NEW 10+2 PATTERN OF SCHOOL EDUCATION