Indore: Coronavirus outbreak has disturbed academic schedule for the classes especially challenging senior school students attempting board examination. A possible solution to reduce the burden of syllabus on students and teachers, Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) is working on a new blue print in the new normal.
As of now, MPBSE has announced discontinuation of 21 vocational courses for the year. Another major change that will affect commerce and arts students of classes 11th and 12th is merging of economics subject.
As shared by educationists teaching MPBSE students, these changes would help teachers in simplifying teaching techniques and ensuring uniformity. “For students, the benefits might not be too apparent, but reduction in syllabus would ease burden and ensure better teaching,” Sunanda Yadav, an educationist, said.
She explained that until now, economics taught to arts stream students is theoretical based and practical based for commerce stream students. “Merging of topics will reduce the burden on teachers giving them more time to work on teaching techniques and having a focused approach,” Yadav said.
Deven Sonwani, MPBSE divisional officer, said, “This merging and removal of vocational courses will ensure that examinations of class 10th and 12th will be conducted within 25 days instead of 35 to 40 days.”
Hence, 10 to 15 days will be added to evaluation period ensuring that the session completes in time.
Students’ take: reduction will ease worries
“This year has been challenging because we cannot understand mathematics, science and other practical subjects via online classes,” Divyanshi Pateria, a student of class 10th, said. She added that reduction in syllabus will ease her worries.
However, she feels that offline classes are still essential even with reduced syllabus.
“We have not received the new syllabus as yet, but if economics with commerce is merged with arts stream economics, then I am hopeful that it will be easier,” Jai Karnavat, student of commerce stream, said. He has been taking tuitions to understand various subjects as online classes are not as effective.
How will this change help academic year evaluation?
Principal of Excellence School Sudhakar Parashar explained that class 10th and 12th examination usually starts from March 1 and lasts till first week of April. “Further, evaluation begins from March and concludes in May third or fourth week,” he said.
Now, this year, as examinations are expected to complete in March, teachers would get more time to evaluate keeping up with the academic schedule.
“With less subject, the number of subject-wise teachers will increase and assessment will also be faster. This will reduce the time in setting the paper and evaluation,” Umesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Board of Secondary Education, said.
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