\ MAJOR CHANGE

1NISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE, OVERNMENT OF INDIA, NEW DELHI. 1975

NIEPa

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CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION2. NEW PATTERN OF SCHOOL

EDUCATIONProf. S. Nurul Hasan

3. THE NEW PATTERN OF EDUCATIONAN ANALYSIS

4 PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO WORK EXPERIENCE

5. REVAMPING SCIENCE EDUCATION Dr. G. L. Bakbshi

6. THE NEW EXAMINATION SYSTEM Dr. R. P. Singhal

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

8. THE NEW PATTERN AT A GLANCE Appendix A

9. WORK EXPERIENCE PHILOSOPHY & PURPOSES

Appendix B

INTRODUCTIONThe system o f Education which we inherited while attaining our independence, had hardly any relevance to the needs o f the life situation then prevailing in the country. With the passage o f time, the educational system continued to drift away from the realities o f life. At the same time there was a growing all round realisation o f the deficiencies o f the system. N o society, particularly one like ours, which is passing through an extremely crucial but equally important phase o f econom ic development, can allow such a system to continue. Luckily, the country has designed and accepted a replacement for the out-moded system and is currently engaged in the implementation o f the new system com m only known as the 10 + 2 + 3 pattern. This pattern has been on the anvil for almost 60 years and carries on it the imprint o f the deliberations o f numerous high level academic and non-academic forums. The Central Board o f Secondary Education has introduced this system,

which has an extremely sound academic base, with effect from the current session in its thousand and odd member schools spread all over the country and outside its borders.[t is o f utmost importance that the three principal partners in the successful implementation of this scheme viz., the student, the teacher and the parent, are fully posted about its content and the benefits expected to flow there from. In the following pages various aspects o f this revolutionary reform in education have been discussed by eminent educationists. I am therefore particularly happy to place this brochure in the hands o f the reader.It may, however, be added that the Board is most keen to introduce further improvements in this system, based on actual experience, so that it continues to function as a live wire.

New Delhi G. L. B a k h s h i Chairman

Central Board of Secondary Education

NEW PA T T E R N OF SCHOOL ED U C A T IO N Prof. S. Nurul HasanThe adoption o f the com m on pattern o f 10+ 2 + 3 for school and college classes has been an im portant reform w hose im plem entation has long been overdue. The reform was first recom m ended, about 55 years ago, by the Calcutta University C om m ission (1917-19). At that time, the M atriculation Exam ination, which marked the end o f the school course and also constituted an entrance exam ination to the universities, was held in different provinces at the end o f 10 12 years o f schooling. But in spite of this large variation o f the duration o f the school stage, these exam inations, though conducted by different agencies, were regarded as equivalent to each other in all parts o f the country. The M atriculation Exam ination was follow ed by a two-year intermediate course at the end o f which another public exam ination, the Intermediate Exam ination was held. Then came a two-year period o f undergraduate education after which the First Degree Exam ination was held. All these three exam inations M atriculation, Intermediate and First Degree were held by the universities. The C om m ission examined in depth the content o f education at the interm ediate and the undergraduate stages and cam e to the follow ing conclusions:

(1) That the interm ediate stage was really a part o f the school course and that the students at this stage could be more effectively taught by school m ethods than by those which were appropriate at the university stage; and

(2) That the standard o f undergraduate education was so poor that the first degree in India was not really com parable to the first degree in the advanced countries.

The C om m ission, therefore, recom m ended that:(1) The dividing line between the university and the secondary

courses is more appropriately drawn at the Intermediate Exam ination than at the M atriculation;

(2) That the duration o f undergraduate course for the First Degree should be increased to three years; and that

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(3) A Board o f Secondary and Intermediate Education should be established for the purpose o f reorganising high school and intermediate education on the lines recom m ended by it and for holding the m atriculation and Intermediate Exam inations. The universities would thus be left to their proper sphere, nam ely, the provision o f under-graduate and post-graduate education and the holding o f exam inations for the first, second or research degrees.

This recom m endation made a great impression on Indian educational thought and, for a time, it appeared to be on the verge o f universal acceptance. But ultimately it was im plem ented only in one province, namely, the U .P . and that too , in a mutilated form. N o steps were taken to increase the duration o f the first degree course to three years; not were any effective steps taken to vocationalize the interm ediate stage.

The University Education C om m ission (1948-49) under the Chairmanship o f Radhakrishnan had, therefore, to take up the discussion o f the problem once again. After exam ining the problem from all points o f view, this Com m ission also cam e to the conclusion that it was necessary to adopt the uniform pattern o f 1 0 + 2 + 3 for school and college classes. The Com m ission felt that this pattern w ould make it possible to vocationalize the secondary stage o f education so as to divert students into different walks o f life at the end o f secondary school and thus reduce pressures on university adm issions. It also felt that the lengthening o f the undergraduate course to three years, preceded by an intensive preparation at the earlier stage o f tw o years, w ould result in a considerable im provem ent o f standards in higher education. U nfortunately, steps were not taken to im plem ent these recom m endations.

The problem came up for consideration once again when the Secondary Education C om m ission under the chairm anship o f Dr. A . L. M udaliar submitted its report (1952). The stage was now ripe to re-organise school and university education together, on the lines recom m ended by the U niversity Education C om m ission and the Secondary Education C om m ission and to adopt6

a com m on pattern for school and college classes. A t this time, throughout India, the duration o f the post-M atriculation course leading to the first degree was uniform ly four years and it wasuniformly divided in to tw o stages ------tw o years o f Intermediateand tw o years o f undergraduate education. The sim plest reform would, therefore, have been to add one year to the degree course and to transfer the tw o years o f the Intermediate course to the school stage. But for various reasons, and mainly for financial considerations, th is w as not done. Instead the recom m endation o f the Sargent R eport o f an eleven-year higher secondary school follow ed by a three-year course for first degree was revived and the pattern o f 8 + 3 + 3 was adopted. The Intermediate course was therefore broken up in to tw o parts and the first year was either added to the sch oo l stage or converted into a pre-university course o f one year and the second year was added to the tw o-year undergraduate course for the first degree to create the three-year degree course. This w as an unfortunate decision dictated by the com pulsion o f econ om y rather than the logic o f academ ic reform.

The entire position was reviewed once again by the Education C om m ission (1964-66). It found that, as a result o f the decisions taken after the R eport o f the Secondary Education C om m ission, there were at least four different patterns o f schools and colleges in the country which may be stated as follow s:

(1) K erala w as the only State where the pattern o f 1Q +2+3 had been adopted , with the two-year stage being located in ju n ior colleges;

(2) The pattern o f 1 0 + 2 + 2 prevailed only in U ttar Pradesh where a ten-year school was follow ed by a two-year interm ediate course and a two-year course for first degree;

(3) The pattern o f 11+ 3 prevailed in the D elhi U nion Territory and the State o f M adhya Pradesh where an eleven- year higher secondary school was follow ed by a three- year course for the first degree; and

(4) The pattern o f 10 (or 11 or even 12 in som e cases) + 1 + 3 was fo llow ed in the other States where a school stage o f 10 to 12 years was follow ed by a year o f pre-university

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course and a three-year course for the first degree (alternatively, the pre-university year was often added to secondary schools which were then designated as higher secondary ).

The C om m ission exam ined this situation from all points o f view and cam e to the conclusion that, on sound academ ic considerations detailed in its report, it w ould be highly desirable to adopt the uniform pattern o f 1 0 + 2 + 3 for school and college classes in all parts o f the country. The C om m ission was also definitely o f the view that the school stage should consist o f 12 years (1 0 + 2 ) and that every effort should be made to vocationa- lize the higher secondary stage so that, ultim ately, 30^ , o f the enrolm ents at this stage would be in the vocational courses. The C om m ission also recom m ended a detailed program m e for bringing about these important ch anges.1

These proposals o f the Education C om m ission have found general support in the country. Even before the Report o f the C om m ission was submitted, the N ational Integration C om m ittee appointed by the M inistry o f Education under the chairmanship o f the late Dr. Sampurnanand recom m ended that, from the point o f view o f national integration, the uniform pattern o f 1 0 + 2 + 3 should be adopted for school and college classes in all parts o f the country. This recom m endation was also, supported by the C om m ittee o f Educationists and student leaders appointed under the directive o f the N ational Integration C om m ittee and also by several conferences o f students organizations. The Central A dvisory Board o f Education has also unanim ously supported the proposal and expressed the view that it should be implemented on a priority basis and that, at any rate, the program m e should be com pleted in all parts o f the country by the end o f the Fifth Five- Year Plan. The R esolution o f the G overnm ent o f India on the N ational Policy o f Education also supports the uniform adoption o f this pattern.

The pattern has since been introduced in the States o f Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Steps have been initiated to introduce the pattern in the States o f M aharashtra, Gujarat and W est Bengal. Several other States have set up com m ittees to

1 Chapter II- Report o f the Commission

exam ine the issue and it is hoped that they will also follow suit in the near future.Basic Academic Considerations

W hile due weight must be attached to this series o f weighty recom m endations o f im portant C om m issions and Com m ittees and the steps already taken to im plem ent them, it is also necessary to exam ine these proposals on academ ic grounds and to satisfy ourselves that they are in the best interests o f the country. This is what I shall now proceed to do.

The first point to be decided, on academ ic grounds, is the stage or age at which a student should be deemed to be fit to enter the university system. In all the advanced countries o f the world, a student entering the universities is expected to be 18 years o f age or more. It is only then that he can be adequately prepared for entering upon a course o f higher education and also be mature enough to study on his own and to profit by the m ethods o f teaching which are appropriate to the university stage. This necessarily implies a total duration o f at least 12 years for the school stage (including elem entary and secondary education), because the age o f adm ission to the school system is generally six years. A t present, when the total duration o f the school stage is som etim es only 10 or 11 years, and the age o f adm ission to the school system is five years or even less, very young students aged 14-17, often enter the university system . They are really children w ho deserve to remain at school and continue to be taught by m ethods appropriate to the school stage rather than young persons w ho are mature enough to profit by a course o f higher education. This is bad for the schools that lose in their stature by a cut in their total duration. It is bad for the universities because it adversely affects their standards. W hat is even m ore im portant, it is not good for the students them selves. If this situation is to be improved, it follow s that the total duration o f the school stage (including elem entary and secondary education) should be not less than twelve years. This was the recom m endation o f the Education C om m ission and I am sure it will find general support in this gathering.

The next question to be discussed refers to the duration o f the secondary education course. The duration o f elem entary educa

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t ion is e i ght years in s o m e States such as U t t a r Pr ade s h , a n d seven years in o t he rs such as M a h a r a s h t r a . If t he t ot al d u r a t i o n o f schoo l s tage is to be twelve years, it fol lows t h a t t he d u r a t i o n o f the s e c o n d a r y cours e w o u l d be f our years in s ome S t at es a nd five ye a rs in others . T h e E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n had a n ope n m i n d o n (his issue a n d did n o t insist o n a u n i f o r m pa t te rn o f seven o r e ight years for e l e m en t a ry e d u ca t i o n . It was, howeve r , very e m p h a t i c o n o ne p o i n t : s ec o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n s h ou ld n o t f o r m an in t e gr a t ed c o n t i n u o u s course , b u t s h ou ld pr ef er ab ly be br ok e n u p i n t o t w o s ub- st ages : the l ow e r s ec o n d a r y a n d the h i gh e r sec o n d a r y . It f ur t her r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t the e l e m e n t a r y a n d lower s e c o n d a r y s tage s houl d co ver t he first ten years o f school a n d t ha t t he h ig h e r s ec on d ar y s tage s h o ul d co ver t he last t wo years. It is necessary t o u n d e r s t a n d the r e as o ns whi ch led the E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n t o m a k e these r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s .

T h e E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n f o u n d t h a t w h en ev e r the c our se o f s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n is m a d e c o n t i n u o u s a n d u n b r o k e n , as in t he h i gh e r s e c o n da ry schools o f Delhi o r M a d h y a Pr ade s h , t wo u n d es i ra b le c o n s e q ue n ce s fol low. T h e first is t h a t the e x p an s i on o f s e c o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n is m u c h l arger t h a n necessary or desi rable . T hi s is be caus e t he pr inciple o f selective a d m i ss i o ns c a n n o t bt i n t r o d u c e d at the be gi nn i ng o f the s tage (Class IX) wh e n the s t u d en t s are t o o y o u n g a n d b e caus e every s t u de n t w h o en te r s the s tage h a s t o c o n t i n u e till t he very e n d because o f the c o n t i n u o u s c h a r a c t e r o f the course . Such a sys tem t he re fo re prevent s the s t uden ts f ro m leaving the school at the en d o f Class X , a l t h o u g h they w o u l d be el igible for a d m i ss i o n to m a n y voca t i on al courses a t this poi nt . Secondly , the c o n t i n u o u s c h a r a c t e r o f the course c o m p e l s the s tudent to decide u p o n his f ut ur e ca reer at a very p r e m a t u r e s tage wh en he is en t er ing Class IX a n d is a b o u t 13 or 14 years old. Thi s is a c ademi ca l l y undes i ra bl e an d in fact. Dr. D. S. K o t h a r i has c o n d e m n e d it as a system o f child ma rr i ag e" . T he E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n was t herefore s t rongl y o f the view t ha t the s e c o n da ry s tage s h ou l d be b r o k e n into t w o par t s at the end o f Class X, t ha t t he s t uden ts s houl d c o n t i n u e to receive genera l e d u c a t i o n till t he en d o f this stage, a n d t ha t in the next h igher s e c o n d a r y s tage o f t w o years, t w o dis t inct s t r ea ms s houl d be i n t r o du c ed , on e s t re a m p r e p a r i n g the s t ud en t s for a d mi ss i on to universi t ies a n d the o t h e r p r e p a r i n g t h e m for di f ferent v oc at i on al10

c o u rs e s wh ich wo u ld be t er mi na l in cha ra c t e r . T h e C o m m i s s i o n a l so felt t h a t the e n r o l m e n t in co urs es o f a v oc at i on al o r t e rmi na l c h a r a c t e r s h o u l d be as high as 50 per cent o f the total .

It m u s t also be p o i n te d o u t t h a t the E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n was n o t h a p p y wi th t he exist ing hi gh er s e c o n d a r y p a t t e rn o f 8 + 3 wh i ch pr ov id e s seven dif ferent s t r e a m s H u ma ni t i e s , Science, T ech ni ca l , C o m m e r c i a l , Ag ri cul tur e , F i ne A r t s a n d H o m e Science a n d r e qu i r e s every s t u de n t t o j o i n o ne s t r e am o f his choice. T h e v o c a t i o n a l co urs es p ro v i d e d in this p a t t e rn ha ve o n e m a j o r w e a k ness: t he i r v oc at i on al c o n t e n t necessari ly r e m a i ns we a k b e caus e t he to ta l t ime avai labl e is l imited. T hes e courses , t here fore , d o n o t b e c o m e t er mi na l a n d d o n o t p r e pa r e t he s t ud en t s for the p u r s u i t o f a vo c at i on at t he e n d o f t he s e c o n d a r y stage. In fact, t hey d o n o t even p r e p a r e t h e m f or a d m i ss i o n to t he c o r r e s p o n d ing v o c a t i o n a l courses a t t he uni vers i ty stage. T h e v oc at i on al co ur se s in this s t re a m ha v e t he re fo re never b e c o m e ei ther p o p u l a r o r t er mi na l . Since t he p r o g r a m m e o f v o c at i o n a l i z a t i o n o f sec o n d a r y e d u c a t i o n is e xt re mel y i m p o r t a n t a n d since it is o bv ious l y u r ge n t t o d i ver t a fair p r o p o r t i o n o f s t ud en t s i nt o di f ferent walks o f life a t t he en d o f t he s e co n d a r y stage a n d t h u s r educ e t he p r es s ur es o n universi ty ad mi ss i on s , t he E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n r ight ly c a m e t o t he c onc l us ion t h a t t he exist ing hi gh er s e c o n d a r y pa t te rn o f 8 + 3 s h o u l d be repl aced by t he p r o p o s e d h i gh er s e c o n d a r y p a t t e r n o f 1 0 + 2 .

T w o i m p o r t a n t po i nt s m u s t be m e n t i o n e d in r ega rd t o t he p r o p o s e d r eo r ga n i s a t i o n o f s chool e d u c a t i o n :

( I ) In the old days , a n d even in t he m u l t i p u r p o s e sys tem i n t r o d u c e d by t he S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n , science a n d m a t h e m a t i c s t e n d ed t o be neglected. T h e y were s tudied only till t he e n d o f Class VII I , a n d t he re a f t e r the s t u d en t h a d t he o p t i o n to o m i t t h e m if he so desi red. In m a n y s e c o n d a r y schools , even t he pr ov i s i on for the t ea c hi ng o f these subjects d i d n o t exist . T h e net resul t was t h a t m o r e t h a n 50 per cent o f the s t ud e n t s a t the s e c o n da ry s tage were de pr i ved o f basic e d u c a t i o n in science a n d ma t h e ma t i c s . A d e q u a t e t e a c hi n g o f science a n d m a t h e m a t i c s is essent ial in t he m o d e r n w o r l d based

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o n science a n d t ec hn ol o gy . It is e q u al l y necessary to i m p r o v e the qua l i ty o f e d u c a t i o n a n d t o av o id t h e d a n g e r s r es ul t i ng f ro m a d i c h o t o m y o f t he t w o c u l t u r e s o f science a n d o f hu m a ni t i e s . A b o v e all, a society l ike our s , whi ch is c o m m i t t e d t o t he ideals o f soci al ism, has t o e n su r e vert ical mob i l i ty t o th e m a n u a l wo rk e rs , w h e t h e r e n g a g e d in i n du s t r y o r a gr i cul tur e . F o r this p u r p o s e , it m u s t p r ovi d e the necessary g r o u n d i n g in science a n d m a t h e m a t i cs to every p e r so n as a p a r t o f his s chool e d u c a t i o n because , w i t h o u t this, vert ical m ob i l i ty is n o t a t t a i n able . T h e E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n , the re fo re , r ight ly r e c o m m e n d e d t ha t t he t e a c h i n g o f science a n d m a t h e m a t i c s s h o u l d be ob l ig at or y till t he e n d of Cl as s X.

(2) W h i l e a s t u d e n t s h o u l d o rd i n a r i l y be e x pe c t e d t o deci de w h e t h e r he will g o in f or a v o c at i o n a l c o u r s e o r i nt o t he universi ty s t r e a m a t t he e n d o f Cl as s X ( w h e n he is a b o u t 16 y ear s o f age) , it goes w i t h o u t s ay i ng t h a t such deci si ons w o u l d be t e n ta t i ve a n d t h a t s o m e y o u n g p e r so ns m a y like to c h a n g e f r o m o n e s t r e a m t o t he o t h e r a t a l a t e r stage. T h e C e n t r a l A d v i s o r y B o a r d o f E d u c a t i o n , t he re fo re , specif ical ly r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t s uc h l at er t ra ns f er s f r o m o n e s t r e a m t o the o t h e r s h o u l d n o t o nl y be p e r m i t t e d b u t a l so faci l i ta ted by d u e p r o v i s i o n f or t r a n s f e r o f credi ts o n this a c c ou n t . T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f this r e c o m m e n d a t i o n is obvi ous .

! ha v e a l r ea dy p o i n te d o u t tha t , even as ea r l y as 1919, the C a l c u t t a Uni ver si ty C o m m i s s i o n h a d r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t he c o u r s e l ea di ng to t he first de gre e s h ou ld ha v e a d u r a t i o n o f t h r ee years. W i t h t he pa ss ag e o f t ime, the o p i n i o n o n t he s ubj ec t has n o w b e c o m e even s t r o n g e r for three m a in r eas ons . First ly, t he re is n o w a m u c h gr ea t er d e m a n d f or speci al iza t ion on a c c o u n t o f t he e xp l o s i o n o f k n o wl e d ge a n d , a t t he s a me t ime, t h e re is a l so a d e m a n d f or g r e a t er general e d u c a t i o n t o e n a b l e t he y o u n g p e r s on s t o face successful ly t he c o m p l e x societ ies o f t he m o d e r n per iod . Sec ondl y , t he re is n o w a m u c h g r e a t er d e m a n d f or in t er-discipl i n a ry c o u r s e s ( inc l ud ing i n t e r - F ac u l t y ones) a n d f or t he pr ov i s i on o f g r e a t e r elast ici ty t o t he s t u d en t s to c h o o s e s ubj ec ts o f s tu dy 12

to match their individual capacities and interests. Thirdly, there is also a greater em phasis on providing practical experience, o p portunities for field work and project-oriented studies at the undergraduate stage to im prove the standards o f education and to bring the system o f higher education in close contact with the com m unity around, through programmes o f social and national service. If these im portant purposes are to be satisfactorily achieved, it goes w ithout saying that a tw o-year duration is extremely inadequate for the undergraduate stage and that the new courses for the first degree will need a minimum duration o f three years.

The foregoing discussion will show that the new pattern o f 10+ 2 + 3 for school and college classes is an educational reform o f great significance, that it is based on several important academ ic considerations, and is vastly superior to the alternative patterns that now prevail and that its universal adoption in all parts o f the country will bring in several advantages am ong which the follow ing may be mentioned:

(1) The school stage will be strengthened and its standards will improve because o f its lengthening to twelve years and because o f the inclusion, within it, o f the interm ediate stage which will bring in better teachers and better facilities.

(2) The tw o-year higher secondary stage will have several advantages. It will enable us to control expansion to som e extent because an elem ent o f selective adm ission can be introduced at this point. The students will also be mature enough, when they enter Class X I to make a tentative decision about their future career and to embark upon some programm es o f prespecializations. It will enable the schools to prepare their gifted students intensively for the University and also to provide rem edial action for any shortcom ings arising from weaknesses in earlier education. A bove all, it will be possible to vocationalise this stage intensively so that a fair proportion o f students (ultim ately as large as 50 per cent) can be diverted into different walks o f life, thus reducing

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t he p res sur es on uni ver si ty a d m i ss i on s . A n i m p o r t a n t a n d neces sary i n n o v a t i o n a t this s tage w o u l d be t o p r o v i d e f or t r a n s f e r o f credi ts to a s t u d e n t w h o m a y des i r e to c h a n g e f r o m o n e s t re a m t o a n ot h e r .

(3) T h e s t a n d a r d s in h ig h er e d u c a t i o n will al so i m p r o v e as t he s t ud e n t s g o i n g i nto t he uni ver si ty s t r e a m will n o w be be t ter p r e p a r e d a n d m o r e m a t ur e .

(4) T h e t hr ee -y ear de gre e c o u r s e w o u l d be a defini te i m p r o v e m e n t o n t he exis t ing t w o - y e a r c o u rs e f or t he first degree . W i t h this l ong er d u r a t i o n , it will be poss ible to me et the d e m a n d s o f s peci al iza t ion as well as o f a b r o a d - b ased genera l a n d i n t erdi sc ip l inar y e d u c a t i o n a n d t o m a k e a d e q u a t e p r o vi s io n f or pr ac t ica l exper ience , field w o r k a n d p r o j e c t -o r i e n t ed s tudies . T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f p r o- b l e m -o r ie n te d in t erdi sc i pl inar y co ur se s a t the M a s t e r s d egr ee level w o u l d al so be gr ea t ly faci l i ta ted wi t h the a d o p t i o n o f 1 0 + 2 + 3 f o r m u l a .

Some MisconceptionsIn spi te o f all t hese a c a d e m i c c o n s i d e r a t i o n s in f a v o u r o f t he

u n i f o r m a d o p t i o n o f t he c o m m o n p a t t e r n o f 1 0 + 2 + 3 f or s choo l a n d col lege classes, it is real ly u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t t he re a r e several m i s c o n c e p t i o n s on t he subj ec t w h i c h i nterfere wi th a p r o p e r i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t he p r o g r a m m e . It is necessary t o c l ear t hese m i s c o n c e p t i o n s if t he p r o g r a m m e is t o succeed.

T h e r e is a n u n f o r t u n a t e t en denc y, in ce r t ai n q u a r t e r s , t o r e g a r d t he a r i t h m e t i c o f t he p a t t e r n ( w h e t h e r it is 11 -H 2 +- 2 o r 11 +1 + 3 or a n y o t h e r c o m b i n a t i o n ) as far m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n t he s u bs t a n c e o f t he r e f o r m wh ich consis t s o f t he v o c a t i o n a l i z a t i o n o f t he h i gh e r s e c o n d a r y s tage a n d i m p r o v e m e n t o f s t a n d a r d s , b o t h in s chool a n d uni vers i ty e d u ca t i o n . I w o u l d l ike to s ta te it ca t egor ica l ly t h a t t he a r i t h m e t i c o f t h e s t r u c t u r e is o f n o c o n s eq ue n ce w h a t s o e v e r a n d t h a t even t he s t ru c t u r e o f t he e d u c a t i o n a l s ys tem is o f little i m p o r t a n c e . W e s h o u l d n ot , t he re fo r e , l o o k a t this p r o p o s a l o f a d o p t i n g a ne w p a t t e r n o f s choo l a n d col lege classes o n a u n i f o r m basis t h r o u g h o u t the c o u n t r y e i t h e r as an a r i t hme t ic a l p r o b l e m o r even as a pur el y s t r u c t u ra l p r o b l e m . W e 14

m u s t r ega rd it as a f u n d a m e n t a l e d u c a t i o n a l r ef o rm for s t r e n g t h e n ing b o t h t he s chool a n d universi ty s tages o f e d u c a t i o n a n d o f m a k i n g the s e co n d a r y stage t er mi na l t h r o u g h a p r o g r a m m e o f v o c a t i on a l i za t i o n . If t hese basic object ives a r e not e m p h as i se d a n d a chi eve d, a me r e a d o p t i o n o f s o m e o t h e r a r i t h m e t i c or a d i f fe r ent s t ru c tu re will not serve a n y useful pur po s e .

A n o t h e r c o m m o n m i s c on c ep t i o n is tha t , in a d o p t i n g a c o m m o n p a t t e r n o f school a n d col lege classes, we m us t l o o k elsewhere for p r e c e d e n t s a n d s u p p o r t o u r a r g u m e n t wi th i l lus t ra t ions f ro m o t h e r count r ies . Thi s is ha rd l y necessary a n d in fact wo u l d be an i ncorr ect p r oc e dur e . 1 ha ve ha d the o p p o r t u n i t y to s tudy t he p a t t e r n of e d u c a t i o n in ma n y friendly count r i es . 1 h a v e f o u n d t h a t t he re is no u n i f o r m p a t t e rn o f s chool a n d col lege classes in the di f ferent c ount r ie s o f t he wor l d, a n d not even in the social ist c o u n t r i e s w h os e e d u c a t i o n a l sys t ems t end to be u n i f or m. Each c o u n t r y has evolved its o w n p a t t e rn in a c c o r d a n c e wi th its o w n pe cul ia r c i rcu mst ance s . It is therefore , n o t des i rable to ch a ng e o u r p a t t e rn o f school a n d col lege classes o n t he basis o f t he p a t t e rn s pr eva i l ing in o t h e r count r i es . T h e E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n r ight ly e m p h a s i s e d t h a t we m u s t o u t g r o w this imi tat ive a t t i t u d e a n d s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e c h an g e s in o u r p a t t e rn slowly on the basis o f o u r o w n i nd i g en ou s t h i n k i n g a f ter t a k i n g in t o a c c o u n t w h a t is h a p p e n i n g out si de , b u t w i t h o u t be i ng d o m i n a t e d by it .2

Ye t a n o t h e r m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g , wh ich is of ten p r o p a g a t e d by cer ta in vested interests is t h a t t he a d o p t i o n o f t he n e w p a t t e rn will adver se l y affect t he i nterests o f s chool a n d col lege t eacher s . N o t h i n g ca n be f ar t her f r o m t r ut h . T h e school t e a ch er s have e v e r y t h i ng t o ga i n by the a d o p t i o n o f t he pa t te rn b e ca u s e m o r e p os ts will be cr ea ted a t t he s choo l s tage a t h ig h er levels. Even t he col lege t ea cher s ha ve n o t h i n g to lose be caus e we ha v e insisted t h a t in spi te o f a t e m p o r a r y s e t b a c k in e n r o l m e n t s , t h e re s h o u l d be n o r e t r e n c h m e n t . T h e s e t ba c k in e n r o l m e n t s also will be m o r e t h a n m a d e u p in t hr ee o r f o u r years by the n a t ur a l i ncrease in e n r o l m e n t s t h a t will necessari ly t a k e place f ro m y e a r t o year . W h a t is even m o r e i m p o r t a n t , t he tea cher s in h ig h er e d u c a t i o n will ha ve m u c h bet ter j o b s at is fac t ion be caus e o f the qua l i ta t ive ly b e t te r s t ud e n t s t ha t will n o w be e n t er i ng t he universi ty sys tem.

Report o f the Education Commission, Para 2.05 15

There is also a m isunderstanding that the new pattern can be implemented quickly in a year or tw o. This can only be disastrous. The Education Com m ission pointed out that a good deal o f careful preparation is needed for the adopton o f the new pattern and that the programme will have to be phased over a few years. That is why, in the Delhi U nion Territory, it is proposed to in troduce the new syllabus in Class IX in the first instance and then to revise the syllabus for subsequent standards year after year. A good deal o f preparatory work is also needed to identify v o ca tional openings appropriate to this stage, to prepare fairly reliable estim ates o f m anpower needs or em ploym ent opportunities, to prepare the curricula and to set up the essential institutional structure for vocationalization. The preparation o f teachers for the higher secondary stage is also im portant and will consum e considerable time and resources. Due attention will have to be paid to all this preparation if the programm e is to succeed and result in improvement o f standards.

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THE NEW PATTERN OF EDU CATIO N AN A NA LY SIS Dr. G. L. Bakhshi

The Central Board o f Secondary Education has introduced the new pattern o f education, com m only known as 10 + 2 in all its schools beginning with IX class, with effect from M ay 1975. The first course leading to the exam ination at the end o f X class (corresponding to the present M atriculation exam ination) will include three languages, M athem atics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Social Sciences, also work experience and Health and Physical E ducation a general undiversified education for all.

The second stage to end with the 12th year is an improved Higher Secondary course with more accent on vocationalization , involving diversification and specialization in subjects best suited to the genius o f the pupil. For most students, this will be the terminal stage o f education and stepping-stone to careers in life. After that the academ ically disposed scholars could go in for the three-year degree course.

A radical feature o f this schem e is that it makes work experience or com m unity service com pulsory. The pupil can choose from a long list o f subjects like electric gadgets their servicing and repairs, electronics, agriculture, photography, leather work, typing and tailoring. This part will consist o f practicals only, no theory or written paper, and the assessm ent will be internal and cum ulative at school. The traditional system o f evaluation will also be reformed. There will be no pass or failure as such. There will be Grades for each subject 5 G rades in all: G - l , Outstanding; G -2 , Very G ood; G -3 , G ood; G -4 , Fair and G -5 , Poor; and this will be a surer guide for em ployers w ho look for special proficiency in their one special trade and also for adm issions to higher professional or technical courses.

Forty years ago, M ahatm a Gandhi advocated Basic education or work-centred education or learning through doing. H e said that in a poor country like India, where 80 per cent o f the population is agricultural and another 10 per cent industrial, it is a sin to give a purely literary or liberal education. The tradi

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t ional e d u c a t i o n has a ne ga t ive role, it m a k e s pupi l s m o r e u n e m p l o y ab le : a f a r m e r s s on w h o passes B.A. a n d M. A. b e c o m e s unfit for u n s o p h i s t i c a t e d f a r m i n g ; t he h o u s e w i f e s d a u g h t e r w h o passes M . A . l o o k s d o w n o n hou se wi f er y a n d is all for a w h i t e co l lar j o b , wh i ch is in such s h or t supply . It is an t i -n a t i on a l t o c o n t i n u e s uch a sys tem.

T h e w o r k - c e n t r e d e d u c a t i o n will d e ve lo p self -rel iance a n d s el f -conf idence t h r o u g h e a r n i n g c a p ac i t y i ns tead o f a feel ing o f helplessness w i t h o u t a r o u t i n e j o b . It will instil d i gn i ty o f l a b o u r f o u n d in all a d v a n c e d c o u nt r ie s b u t a b s e n t in I nd i a ; it will p r o d u c e t he spi r i t o f ini t ia t ive a n d en te rp r i se t h a t will crea te o p e n i n g s an d o p p o r t u n i t i e s wh e r e t h e r e ar e s eemi ngly n o n e . O f c o u r s e , mere e d u c a t i o n will n o t e n d u n e m p l o y m e n t ; t h a t d e p e n d s o n e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t a n d m a n y o t h e r factors . But it will m a k e o u r y o u n g me n a n d y o u n g w o m e n fit t o face new chal lenges in life a n d to t r a n s f o r m b o t h o u r society a n d its e c o n o m y t h r o u g h i n n o v a t i o n s a n d u n s u s p e c t e d a d v en tu re s .

New System of EvaluationT h e n e w s ys tem o f e v a l u at i o n reflects a lso the new' ne eds o f

a fast c h a n g i n g society. T o de cl ar e a pupi l as a fai lure in a n y class a t so ea r l y a n age will give h im a n infer ior i ty c o m p l e x for life a n d s t u n t his g r o w t h . G a n d h i , Ta go re , Edi son , Einstein a n d R a m a n u j a m all d i d p o o r l y at s chool e x a m i n a t i o n s b u t later b e c a m e w o r l d figures. W h y d u b a chi ld as a fai lure if he doe s ba dl y in o n e o r t w o subj ec t s t h a t he is c ompe l l ed t o s tu dy wi t h or w i t h o u t his wil l? His interests m a y lie el sewhere. G iv e him a p o o r G r a d e in t h a t a n d a g o o d G r a d e in subjects in w h i c h he shines. T h a t is s impl e j us t i ce t o the young .

T h e n e w sys tem is t he first s tep t o w a r d s r e v o l u t i o n a r y c h a n g e s in t he e d u c a t i o n a l scene. A n d t he re is t he rub. E v e r y o n e c l a m o u r s f or a wholes al e c h a n g e in the s ys tem o f e d u c a t i o n a n d e x a m i n a t i o n . T h e r e a re n o t wo o p i n i o n s t h a t the pr es ent s ys tem ha^ out l i ved w h a t e v e r l imi ted util i ty it on c e ha d. It p r o d u c e s ne i the r e m p l o y m e n t n o r c h a r a c t e r n o r discipl ine. L a y m e n l o o k on s choo ls a n d colleges as t ime-fi l l ing ins t i t ut ions . T h e ex per t s express t he i r d i ssa t is f ac t ion wi th it. Ye t as s o o n asIK

t he re is a real p r os p ec t o f a radi ca l c h a n g e s o m e m e m b e r s o f t he intel l igentsia fiercely rally t o the s u p p o r t o f t he s ys tem o f whi ch they t hemsel ves ha ve been crit ics. O u r m a in p r o b l e m s eems t o be t h a t o u r radical t h i n k i n g is not m a t c h e d by r adical a c t ion .Soundness of New System

T h e new system has got o v e r w h e l m i n g s u p p o r t f ro m ex per t e d u c a t i o n a l o pi n i on . It was r e c o m m e n d e d by the K o t h a r i C o m mission, it c o n f o r m s to the N a t i o n a l Pol icy R e so l u t i o n on E d u c a t ion (1968). it has been a p p r o v e d by the C e nt r a l A d v i so r y Bo ar d o f E d uc a t i o n a n d by var i ous al l - India f o r u m s a n d s emi nars . If such mass i ve c o m m e n d a t i o n is n o t e n o u g h t o l a u n ch it in to pract ice, n o t h i n g c a n be. Let t he d issenters n o t wince b e fo re t he ohaUenge o f c h a ng e which t hey have been a d v o c a t i n g so f requent ly. T h e new s ys tem seems t o be the best u n d e r the c i r cu ms ta n ce s a n d deserves a n hones t a n d s incere trial.

Unfounded FearsT he n o- ch a ng e rs wa r n us t ha t the new s ys tem will e n c o u n t e r

m a n y difficulties. N o t h i n g gr ea t was ever ac hi eve d w i t h ou t s u r m o u n t i n g huge difficulties. But t ha t is n o r eas on for not m a k i n g

Education for self-reliance

19

a beginning in the right direction. If men rem ained confined within the safe fam iliar limits, there would have been no aeroplane, no space travel, no adventurous inventions. A verse in the Panchtantra says, Low men do not start any venture for fear o f m eeting obstacles; the m iddling ones do make a start but leave o ff when there are obstacles but the high-m inded persist in the right course, though again and again beset with difficulties .

The prophets o f doom warn us that the new schem e will founder on the rock o f finance. Where from will com e the huge funds and local expertise to teach many odd items o f work experience in a thousand schools? Where there is a will, there is a way. M oney is never any bar to real progress. U is on record that the total equipm ent used by Sir C. V. Raman, the first Indian scientist to win the N obel Prize, was hardly valued at Rs. 300.

India has over-abundance o f human resources and acute scarcity o f finance. Our policies should be m an-pow er centred and not m oney-centred. Human effort and human ingenuity work w onders, while mere m oney power proves a non-starter. Indian education would have been in a far happier position today, if G andhijis ideas o f developing education around work experience had been adopted 2 to 4 decades ago. But then the no-changers had their day and G andhiji was too busy with m ore urgent program m es to secure independence for India, to devote his whole time and attention to educational reform.

PRAGM ATIC APPROACH TO W ORK EXPERIENCE Dr. G. L. Bakhshi

O f a ll th e clanges contem plated under the new 10 + 2 + 3 pattern o f ed u ca tion recently adopted by the Central Board o f Secondary E ducation ir its m em ber-schools, the introduction o f work experience a s , com pulsory part o f the school curriculum is the m ost v ita l.

T h is ho\ever, has raised doubts and misgivings in the minds o f so m e pecple, which is not unnatural, considering that this chapge envisiges a drastic departure from the age-old con cep tion o f ed u ction which kept learning and earning strictly apart. In all societi's, when education was first started in an organised m anner, it vas confined to a selected few. We have travelled far from th oe days and we are in an era when education is not for the seleced few but is sought to be made universal. It is now universaly agreed that education should be relevant to *ife and should lot only train the mind, refine the intellect, and culture the enotions, but it should also improve the productive capacities o f the individuals.

T h e chaige has been received very enthusiastically by most people w h o have hailed it as a reform long overdue. There are how ever, son? isolated voices o f resistance which mainly arise because o f lak o f proper awareness about the nature and scope o f w ork expeience at the school level.

T he first ibvious question is, what is work experience? This seems to be a 'ery simple question but if not handled pragm atically it can result in a lot o f academ ic discussion and hair-splitting which can onl' result in thwarting the starting o f this programme.New Conceit

A new oncept like work experience would offer obvious difficulties if i is sought to be reduced to a one sentence definition. It is essntial that this new discipline is taught on the basis o f certain com nonly accepted concepts which will get refined as we go a lo n g 01 the road o f im plem entation.

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W o r k exper ience has been i n t r o d u c e d t o pr ovi de a c o r r e c t ive t o s o m e o f the deficiencies o f t he p res en t sys tem of e d u c a t i o n , a n d t o m a k e it m o r e relevant t o life. In fact , it pr ovi des o n e o f the m os t essent ial d i m e n s i o n s to e d u c a t i o n wh ich has been mi ss ing so far a n d whi ch has been ac ut ely felt by all r ight t h i n k i n g p e r s o n s .

T h e pr es ent s ys tem o f e d u ca t i o n , ex cept for a few g o o d e x c e p t ions, has been p r o d u c i n g y o u n g p eopl e w h o a r e n o t f o u n d easi ly e m p l o y a b l e a n d w h a t is worse, w h o t hemsel ves are lacki ng in sel f conf i dence be caus e they ha ve not been t r a i ne d in any skill o r creat ive act ivi ty wh ich co u ld e n a bl e t h e m to face the cha l l eng es o f life. T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f w o r k exper ienc e is a step t o r e m o v e t hi s h a n d i c a p , n o t b e caus e it will crea t e j o bs for e v e r y b o d y ( t h a t d e p e n d s u p o n e c o n o m i c fac t ors ) but b e caus e it will m a k e t he p r o d u c t s o f e d u c a t i o n relat ively m o r e e m p l o y a b l e a n d it will i mb u e t h e m wi th g r e a t er sel f -conf idence because o f the i r e xper i enc e o f h a v i n g p r o d u c e d s o me t h i n g .

It has, t h e re fo r e been de ci ded to a d o p t a very s imple c o n c e p t o f w o r k e xper i enc e m e a n i n g t h e r e b y i nc ul ca t i on o f skil ls a n d k n o w l ed g e t h r o u g h creat ive a n d p r o d u c t i v e act ivi t ies w h i c h m a y resul t in the s t u d e n t s a c q u i r i n g ab i l i ty t o p r o d u c e g o o d s a n d services whi ch ar e m a r k e t a b l e . A cr ea t i ve ac t ivi ty a n d its p r o duc t iv i ty in t e r m s o f its m a r k e t value ar e the t w o essent ial c h a r a c ter ist ics o f t he c o n c e p t o f w o r k exper ience. It is h o p ed t h a t s o m e i m p o r t a n t values will be inc ulca t ed as a u t o m a t i c b y - p r o d u c t s . T h e co urs es ha ve been so de sign ed as t o accel era t e the rea l iza t ion o f e d u c a t i o n a l values , l ike i nc ul ca t i on o f digni ty o f l a b o u r , c a p a city to wo r k h a rd , love o f aesthet ics , i n n o v a t i o n a n d e x p e r i m e n t a t ion a n d gr e a t e r c o nf id enc e to face chal lenges.

InflexibilityT h e c o n c ep t o f w o r k exper ienc e will in f u t ur e be m o r e a n d

m o r e s har p l y def ined a n d the c u r r i c u l u m a n d co ur ses will be r edesi gned to real ize t he e d u c a t i o n a l va l ues in a m u c h m o r e d i rec t a n d expl ici t m a n n er .

L o n g years o f t ea c hi ng - le a rn in g pr ocess have mo r e o r less fixed t he c o n t o u r s at v a r i ou s levels o f mos t t ra d i t io n al subjects und the i ns t r uc t ion al r i tual has a l m o s t got fixed wi th little i n c e n

t ive o r e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o ex plor e u n c h a r t e r e d areas. T hi s has g e n e r a t e d a r igidi ty a n d inflexibili ty a b o u t t he wh o l e pr ocess which m a k e s r o u t i n e pract ices safer a n d m o r e a c ce p t a b l e to all co nc er ne d b e c a u s e o f the i r famil iar i ty. T h e r e is left n o t m u c h s cope for i n n o v a t i o n o n the pa r t o f the t eacher s a l t h o u g h s o m e i ma ginat ive p e r s o n s h a v e t r ied e x p e r i m e n t s a n d i nn o v a t e d ideas even in these a rea s w i t h very frui tful results.

R o u t i n i s m in a ny s p he re is h a rm f u l to real progress , but in e d u c a t i o n it is m o r e so because it leads to steril i ty o f t h i nk i ng a n d offers n o way o u t o f the d r ea ry deser t s a n d s o f d e ad - h a b i t . F o r t u n a t e l y w o r k exper ience at least does not suffer f ro m this h a n d i c a p a n d otVers t o t e a ch er s S'uU s cope Vo t the\T i ma g in a t i ve e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n a n d i nno vat i on .

It is h o p e d t ha t t he teachers , whi le a c tua l ly i m p l e m e n t i n g the p r o g r a m m e , will enr ich this s i mpl e c o n c ep t o f wo r k exper i ence t h r o u g h t h e i r d y n a m i c t h i n k i n g a n d pract ical efforts. T h ey will b e a r in m i n d t h a t they are p i oneer s in this field a n d can legi t imately feel p r o u d t h a t it has fallen t o the i r lot to w o r k o u t this r e v o l u t ion in e d u c a t i o n a l t h i n k i n g wh ich seeks t o l ibera te us f r o m c e n tur ies o f iner t ia wh ich has kept e a r n i n g a n d l ea rn ing de l i nked f r o m e a c h other .

T hi s d o e s not , however , m e a n t h a t t he t e a c h e r is left ent i rely on his o w n w i t h o u t a ny d i rec t ions or guidel ines. Af t e r a g o o d deal o f de l ib er a t i on s , a list o f a b o u t 40 w o r k ex per iences has been suggest ed by wa y o f i l lus t rat ion a n d a s t u d e n t is free t o c h o o s e |any o n e o u t o f these in a c c o r d a n c e wi th his o w n a p t i t u d e a n d facili t ies p r o v i d e d by the school . F o r m o s t o f these s ugges t ed w o r k ex per iences , b r o a d syllabi ha ve also been p r e p a r ed t o m a k e t he level o f prof iciency in ea ch w o r k exper ienc e as u n a m b i g u o u s as possible.

No Blind AlleyT h e t e a c h e r has a l so been given a f o ur - we e k t r a i n i n g in v a

r i o u s a r e a s o f w o r k exper i ence d u r i n g t he s u m m e r recess. A b o u t 1,000 te a ch er s , a t t he rate o f o n e t e a c h e r for ea c h affil iated school ,

ha v e be en p ut t h r o u g h this pr act ical t ra ining. F o r this p u r p o s e t he faci l i t ies a n d exper t i se av ai labl e in o u r Engi ne e r i ng Col leges.

Tec h ni ca l T ea c he rs T r a i n i n g Inst i tutes , Poly t echnics a n d R e gi o n a l Col leges o f E d u c a t i o n have been util ized.

W o r k exper i ence will be n o bl ind alley for the s t ud e n t s b eca use it will be fol lowed by v oc at i on al s t r e am in the XI a n d XI I classes. T h e s t ud en t s d o i n g very well in w o r k exper i ence will ha ve t he choice o f j o i n i n g the v oc a t i on a l s t re am, which will be an in t egr a t ed p r o g r a m m e o f a c a d e m i c s a n d vocat ions . Even a t the Un iver s i t y level, s o me Universi t ies ar e a l r ea dy t h i n k i n g o f s t a r l ing s o m e voca t i on al courses.

T h er e are obv ious ly t wo ways o f i m p l e m e n t i n g the p r o g r a m m e o f w o r k e x p e r i e n c e , e i t h e r by t a k i n g the w o r k s h o p to the s choo l o r by t ak i ng the school to the w o r k s h o p . T o begin with, we s t ar t wi th the a l te rna t ive wh er e m os t o f the factors ar e u n d e r the co nt ro l o f t he e d u c a t i o n a l ins t i t ut ions , i.e. wo rk e xper i enc e

Teachers acquiring workshop skill

will be mos t l y d o n e in t he s chool itself a n d tha t obvi ous ly wo ul d res t r i c t to s o m e extent the choice o f w o r k exper i ence on t he par t o f t he schools . T h e use o f c o m m u n i t y facilities in the ne ighb o u r h o o d o r m a k i n g a r r a n g e m e n t s with a factory or w o r k s h o p o r p r od u c t i v e cent re in the n e i g h b o u r h o o d is not prec luded . In f ac t the lat ter has to be e n c o u r a g e d a n d large scale c o - o r d i n a t i on wil l have to be deve l op ed with o t h e r agencies co n ce rn e d with p r o d u c t i v e act ivi t ies. This will be a real b r e a k t h r o u g h a n d we shal l then be abl e to take up mo r e s ophi s t i ca t ed a n d mo r e rel ined w o r k exper iences . T hi s may t ak e a little t ime but this a r r a n g e m e n t will have to be w o r k e d o ut because it will not be possible to set up all the necessary w o r k s h o p s in the school s t he m- sel'ves.

As the p r o g r a m m e develops, it is ce r t ai n t h a t such c o - o rd i n a- t i o n will be f o r t h c o m i n g . T h e success o f all e d uc a t i o n a l e n t e r pr i ses d e p e nd s u p o n the j oi nt efforts o f pa re n ts an d t eacher s an d w o r k exper ience needs this j o i n t effort m u c h m o r e t h a n any o t h e r p r oj ec t .

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REVAM PING SCIENCE EDU CATIO NDr. G. L. BakhshiIn a n age wh en e d u c a t i o n is s o u g h t to be m a d e un i ve rs a l it wo u id be i n c o n g r u o u s to c o n t i n u e wi th the legacies o f t h e el i t ist t r a d i t i o n s o f e d u c a t i o n evolved mo s t l y in the c o n te x t o f the r e q u i r e m e n t s o f leisured classes. E d u c a t i o n c a n n o t c o n t i n u e wi th its i vory t o w e r a p p r o a c h a n d c a n n o t go o n merr i l y o b l iv i ou s o f the c h a n g e s in t he social a n d e c o n o m i c scene. E d u c a t i o n h a s t o a s s u m e a d y n a m i c role a n d has t o b e c o m e me a ni ng fu l , p u r po s ef u l , useful a n d rel evant to life. T h i s necessari ly involves a p p r o pr ia t e c h an g e s in t he cur r icu l a a n d c o n t e n t o f co ur se s as al so m e t h o d s o f t eaching, a p a r t f ro m the overal l c h a n g e in the g ener a l a p p r o a c h wh ich has to p e r m e a t e t h r o u g h o u t u n d e r t he new p a t t e rn o f e d u ca t i o n . It is a pi ty t h a t in t he p o p u l a r m i n d the s t r u c t ur a l aspec t o f c h a n g e as ref lected in t he y ear s t o be s pe nt for v a r i o u s s tages o f ed u c a t i o n u n d e r t he ne w p a t t e r n , has rece ived gr ea t a t t e n t i o n t o the a l m o s t excl us ion o f t he very gr ea t c h a n g e s in c o n t e n t s a n d m e t h o d s o f ins t ruc t i on . In t he ne w a p p r o a c h , t he g a p be twee n the wor l d o f w o r k a n d t he wo r l d o f l ea r n i n g is s o u g h t t o be br i dged. E d u c a t i o n is n o t only t o s t i mul a t e t h o u g h t bu t a l so to i nculcate skills for i m p r o v e d ac t ion . T h i s c o o r d i n a t ion be tween t h o u g h t a n d a c t i on is sure t o ge ne ra te a t w o - w a y pr ocess r esul t ing in i m p r o v e m e n t in both . W h e r e a s w o r k will be i m p r o v e d wi th the a p p l i ca t i o n o f knowl ed ge , k n o w l e d g e itself will benefi t a n d b e co me m o r e p u rp o se fu l a n d real ist ic w h e n p ut to use in rel ining a n d i m p r o v i n g act ion.

Emphasis On ApplicabilityT e a c h i n g o f science in this c o u n t r y has been b e c o m i n g m o r e

a n d m o r e theore t i ca l a n d ge t t i ng a w a y f ro m t he real i t ies o f o r d i n a r y life r esul t ing in loss o f pop ul ar i ty . It is essent ial to evol ve a new m e t h o d o l o g y o f t e a c hi n g science wh i ch will m a k e the subj ect m o r e interest ing, m o r e readi ly as s i mi labl e by the s t ud e n t s a n d also r es to r e t o va r i ou s science discipl ines t he i r f ad i ng vital i ty a n d pop ul ar i ty . A n y subject whi ch is n o t c o n st a n t l y r eviewed in the m a t t e r o f its c o n t e n t s as w>ell as m e t h o d o l o g y o f i n s t r uc t i on in o r d e r to retain its re levance to t he c h a n g i n g life s i tua t i on , is likely to get fossil ised a n d suffer t h e fate o f the classics. Science ca n be a discipl ine f or special ised a n d sophis t i -26

c a t e d a c t ion , o r its appl icab i l i ty t o life s i t ua t i on s c a n be und er l in ed f or the benefi t o f the cit izens. Science, if it is t o he l p an y c o u n t r y in us her i ng in an era o f science a n d t ec hnol ogy , c a n n o t i g no r e the needs o f t he ci t izens a n d has t o be r eor i en ted t o help in solving p r o bl e ms o f dai ly life.

T h e new c h a n g e s ough t to be i n t r o d u c e d in the m e t h o d o f t ea c hi ng science t h r o u g h the s chem e o f pr oj ec t t e c h n o l o g y seeks to give a m o r e prac t ical bias t o science t eachi ng , p o i n t i n g o u t at every s tep t he r elevance o f science t o v a r i o u s life s i tua t ions a n d the way it can help to solve v a r i ou s p ro b l e m s . T h e whol e idea is to de v el op science t e a c hi n g a r o u n d s o m e c h o se n projec ts al l ied to tec hnol ogy . This will s t i m u la te i n n o va t i ve t h i nk i ng a m o n g s t ud en t s a n d will i nculcate a m o n g t h e m t he scientific t e mper , or iginal i ty, crea t ive a n d i m p r o v i s a t i o n a l abi l i t ies, which a r e so necessary in a society, wh i ch is t r y i n g t o b e c o m e increas ingly t echnol ogical . It a l so involves d o i n g t h i ng s wi th t he h a n d s by

t he s t u d e n t a n d this n a t ur a l l y de v el op s gr ea te r interest a n d e l i m i nates s o m e o f the passivi ty a n d b o r e d o m whi ch are as s oc ia te d wi th the c l a s s - r oo m s i tuat ion .

Science e du c a t i o n which is really mean! to t rain s t u d e n t s to obs er ve , to analyse, t o inter a n d to general ise, has n o t been h a v i n g its full impact . F o l l o w i ng the new m e t h o d o f project t e c hn ol o gy , it is h o p e d t ha t p r o p e r scientific a t t i t u de s a n d creative' abil i t ies will be s t imu la te d a n d qui te a few y o u n g s t ud en t s will be l a u n c h e d o n voyages o f d i scover y on t hei r own.Inter-disciplinary Approach

A n o t h e r a d v a n t a g e o f t he projec t t ec h no lo g y is t ha t it very of ten e n c o u r a g e s t he i n t erd i sc i pl inar y a p p r o a c h whi ch d e v e l op s a w i d e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f the uni ty und er l yi ng all k n o w l e d g e a n d also br ings p eopl e f ro m v a r i ou s discipl ines t og e t h e r f os te r i ng a t e a m spir i t wh i ch in t hese da ys is m os t essent ial f or an y signi f icant a c h i e v e m e n t in a ny field. T hi s m e t h o d also e l i mi na t es t h e i so l at io n o f science f ro m t he c o m m u n i t y by c rea t i ng a n a w a r e n e s s o f t he social , e c o n o m i c a n d m o ra l problems.

R ece nt l y the m e t h o d o f p r oj ec t t e chnol ogy wa s t r ied by the C e nt r a l B o a r d o f S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t i o n in a W o r k s h o p a t L a w r e n c e Sc hool , S a n a w a r , wh ich was a t t e n d e d by 21 t ea cher s f r o m s chool s in di f ferent p a r t s o f t he c o u n t r y a n d was g ui de d by e x pe r t s f ro m I nd i a a n d a b r o a d . T h i s qu i e t w o r k s h o p a w a y f r o m t he m a d d e n ing c r o w d s , g e n er a t ed t r e m e n d o u s interest a m o n g the p a r t i c i p an t s . As a m a t t e r o f fact t he i r a b s o r p t i o n in their w o r k all the d a y l ong was to be seen to be bel ieved. T h e i r c o m p l e t e c o n c e n t r a t i o n t h r o u g h l ong hou rs i ndi ca t ed the s t ro ng m o t i v a t i n g effect o f pr oj ec t t e c h n o l o g y If the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f this p r o g r a m m e in s c hool s results in t he s ame m ot i v a t i o n a n d the d e v e l o p m e n t of the s a m e interest a m o n g s t udent s , it will be a b r e a k - t h r o u g h in solving m a n y o f the ills o f t he pr es en t -da y e d u ca t i o n . T h i s s m a l l w o r k s h o p has t h r o w n u p very frui tful ideas a n d has s h o w n the g r e a t potent ia l i t ies o f the pr oj ec t t e chnol ogy for mo r e p u r p o s e f u l t e a c h i n g o f science.

It has been de ci ded t ha t sui table fo l l ow-u p a c t ion will be ini t ia ted w ith the help o f these 21 teachers a n d it wo u l d be p o ss i b l e to g e n e r a t e a snow-ba l l m o v e m e n t in o rd e r to c o ve r all t he t h o u 28

sa nd s choo ls affi l iated to the C ent r al Boar d of' S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t ion in a b o u t a c o u pl e o f years. S om e o f t he projec ts designed a n d c o m p l e t e d at S a n a w a r were very interes t ing a n d useful. T h e ch ie f char ac t er i s t i c o f t hese projec ts was t h a t very c h e a p a n d i mpr ov is ed mat er ia l h a d been used. It is h o p e d t h a t the h a b i t o f i mp r ov i s a t i o n , e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n a n d i n n o v a t i o n wh e n pr ope rl y d e ve l op ed a n d e m ph a s i z e d wo u l d be c ome a l i fe- long asset a n d for o u r socio- economi c d e v e l o p m e n t this t ype o f asset is mos t u r gen t ly needed.

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THE NEW EXAM INATIO N SYSTEMDr. R. P. SinghalW hether the existing exam ination system serves our present day needs or whether it requires to be changed, are questions which are uppermost today in the minds o f not only those w ho are responsible for im provem ent o f education in our country but also those whose children are studying in educational institutions.

Pr of es sor N u ru l H a sa n , Un i o n E d u c a t i o n Mi ni st er , r ecent ly in his a d d re s s on the occas ion o f the G o l d e n J ubi lee o f the A s s o ci at ion o f I nd i an U n i v e r s i t i e s obs er ve d t ha t the exist ing sys tem o f e x a m i n a t i o n began giving negat ive r e t ur ns s o m e years ag o a n d has n o w b e c o m e highly c o u n t e r - p r o d u c t i v e . He went o n to say t ha t unless we m a k e a m a j o r effort to o v e r h au l the exis t ing s ys tem o f e x a m i n a t i o n s , it will not be possible t o c a r r r y o u t an y m a j o r r ef or m o r qua l i ta t i ve i m p r o v e m e n t , such as revision o f curr i cul a, i m p r o v e m e n t o f t ea c hi ng a n d l earn ing mater ials , o r a d o p t i o n o f i m p o r t a n t a n d d y n a m i c m e t h o d s o f learning.

ExaminationThe Dominant FactorIt is c o m m o n k n o wl ed g e t h a t e x a m i n a t i o n s ha ve d o m i n a t e d

e d u c a t i o n . T h e c u r r i c u l u m f ra me rs ke ep the e x a m i n a t i o n as the u l t i ma t e a im while d r a w i n g up courses . T h e t ime -t ab l e o f the school is p r e p a r ed in s uch a way t h a t the s t uden ts can be best p r e p a r e d for t he e x a m i n a t i o n . T h e qua l i t y o f the s chool is j u d g e d o n t he basis o f t he B o a r d ' s results. N o t onl y tha t , even the t e a ch er ' s as s es sme n t is b as ed u p o n t he p e r f o r m a n c e o f his s t ud en t s in the B o a r d s ex ami na t io ns .

W e used to say t ha t e x a m i n a t i o n acts as m ot i v a t i o n for pupi ls a n d t eachers . W h e n the O x f o r d Univers i ty held the first ex t er nal e x a m i n a t i o n for school s in 1958, it said t ha t the e x a m i n a t i o n w o u l d give a defini te a im t o t he school ma st er s a n d a grea t s t i m u lus t o s chol ars ; a n d wo u ld afford a n evi dence to the publ ic h o w far the exer t ions o f b o t h h a d been successful . It is a pi ty t h a t in the n a m e o f m ot i v a t i o n a n d s t imul a t i on the e x a m i n a t i o n s b e c a m e i nd i spe nsa bl e ; ins t ead o f b e c o m i n g a m e a n s to p r o vi d e t he r ight type o f e d u c a t i o n they have b e c o m e an en d in t h e m selves.30

A c c o r d i n g U) t he S e c o n d a r y E d u c a t i o n C o m m i s s i o n o f I ndi a, t h e e d u c a t i o n a l s ys tem in o u r c o u n t r y was e x a m i n a t i o n - r i d d e n a n d t h a t t h e de a d we igh t o f t he e x a m i n a t i o n (at the t o p level as well as t h r o u g h o u t t he s c h o o l sys tem) t e n d e d t o c u r b t he t e a c h e r s ini t iat ive, t o s t er eo t yp e t he c u r r i c u l u m , t o p r o m o t e m e c h a n i c a l a n d l ifeless m e t h o d s o f t eaching , t o d i s c o u r a g e all spiri t o f e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n a n d to p l ace stress o n w r o n g o r u n i m p o r t a n t t hi ngs in e d u c a t i o n . It is, the re fo re , n o t s u r p r i s in g t h a t a n y m o v e f or a c h a n g e in t he c u r r i c u l u m , t e a c h i n g m e t h o d s a n d e v a l u a t i o n prac t ices s h o u l d be met wi th res is tance

T o d a y pass i ng an e x a m i n a t i o n is c o n s i d er ed m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n a c q u i r i n g e d u ca t i o n . T h a t is the r eas on wh y we read dai ly in n e w s p a p e r s aboi t t e x a m i n a t i o n s being c o n d u c t e d u n d e r pol ice p r ot e c t i o n . I ncidents o f m a l p ra c t i ce s in t he e x a m i n a t i o n s ar e o n t he increase all ove r the c o u n t r y . N e ar l y t we nt y t h o u s a n d s t u d e n t s boys a n d girls - a r e r ep o r t e d t o h a ve been c a u g h t o r f o u n d c o p y i n g this ye ar in the e x a m i n a t i o n s c o n d u c t e d by the H i g h Sch ool a n d I n t e r m e d i a t e E d u c a t i o n B o ar d , U t t a r P r a de s h . O n e doe s n o t k n o w h o w m a n y m o r e e sc a pe d be ing c a u gh t . W h e t h e r it is a B o a r d ' s publ ic e x a m i n a t i o n o r w h e t h e r it is a n e x a m i n a t i o n o f the Uni vers i ty , o r w h e t h e r it is a n i nte rna l e x a m i n a t i o n o f a school , the s i tu a t i on doe s n o t c h a ng e . I nvi gi la t or s d o not c o m e f o r w a r d t o invigi late b e caus e t he y a re t h r e a t e n e d w i t h d i re c o nse quen ces . Pas s i ng t he e x a m i n a t i o n h a s b e c o m e as i f a m a t t e r o f f u n d a m e n t a l r ight . A n e w p h e n o m e n o n is lately b e in g n ot i ce d a n d t h a t is, t he s t ud e n t s w h o fail in a n e x a m i n a t i o n d e m a n d a n d , if necessary, a d o p t all k ind s o f a g i t a t i o na l m e t h o d s , t h a t they s h ou l d be p r o m o t e d to t he next class. S o m e t i m e b a c k o n e o f t he St at e Legis latures t o o r e c o m m e n d e d gr ac e m a r k s t o be given t o fai led c a n d i d a t e s in a pub l i c e x a m i n a t i o n .

G u n n a r M y r d a l in his b o o k o n T h e C h al l e n g e o f W o r l d P o v e r t y h a s de scr ibe d it as a legacy o f t he c o l on i a l r ul e w h e r e i m p o r t a n c e wa s p l aced o n p a ss i ng e x a m i n a t i o n s a n d a c q u i r i n g s t at us , whi le pr act ical t r a i n i n g f or life a n d w o r k w a s igno re d. T hi s spi r i t d o m i n a t e d , a b o v e all, t he t e a c h i n g a n d l ea r n i n g in t er t ia r y ins t i t ut ions . But it wa s t r a n s m i t t e d t o t he s e c o n d a r y s choo ls wh e r e t he m a i n obj ect ive was t o m a k e ce r t a i n t h a t t he s t u d e n t s w o u l d be e q u i p p e d t o pass t he i r e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n s f o r col leges. T h e p r i m a r y schools , in t ur n , were i m b u e d wi th the

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necessity o f p rep a r in g pupils for e n tran ce to the seco nd ary schools. T h is is p a r t o f the ex p la n a t io n why edu ca t io n at all levels becam e general an d academ ic in c h a rac te r ra th e r th a n voca tiona l o r relevant to the needs o f society. T h is also accou n ts for the rec ru i tm en t rules th a t exist to d ay for various jobs and services w here stress is laid m ore on ex am in a t io n resu lts First. Second o r Third Division, r a th e r than on the total p ersona li ty o f the ind ividual.

Examination ReformA MustU n d o u b te d ly , a new look to the exis ting exam in a t io n system

is requ ired . C harles C o l to n said, " T o d a y ex am in a t io n s a re fo rmidable even to the best p repared , for the greatest fool may ask m ore th a n the wisest m a n can a n sw e r" . T he ex am in er so m e times forgets th a t he has to evalua te the pupil 's ab il ity : instead he tr ies to show his ow n skill and know ledge in the quest ion p ape r he sets. T h e N a tion a l Policy on E d uca t io n , issued by the G o v e r n m en t o f India in 1968, m en t io ned th a t the m a jo r goal o f e x a m in a tion re fo rm should be to im prove the reliability and validity o f ex am in a t io n s an d to m a k e eva lu a t io n a co n t in u o u s process, a im ed at he lp ing the s tuden t to im prove his level o f ach ievem ent ra th e r th an "ce r t i fy ing " the qua l i ty o f his p e rfo rm an ce at a given m o m en t o f time. Earlier, the E d u ca tio n C o m m iss io n to o had s ta ted tha t the c r ipp ling effect o f ex ternal e x am in a t io n on quali ty o f w ork was so g rea t th a t ex am in a t io n re fo rm had becom e crucial to all p rogress a n d has to go h a n d in h an d with the im p ro v em en ts in teaching.

T w o m ain th ings have, therefore , to be d o n e if the exis ting ex am in a t io n system has to be re form ed. First, its d o m in a t io n over the ed u ca t io n a l sys tem has to be min im ised and secondly, the quali ty o f e x am in a t io n has to be im proved so as to m ak e it m ore valid and reliable. In bo th these d irec tions the C en tra l Board o f Seco n dary E du ca tio n has taken a p p ro p r ia te steps while in t roduc ing the new p a t te rn o f e du ca t io n from the cu rren t academ ic session in its m e m b er schools.

CBSE Launches The ReformsO ne radical ch ang e tha t has com e ab o u t , is the in t ro d u c t io n

o f the system o f G ra d e s instead o f m arks. U n d e r the exis ting system, the result is decla red on a 101 point scale o f m ark ing . The m ark s ob ta in ed by a can d id a te in d ifferent subjects (a l th o u g h

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th e re m a y no t be an y p a r i ty be tw een th o se sub jec ts because som e m ay be h igh sco r ing an d o th e r s less scor ing) a re to ta l led up an d th e resu lt w o rk e d ou t on the basis o f the aggrega te . T h ere is h a rd ly a case w here a s tu d en t offering subjects w hich are c o n s idered to be less sco r ing is ab le to get h igher a gg rega te m a rk s th a n the o n e w h o offers sub jec ts like S an sk r i t a n d M a th e m a t ic s for h igher S ec o n d a ry E x a m in a t io n . T h e con ce p t o f high scor ing a n d low scor ing subjec ts has there fo re , to be given up. It only leads to a n o m a lo u s s i tua t ions . A c a n d id a te g e tt ing 5 6 % a g g rega te m a rk s is reg a rd ed to d a y as su p e r io r to a c a n d id a te ge tt ing 5 5 .9 % m a rk s ir respective o f the n a tu re o f the subject offered an d gets ad m iss io n to e i th e r h igher courses o f s tudy o r gets a ch ance for be ing in terv iew ed for a post . T h e Plan o f A c tio n on E x a m in a t io n R e fo rm , c ircu la ted by the G o v e rn m e n t o f Ind ia recently , r ightly po in ts o u t th a t th is k ind o f s i tu a t io n causes a c o n s id e r able m ea su re o f f ru s t r a t io n . It a lso po in ts o u t th a t the 101 p o in t scale o f m a rk in g to g e th e r w ith the a rb i t r a ry m in im u m for a first, second o r pass class is scientifically u n so u n d . T he sys tem was a d o p te d w hen o u r scientific kn ow led ge a b o u t e x a m in a t io n s was in a d eq u a te . It is no long er re lev an t an d is, in fact, d o in g h a rm to th e s tu d en t p o p u la t io n .

A s is d o n e in several o th e r co un tr ie s , the s tu d en ts will n ow be given five G ra d e s : G ra d e 1: O u ts ta n d in g , G ra d e 2: V ery G o o d , G ra d e 3: G o o d , G r a d e 4: Fair , G ra d e 5: P oo r , on the basis o f scientific ev a lu a t io n . Ins tead o f to ta l l in g u p the m a rk s o f d ifferent subjects , the g ra d e s will be a w a rd e d sub jec tw ise an d f a n y s tu d en t w an ts to im p ro v e his g ra d e in a n y sub jec t o r subjects he will be a llow ed to d o so. T o d a y he is a sked to repea t all the sub jec ts n o tw i th s ta n d in g his sa t is fac to ry p e r fo rm a n c e in so m e o f th e subjects. T h is in fact, is a re fo rm w hich w as long o verdue . It w as in 1966 th a t the E d u c a t io n C o m m iss io n reco m m en d e d th a t a s tu d en t shou ld n o t be b r a n d e d as a to ta l fa ilure if he passes in ce r ta in subjects b u t is un ab le to m a k e th e g rad e in others. T h ere is n o reason w h y he shou ld ca rry w ith h im the s t igm a o f being dec la red an unsuccessful c a n d id a te if he has part ia l ly su cceed ed in his ed u ca t io n a l effort.

T h e sys tem o f g rad ing , o f course , raises an im p o r ta n t ques t ion as to w h a t will be th e cri ter ia for ad m iss io n to h igher courses o f s tudy . T h e C en tra l B oard o f S econ dary E d uca t ion is seized

3;

w ith th is p rob lem a n d is fo rm u la t in g gu idel ines fo r t h e schools fo r th e purpose .

It is a hap py a u g u ry th a t som e U niversities a n d B o a rd s o f S e co n d a ry E d uca t io n are also in t rod uc ing th e system o f grades in th e i r ex am in a tion s . A t th e ins tance o f th e U n ivers ity G ra n ts C o m m iss io n , a b o u t a dozen U nivers ities hav e accep ted th e new p a t te rn o n an experim enta l basis. A n A dv iso ry C o m m it te e o f the R a ja s th a n Board o f S econ dary E du ca t io n has recen tly decided to a d o p t th e new system in th e State. T h e I IT s a n d s o m e o th e r in s t i tu t io n s o f s tan d in g are a l r eady using the sys tem o f g rades .

Future StrategyA n o th e r im p o r ta n t step in ex am in a t io n re fo rm is im prov ing

its quali ty . T h e C en tra l B oard o f S e co n d a ry E d u c a t io n has tak en va r io us m easures in the p as t such as t r a in in g o f paper-se tters , d o in g aw a y with overall o p t io n s an d in t ro d u c in g in te rn a l op t ion s in qu es t io n pap e rs so as to e l im ina te selective s tudy b y pupils, in t ro d u c in g sh o r t answ er q ues t io n s to have a wide cov erage o f sy llabus, p rov id ing m ark in g schem es to th e ex am in e rs an d the s t a n d a rd is a t io n o f scores etc. Several o th e r m easu res are in th e offing. G re a te r em phas is is being laid o n testing ap p lica t ion o f kno w ledg e an d un d e rs tan d in g . Q u es t io n b an k s w ith su itable test i tem s are being set up in d ifferent subjects. S pec im en quest i o n p ap e rs fo r th e new S ec on dary E x a m in a t io n a t th e end o f C lass X a re also being envisaged. T ra in in g o f pap e r - se t te rs and ex am in e rs will be fu r th e r s t reng thened . In ce r ta in subjects, c o n t in u o u s ev a lua t io n th ro u g h in ternal assessm en t has a lso been p ro v id ed .

T h ese an d m an y o th e r changes , w hich have been accep ted a t th e n a t io n a l level fo r re fo rm in g the exis ting e x a m in a t io n sys tem will, it is h oped , he lp in b r ing in g a b o u t qua l i ta t ive im p ro v e m e n t in e d u ca t io n a n d rem oving , to a cons ide rab le exten t , the in ad e q u ac ie s an d deficiencies fro m w hich the p resen t system suffers.

U n d e r th e new p a t te rn , th e ex am in a t io n has to be a p a r t o f th e e d u c a t io n a l process. It has to serve as a reliable too l o f m ea su re m en t . A n d w h a t is m o re im p o r t a n t is the feed-back . T h e resu lts have to be utilized to p rov ide rem ed ia l te ac h in g fo r the w eak s tu d e n ts ; fo r the b r ig h t an d gifted, m o re cha lleng ing p ro g ra m m e s have to be p ro v ided . T h e e x am in a t io n s sho u ld also be uti lized by teachers to im p ro v e the ir teach ing m e th o d s . It is o n ly then th a t e x a m in a t io n s will serve the i r real p u rpo se .

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W HY & HOW OF THE NEW 10 + 2 PATTERN OF SCHOOL E D U C A TIO N

it was w ith th e a p p o in tm e n t o f C a lc u t ta U n ivers ity C o m m iss io n in 1917, p o p u la r ly k n o w n as S ad le r C o m m iss io n , th a t fo r the first t im e th e idea o f an ed u c a t io n a l s t ru c tu re fo rm e d an im p o r ta n t p a r t o f d iscuss ion . T h is c o m m iss io n r e c o m m e n d e d th a t the d iv id ing line be tw een the U n ivers i ty a n d seco n d a ry courses shou ld m o re p ro p e r ly be d ra w n a t the In te rm e d ia te E x am in a t io n r a th e r t h a n a t th e M a t r icu la t io n . T h e C o m m iss io n desired the G o v e r n m en t to es tab lish In te rm e d ia te C olleges w hich w ould p rov ide in s tru c t io n s in A rts . Science, M ed ic ine , E ng ineer ing etc. A faint re-echo o f th is 58 years old idea m a y be d iscerned in the p ro p o s e d N ew P a t te rn . T he 30 years be tw een the S ad le r C o m m iss io n a n d th e in d ep end en ce , ch ro n ic led several r e c o m m e n d a t io n s e m a n a t ing f ro m v a r io u s aca d e m ic fo ru m s a n d were m ain ly in tended to a n sw e r the th en exis ting needs an d for welfare o f the masses. T h e H a r to g C o m m it te e in 1929 re c o m m e n d e d the b ra n c h in g o ff o f m o re s tu d en ts in to indus tr ia l a n d co m m e rc ia l c h an n e ls a t the end o f th e m idd le stage. T h e S ap ru C o m m it te e in 1934 re c o m m e n d ed diversif ied courses a t the s e c o n d a ry s tage o n e for en te r ing the U nive rs i ty a n d the o th e r fo r ge t t ing in to the V oca tiona l s t ream .

T h e U nivers ity E d u ca t ion C o m m iss io n (1948-49). the first id u c a t io n C o m m iss io n in in d e p e n d e n t Ind ia , th o u g h t it u n fo r

tu n a te th a t th e im p o r ta n c e o f In te rm e d ia te C ollege in e d u c a t io n a l sys tem o f In d ia ha d no t been realised a n d r e c o m m e n d e d th a t the ad m iss io n to th e university sh ou ld be p receded by 12 y ea rs o f schoo ling . T h e ob jective w as to raise th e s t a n d a rd o f U nivers ity E d u c a t io n .

T h e C o n fe re n c e o f V ice-C hance l lo rs (1962), the All Ind ia C ounc il fo r S e c o n d a ry E d u c a t io n (1963), the C o n fe ren ce o f S ta te E d u c a t io n M in is te rs (1964) all r e c o m m e n d e d a 12 -y ea r course o f schoo l ing befo re a d m iss io n to a 3 -y e a r degree cou rse , as the goal to w a rd s w hich the c o u n t r y m us t m ove.

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Philosophy & Need

T h e E d u c a t io n C o m m iss io n o f India (1966) em p h as ised th a t there is a d irec t link between ed u ca t io n , n a t ion a l d e v e lo p m en t and p ro spe r i ty an d sta ted th a t th is can be vitalised only when the N a t io n a l sys tem o f e d u c a t io n is p roper ly o rg an ised , b o th q u a l i ta tive ly an d quan ti ta t ive ly . T h is C o m m iss io n a lso po in ted ou t th a t th e ex is ting sys tem o f ed u c a t io n was largely u n re la ted to the life, needs a n d a sp i ra t io n s o f the peop le a n d there was a wide g u lf be tw een its c o n ten ts a n d p u rpo ses as well as in terests o f N a t io n a l d ev e lo p m en t . O ne o f the m a jo r w eaknesses o f the present e d u c a t io n a l system is th a t seco n d a ry e d u c a t io n fits s tu d en ts for college an d a lm o st unfits th e m for ev e ry th ing else.

In an y well designed N a t io n a l sys tem o f ed u ca t io n , seco n d a ry e d u c a t io n m u s t have tw o specific objectives :

(1) to p re p a re a s tu d e n t fo r the U nivers ity , o r

(2) to becom e te rm ina l an d p rep a re a s tu d e n t fo r som e v o ca t io n in life.

R ea lis ing t h a t the to ta l per iod o f e d u c a t io n a n d the d u ra t io n o f its d if fe ren t s tages hav e a d irec t b ea r in g o n th e qu a l i ty o f e d u c a t io n im p a r te d fo r ach iev ing the goal, th e E d u c a t io n C o m m is s io n r e c o m m e n d e d :

(1) B road ly u n ifo rm p a t te rn o f ed u c a t io n ;

(2) E x ten s ion in the to ta l p e r iod o f schoo l ing to b r ing a b o u t a g enera l rise in the s t a n d a rd s o f a t t a in m e n t ; a n d

(3) V o ca t io n a l is a t io n o f e d u ca t io n .

National Policy Statement

B earing in m in d the r e c o m m e n d a t io n s o f the C o m m iss io n , the G o v e r n m e n t o f Ind ia issued in 1968 a N a t io n a l Policy s ta te m e n t on e d u c a t io n fo r th e c o u n try . In th is s ta te m en t , th e G o v e r n m e n t o f In d ia s ta ted th a t it was conv inced th a t a rad ica l re c o n s t ru c t io n o f e d u c a t io n on the b ro a d *lines r e c o m m e n d e d by the E d u c a t io n C o m m iss io n , is essentia l fo r e co n o m ic a n d cu l tu ra l d e v e lo p m e n t o f the co u n try , for n a t io na l in teg ra t io n a n d for

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realising the ideal o f a socialistic pa t te rn o f society. T h is will involve a t r a n s fo r m a t io n o f th e sys tem to relate it m o re closely to th e life o f the people , a c o n t in u o u s effort to ex p an d e d u c a t io n a l o p p o r tu n i ty , a sus ta in ed a n d intensive e n d e a v o u r to raise the qu a l i ty o f ed u c a t io n a t all s tages, a n d e m p h as is o n the d e v e lo p m e n t o f Science a n d tech n o lo g y an d cu lt iva t ion o f m ora l a n d social va lu es .

T h e policy s ta tem en t a lso s ta ted th a t it w ould be a d v a n ta g e o u s to have a b ro a d ly u n ifo rm e d u c a t io n a l s t ru c tu re in all p a r t s o f the co u n try . T h e u l t im a te ob jec t ive shou ld be to a d o p t the 10 + 2 + 3 pa tte rn .

Y'ne conference o f E d u c a t io n Secre ta r ie s and D ire c to rs o f Public In s tru c t ion held on 15th & 16th S ep te m b e r . 1972 passed the fo l low ing re so lu t io n :

A d o p t io n o f a u n ifo rm p a t te rn o f school a n d C ollege classes (10 + 2 + 3).

(1) A u n ifo rm p a t te rn o f ed u c a t io n o f 15 y e a r s d u ra t io n , lead ing to th e first degree , sh o u ld be a d o p te d by all th e States.

(2) T h e re shou ld be very close c o -o rd in a t io n be tw een the v oca t io n a l cou rses a t t a c h e d to the h ig h e r s e c o n d a ry stage, the Indus tr ia l T ra in in g In s t i tu te s an d th e P o ly technics . C o u rse s selected sh o u ld have close affinity to the skills a n d services in d e m a n d in the locality . T h is will involve m a n - p o w e r s tud ies a n d p ro d u c t io n cen tre s as well as f inanc in g o f the skilled p e rso n n e l on c o op e ra t iv e o r in s t i tu t io n a l p a t t e rn for se l f -em p loy m en t o r e m p lo y m e n t in p ro d u c t io n centres .

(3) T h e schem e o f V o c a t io n a l is a t io n o f E d u c a t io n as well as w o rk experience deserves the h ighes t p r io r i ty in th e P lan a n d shou ld be ass is ted fully.

(4) V o ca t ion a l courses p rescr ibed in the In s t i tu t io n s w o u ld need c o n s ta n t review a n d rep lacem en t as te c h n o lo g y , m a te r ia ls a n d d e m a n d s ch an ge . T h ey w o u ld h a v e to keep pace with d e v e lo p m e n t o f local indus tr ies a lso ,

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p a r t icu la r ly the small scale, co t tage an d c o n su m e r in d u s tr ie s .

T h e r e c o m m e n d a t io n s o f the C o nfe ren ce o f the E d u c a t io n Secre ta r ies a n d D irec to rs o f Public In s t ru c t io n were en d o rse d by th e C e n t ra l A d v iso ry B o ard o f E d u c a t io n in its 36 th session held on 18th a n d 19th S ep tem ber , 1972, in N ew D elhi.

A lm o s t s im u l tan eou s ly th e G o v e rn m e n t o f Ind ia , M in is t ry o f E d u ca tio n and Social W elfare a p p o in te d a N a t io n a l C o m m it te e u n d e r th e c h a i r m a n s h ip o f D r . P. D. S huk la . with th e fo l low ing te rm s o f reference;

T o suggest p iac t ica l steps to be tak en for th e im p le m e n ta t io n o f th e u n ifo rm p a t t e rn o f 10 + 2 + 3 for the school a n d college classes in all S ta tes a n d U n io n T e r r i to r ie s o f th e co un try .

(2) T o e s t im a te the cost o f im p lem en t in g the p ro g ra m m e .

New Pattern in CBSE Schools

In view o f th e o v e rw h e lm in g n a t io n a l im p o r ta n c e o f th is m a t te r the C e n t ra l B o a rd o f S eco n d a ry E d u c a t io n set up a special c o m m it te e to suggest w ays a n d m e an s to im p lem en t the new p a t t e rn in th e m em b e r- sch o o ls o f the B o ard a n d advise it on the e d u c a t io n a l in n o v a t io n s w hich shou ld be in t ro du ced . W ith this C o m m it te e were a ssoc ia ted em in e n t edu ca t io n is ts an d the experts f ro m sister agencies like D ire c to ra te o f E d u ca t io n , D elh i, Ken- d r iy a V idya laya S a n g a th a n , N a t io n a l C ounc il o f E d u c a t io n a l R e sea rc h & T ra in in g a n d o th e r such bodies . T h is c o m m it te e fa v o u re d th e in t ro d u c t io n o f the ch ang e fo r the fo l low ing r e a s o n s :

(1) I t will p ro v id e a n o p p o r tu n i ty a n d a m ea n s to re-vita lize a n d ra t io n a l iz e school cu rr icu la a n d to s t ru c tu re th em o n m ore scientific lines so as to serve the social an d eco n o m ic needs o f the ad o lescen t in a be t te r m a n n e r .