Rajasthan to transform government school syllabus from 2016

JAIPUR: To eliminate "cultural alienation", Rajasthan has decided to introduce a new syllabus from class I to XII in government schools from next academic session, with a greater focus on lives of country's 'Mahapurush' and history of the state.

The state government has planned to introduce a new school syllabus which would include stories of various 'Mahapurush' (great leaders), moral science, country's latest scientific development, ethos and history of Rajasthan, Minister of State for Education Vasudev Devnanai told PTI here today.

A high-level State Institute of Educational Research and Training (SIERT) is doing the syllabus change for class I to VIII, and another committee set by Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) for syllabus reforms for class IX to XII, Devnani said.

Students must learn about 'Mahapurush' like Maharana Pratap, take lessons from their lives, the Minister said adding that the committee would stress that for class I to V there should be 75 per cent chapters from Rajasthan and 25 per cent chapters of national importance.

When asked whether the foreign authors would be replaced by their Indian counterpart, the Minister said, "Jitna avshyak hoga videshi utna padhya jayega."

Dismissing the reports about the removal of a chapter on South African leader Nelson Mandela from Rajasthan textbooks, an anonymous senior committee member said, "miscreants who have no role in committees are spreading rumors through media".

Non-controversial, well-known international authors like William Shakespeare, John Milton, William Wordsworth's work would remain available in higher classes, he said, adding personalities whom the world knows will be there in courses particularly in English literature.

"In old or existing courses there is a problem of cultural alienation because student of tribal belt or remote areas of Rajasthan might not be able to understand the top chapters specially in English literature, art and culture of other states as available in the books till now," he added.


When questioned whether the old foreign literary authors be deleted or replaced by Indian writers, the senior member said, "Sabhi ko nahin hata rahe hain (Not removing every foreign author). Authors with Indian culture in accordance with universal ethos would definitely find space in new courses being devised at the highest level. Poetry of Rudyard Kipling will find the regular space."

"It is utmost to bring course reforms in school education from class I to XII," the senior member said.

He said in the courses of class I to III there would be chapters from local to global subjects, on vocabulary (bilingual) building. While from V to VIII class the SIERT experts (at least 20) were in pre-writing stage of syllabus, and for class IX to XII RBSE committee had taken the task to formulate courses, he said.

"First time an integrated approach on syllabus is adopted in which emphasis is given on comprehension of each chapter (or subject), vocabulary, syntax, grammar, speech, work culture through debate, composition writing skill on subjects like women empowerment will find space in books", he said.