December 10, 2024
📰 FEATURE STORY
Is the CBSE’s two-tier system for Science and Social Science a good idea?
Choosing an academic speciality in high school can be complicated. Students are just beginning to figure out what interests them and the viable career paths ahead in that discipline. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposes an education system where students have more flexibility.
That’s part of the rationale for the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) latest proposal: a two-tier system for Science and Social Science for students in classes 9 and 10. They’ve done this before with maths a few years ago. Is it the right approach?
Context
When the NEP was released, it proposed ambitious goals to revive and revamp the national education landscape. The focus was on skills associated with education in the 21st century while addressing India’s contemporary developmental imperatives. The goal was to make students lifelong learners with the acumen and desire to learn.
The CBSE realised it had to move away from rote learning and take a modern approach. The focus was on applying knowledge and skills in real life. The equation went like this, knowledge plus skills equalled competence. The CBSE called for pedagogical interventions in day-to-day teaching and learning processes to make competence-based education a reality.
Part of that would come from training teachers with new skills. Another part would be broad-based reforms by the CBSE in laying out syllabi and assessments. For the topic at hand, let’s focus on the two-tier system for some subjects.
According to the NEP, subjects and corresponding assessments can be offered at two levels where students can study them at standard or advanced levels.
In 2019, the CBSE announced it would introduce two levels of Mathematics for its class 10 board exam. The Board cited student stress before the most “difficult” exam. The first level was the same as the existing one (Mathematics standard), and the other was easier (Mathematics basic). The premise was that the syllabus, teaching, and internal assessment were the same for both levels. They could choose the level of the Board exam based on their aptitude.
That’s basically the thinking behind the recent proposal for the two-tier system for Science and Social Science. It will be standard and advanced. It could mean different sets of question papers for the exams.
Will this approach create a more equitable education landscape or alienate some students? Does it put too much pressure on school resources?
VIEW: It’s a measured approach
As stated, there’s precedent for this with maths. Per CBSE data, over 15 lakh students registered for standard maths compared to 6.7 lakh for the basic level in 2023-24. The Board also clarified that students who took basic maths in class 10 are allowed to study it in class 11 and won’t have to settle for Applied Mathematics since it’s seen as a watered-down version of standard maths. Hence, there was no more apprehension among students who chose an easier version at a younger age and wouldn’t be barred from studying an advanced version.
The proposal will empower students to tailor their learning abilities based on their aptitude and career goals. The NEP states that the education system should minimise academic pressure on students and their reliance on coaching institutes. Offering subjects with multiple levels ensures that. The two-level maths system has succeeded since more students opted for the standard level, which adequately prepared them for class 11.
Another reason the two-level system is the right approach for Science and Social Science is that the subjects are broad. The standard level will be comprehensive and help students for exams like NEET and JEE. Other students don’t have to learn advanced concepts since they might not be interested. Since the NEP’s goal is to provide students more flexibility in their schooling, giving them the freedom to study some subjects at a standard level while challenging themselves with others at a higher level can help alleviate academic pressure.
COUNTERVIEW: Won’t work out as intended
Everyone, from parents to students to teachers, agrees that education should be stress-free and interest-oriented. But does offering a two-tier system for all subjects make sense? It’s understandable for mathematics since many consider it difficult. There’s an inherent fear of the subject. But how will a lower level of science work? The same can be asked for history or geography. Will companies and universities accept these levels of learning when choosing candidates?
The education system already has disparities between the haves and the have-nots. Kids from rural and government schools lag behind their urban counterparts. Over 86% of kids in the 14-18 age group are enrolled in schools. However, 42% in rural areas can’t read English and over half struggle with simple maths, according to the 2024 Annual Status of Education Report. Students with more resources from privileged backgrounds will opt for the advanced level since they can afford private coaching. The goal of eliminating coaching culture from the system is now undermined.
It could be a logistical challenge for schools to have two sets of teachers for students in each subject. Also, labelling students who took basic and advanced levels will create an unnecessary hierarchy. While it’s true that all students have different aptitudes and learning abilities, the solution isn’t to give some limited knowledge and others more advanced. Schools have a responsibility to find better ways to teach subjects more comprehensively.
Reference Links:
- CBSE plans two level exams for Science, Social Science in Classes 9 and 10 – India Today
- What a 2-tier learning system aims to achieve – The Financial Express
- CBSE 2-tier system for Science, Social Science: Good or bad? How teachers, students see it – ET Now
- Two levels of science, social studies: Is CBSE taking the right approach? – The Federal
- CBSE’s plan of two levels for subjects in same class is a bad idea: Here are 4 reasons why – The Indian Express
What is your opinion on this?
(Only subscribers can participate in polls)
a) The CBSE’s two-tier system for Science and Social Science is a good idea.
b) The CBSE’s two-tier system for Science and Social Science is a bad idea.
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