Nehru's policies, Ayodhya dispute, Gujarat riots out of Assam Class 12 syllabus

The Assam government has excluded lessons on Jawaharlal Nehru’s policies, Ayodhya dispute, and the Gujarat riots among others from the Class 12 syllabus of the state examination board to ease burden on students.

The chapters were deleted by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) to reduce the load by 30 per cent on account of loss of academic schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics have been cut short in all the subjects of the three streams – Science, Arts, and Commerce.

“The main objective is to reduce the exam stress of the students of the session 2020-21, due to this pandemic situation and to prevent learning gaps.

“This syllabi is only the reduced portion for the preparation of upcoming final exams of Higher Secondary 1st and 2nd year to be held in 2021,” AHSCE Secretary Manoranjan Kakati said in the report uploaded recently.

The decision to trim the syllabus was taken on the recommendation of the selected subject experts from various reputed institutions of the state, he said.

In the Political Science paper, first Prime Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s approach to nation-building and his foreign policy, political succession after Nehru, politics of Garibi Hatao and the first three general elections have been struck off.

The reduced syllabi also excluded the implementation of Mandal Commission report (on job quota for OBC), Punjab crisis and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, the central government’s under the United Front, earlier regimes of NDA and UPA, Ayodhya dispute, Gujarat riots, famine and suspension of five-year plans.

India and the cold war, other post-communist countries, dominance and challenge to the US in economy and ideology, rise of China as an economic power in post-Mao era, conflicts and efforts for peace in South Asia, politics of disarmament, consequences of globalisation and anti-globalisation movements have also been done away with.

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The salient features of the National Policy of Education, 1986 and the units on women empowerment were totally dropped from the course of Education paper for the examination of Class 12, to be held in 2021.

The Union Cabinet of the BJP-led Centre on July 29 this year approved the New Education Policy 2020, which proposed a single regulator for higher education institutions, multiple entry and exit options in degree courses and setting up of campuses by foreign universities in India.

“After getting the approval of the Academic Committee, teachers from Arts, Science and Commerce institutions of Assam, including Barak Valley, are requested to submit their expertise knowledge where to curtail the courses.

“Finally, the selective experts of all the subjects from various reputed institutions were invited physically to finalise the reduced syllabus at AHSEC office,” Kakati said in the attached report on AHSEC website.

For the Sociology paper, the experts have deleted the chapters on the struggle for women’s equality, minority rights and nation building, panchayati raj and challenges of social transformation, globalisation and social change, land reforms and tribal movements.

Process of cultural change westernisation and secularisation, family, kinship, caste, colonialism and communities have also been omitted, the syllabi mentioned.

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For appearing in History paper, the students will not require to study the Mughal court, Jesuits at the Mughal court, peasants, zamindars and the state, difference and conflict, religious ferment in North India and reconstructing histories of religious traditions.

There will not be any material on liberalisation, privatisation, globalisation and industrial development in India, composition of working population, indicators of a healthy life and social empowerment, population, environment and development in Geography.

Likewise, measures of government deficit, foreign exchange rate and determination of exchange rate in a free market from Economics and progress of nationalisation of banks and lead bank scheme from Banking were removed, the report said.

For the Zoology part under Biology, Biotechnology and itsapplication – ethical issues, environmental issues, solid waste management, agrochemicals and their effects, radioactive wastes, greenhouse effect and global warming, ozone deletion, deforestation and degradation by improper resource utilisation and maintenance have been excluded.

In the Swadesh Adhyayan subject, which was introduced in 2018 to study Assam and North East, changes in religious and linguistic demography, population explosion of Assam and the foreigners issue have been deleted.

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