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- NCERT, established in 1961, develops school education standards.
- Kothari Commission, NCF brought important changes in the curriculum.
- Emphasis on understanding-based education, NEP 2020 curriculum is changing.
- These books are considered the basis of CBSE, UPSC examinations.
The role of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is considered very important in the school education system of the country. Today, lakhs of students of the country including CBSE study from NCERT books, while these books are also considered the basis for the candidates preparing for UPSC and other competitive examinations.
NCERT was established on 1 September 1961 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education. Its main objective was to develop uniform and high quality standards for school education across the country. Along with this, it was also made responsible to provide policy advice related to education to the Central and State Governments and to prepare model textbooks for the students.
NCERT was formed by merging seven major government institutions. These included institutions like Central Institute of Education, Central Bureau of Textbook Research and National Institute of Basic Education. The purpose of integration of these institutions was to bring research, training and curriculum development in the field of education on one platform.
Important role of Kothari Commission
The Kothari Commission formed in 1964 played an important role in the development of NCERT. The Commission had recommended comprehensive reforms in the Indian education system and given a roadmap to create a uniform curriculum and quality educational material at the national level. After this, NCERT started work towards strengthening the education structure according to the changing needs of the country.
In the year 1974, NCERT was officially registered as a literary, scientific and charitable organization. After this, the organization took many important steps towards preparing the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).
Big change in 1975
“Ten-Year School Curriculum” was introduced for the first time at the national level in 1975. Its objective was to connect education with Indian social and cultural realities. After this, in 1988, changes were made in the curriculum as per the New Education Policy 1986 and emphasis was given on student-centric education along with reducing the pressure of studies on children.
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In 2000, the curriculum incorporated multicultural approaches, environmental education and better coordination between subjects. The National Curriculum Framework of 2005 is considered one of the biggest changes in the history of NCERT. During this period, instead of rote learning, emphasis was laid on understanding based and holistic education. Under this, major changes were made in textbooks and teaching methodology.
continuous changes
Even in recent years, NCERT is continuously revising the syllabus. In accordance with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, a new committee was formed in the year 2023, in which personalities like writer Sudha Murthy and famous musician Shankar Mahadevan were included. This committee is working on finalizing the new curriculum and books for classes 3 to 12.
NCERT books are the main study material for CBSE schools today. Apart from this, many state education boards also prepare their curriculum based on these books. NCERT books are also considered as basic study material for the candidates preparing for UPSC, SSC and other competitive exams.
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