The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF) is developed based on the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and to enable its implementation. The NCF addresses education for the age group 3 to 18 years, across the entire range of diverse
institutions in India. This is across the four Stages in the 5+3+3+4 Curricular and Pedagogical restructuring of School Education as envisioned in NEP 2020.
As a follow-up of the NEP 2020, development of four National Curriculum Frameworks, viz., NCF for School Education, NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education, NCF for Teacher Education and NCF for Adult Education has been initiated. National Steering Committee under the Chairpersonship of Dr. K. Kasturirangan was set up by the Ministry of Education to undertake and guide the development of NCFs.
Going through a participatory process of deliberations, inputs were sought for the National Curriculum Frameworks (in the area of ECCE, School Education, Teacher Education and Adult Education) from diverse stakeholders including teachers, parents, students, educational institutions, neo- and non- literates, subject experts, scholars, childcare personnel etc. Extensive public consultations in face-to-face as well as digital mode were carried out.
In this process of deliberations and discussions, more than 500 District Level Consultations and more than 50 consultations with different Ministries, religious groups, civil society organisations, NGOs and Universities were held in face-to-face mode with the participation of more than 8000 diverse stakeholders. In digital mode, Mobile App survey has received feedback from around 1,50,000 stakeholders. The Citizen Centric Survey, launched by the Ministry of Education in August 2022, has received inputs from more than 12,00,000 stakeholders. Inputs are being received in all areas of ECCE, School Education, Teacher Education and Adult Education. The highlights of the inputs revealed endorsement of the recommendations of NEP 2020 from all the regions.
The NCF brings to life the aims and commitments of the NEP.
a. The Aims of Education are articulated in the NEP from which the curricular goals for the NCF are derived which then informs the rest of the elements.
b. This includes the full range of human capacities, values and dispositions that are aimed to be developed in school education. Pedagogy, practices, and culture must work in tandem to develop these, and move away from an overemphasis on memorization and content accumulation; in fact, content reduction is required to create space for such development.
c. The 5+3+3+4 Curricular and Pedagogical structure of school education is reflected in the learning standards, the content, the pedagogy, and the assessment approaches
d. It is integrative and holistic with equal status to all subjects and learning domains from Math to Sports. It integrates vocational education in all schools, and there is integration across subjects while developing rigorous subject understanding and capacities.
e. It confronts and address real challenges facing our countries’ education system. Notably that of literacy and numeracy, rote memorization, narrow goals, and inadequate resources.
f. It is deeply rooted in India. This is in content and learning of languages, in the pedagogical approaches including tools and resources, and most importantly in the philosophical basis – in the aims and in the epistemic approach.
For Detailed Info Use the link to download the whole PDF https://ncf.ncert.gov.in/webadmin/assets/b27f04eb-65af-467f-af12-105275251546
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
