Math’s Sheds 50 Marks; Physical Education Is Elective Subject from 2012
New changes in the syllabus and the marking system await standard VIII students when they progress to standard IX in the next academic year.
A compulsory subject on information communication technology (ICT) has been newly introduced which will form the fundamentals of computer education while environment education, which was a separate subject till now, has been integrated with other subjects such as science and technology, social science and languages in parts.
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education will start implementing the State Curriculum Framework (SCF) for standard IX and XI from the 2012-13 academic year and for standard X and XII from the 2013-14 academic year.
It will be mandatory for students to score a minimum of 25 % marks in theory and 10 % in practicals and they will be declared failed if they do not achieve the minimum marks in any of the formats. Mathematics will be a 100-mark paper instead of 150 in the current practice.
The board's chairman Ujjwaladevi Patil said that rapidly changing lifestyles and the explosion of knowledge and information have been taken into consideration while preparing the new syllabus.
"The text books have been prepared so that students can do self-study, analyse topics and inspect them and not merely mug up books and write exams, “she added.
Among the new changes, civics has been renamed as political science for standard IX and X and Marathi literature has been newly introduced for standard XI.
An education official in the state board said it would not affect the syllabus."It will not be compressed. The current syllabus will be continued even if the total marks have been reduced. Of the 100 marks,20 marks has been allotted for practical’s and 80 marks for theory of which 40 marks will be dedicated to algebra and 40 marks for geometry."
For standard XI and XII, a 50-mark paper on health and physical education has been introduced. Though the subject existed earlier, no exam was taken, neither did it reflect in the final mark sheet, the official said."Now, of the 50 marks paper,25 marks are for the written exam and 25 marks for practical. The subject will be graded and will reflect in the marksheet,"he added.
The board has also introduced a full 100-mark physical education paper in the elective subjects. Junior college students can choose this subject if they wish to pursue a career in physical education.
The board will also be conducting a teacher-training programme so that they are aware of all the new changes in the curriculum. The training will be conducted across eight divisions in batches in June.
MAIL YOUR SUGGESTIONS
The SCF has been uploaded on the board's website.Citizens can register their suggestions or objections before November 30 on the email id: secretary@msbshse.ac.in or write to the secretary, Maharashtra State Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, survey number 832/A, Plot no.178/179,Next to Balchitravani,Bhamburda,Shivajinagar,Pune 411004.
Courtesy: lite.epaper.timesofindia.com
