News
NCERT survey reveals J&K dedicates most hours to teaching English in schools.
A decade-long survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has revealed that Jammu & Kashmir trumps the rest of country by conducting 9 English periods a week at the upper primary level while Maharashtra conducts the most periods in state language amounting
That English is the language of the world is a foregone conclusion. It would be interesting to see the emphasis placed by Indian schools on instructing the Queens language. The results of a decade-long survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) study has recently be released, revealing that Jammu & Kashmir trumps the rest of country by conducting 9 English periods a week at the upper primary level.
The NCERT study was conducted under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) which had earlier suggested English be introduced as a second language at the primary level. Karnataka ensured that 5 English periods were conducted across primary, upper primary and secondary schooling levels, at the secondary level Sikkim dedicates 10 hours a week.
The states of Punjab, Manipur, Tripura, Odisha and West Bengal, Karnataka are yet to implement the NCF. Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh each stand at 8 periods of English-language at the primary level. Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya find themselves at the bottom of the findings.
When it comes to giving importance to mother tongue or the state language, West Bengal tops the list, with 200 marks examinations being conducted for Bengali language for upper primary level. At second place is Karnataka which offers Kannada as the first language accounting for 125 marks. However, most other states limit marks for the mother tongue to 100.
For allocating periods for the mother tongue, Maharashtra ranks the first with 13 periods in a week followed by Andhra Pradesh standing at 12 hours a week for Telugu and Karnataka dedicating 6 periods a week for Kannada at the primary level.
The study pointed out that states and Union territories had prioritised languages in accordance with their sociocultural aspects.
While most of the states have been found to follow the NCF, a few states follow varying systems owing to the different parameters that govern their systems of education. The study was conducted to assess the status of the curriculum at schools introduced in 2000.
The report analysed the structure of the curriculum, working days, school hours, class hours in a week and pedagogical techniques among other aspects of school education in the country.
Read the original story by Deepika Burli at www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Image used for representational purpose only