The Maharashtra government has announced a reduction in syllabus for classes I to XII by 25 percent to cope with the limited timeframe of online classes and school shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move was preceded by CBSE and ICSE boards’ decision to truncate syllabus to lessen the academic burden on students. Details of the newly structured syllabus are available on the website of MSCERT.
“Different subject committees, under Balbharti, took the decision. Topics that were repetitive were removed, while some have been assigned for self-study,” stated Dinkar Patil, Director of MSCERT.
The department has confirmed about shrinking the syllabus of around 101 subjects in both primary and higher secondary levels.
“Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the proposal submitted by the Maharashtra State Council for Educational Research and Training to reduce the syllabus for Classes 1 to 12 for the academic year 2020-21 has been approved by the government,” announced Varsha Gaikwad, Education Minister of Maharashtra.
While schools remain shut, the new academic year has commenced from June 15, 2020 in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production & Curriculum Research (Balbharti) and Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, under the directions of the syllabus committee had jointly taken the decision to alter the old syllabus.
Among other states, Uttar Pradesh has also revised its curriculum keeping in consideration the disarrangement in education sector caused by COVID-19.
