National Curriculum Framework 2005 NCF-2005

C
ONTENTS
F
OREWORD
iii
A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
V
E
XECUTIVE
S
UMMARY
vii
M
EMBERS
OF
THE
N
ATIONAL
S
TEERING
C
OMMITTEE
xii
1.
Perspective
1
1.1
Introduction
1
1.2
Retrospect
3
1.3
National Curriculum Framework
4
1.4
Guiding Principles
4
1.5
The Quality Dimension
7
1.6
The Social Context of Education
9
1.7
Aims of Education
10
2.
Lear
ning and Kno
wledg
e
12
2.1
Primacy of the Active Learner
12
2.2
Learners in Context
13
2.3
Development and Learning
14
2.4
Implications for Curriculum and Practice
17
2.4.1
Teaching for Constr
uction of
Knowledge
2.4.2
The V
alue of
Interactions
2.4.3
Designing Lear
ning Experiences
2.4.4
Approaches to Planning
2.4.5
Critical P
edago
gy
2.5
Knowledge and Understanding
24
2.5.1
Basic Capabilities
2.5.2
Knowledge in Practice
2.5.3
Forms of
Understanding
2.6
Recreating Knowledge
29
2.7
Childr
en’s Kno
wledg
e and Local Kno
wledg
e
30
2.8
School Knowledge and the Community
32
2.9
Some Developmental Considerations
33
3.
Curricular Areas, School Stages and Assessment
35
3.1
Language
36
3.1.1
Language Education
3.1.2
Home/First Language(s) or Mother T
ongue Education
3.1.3
Second Language Acquisition
3.1.4
Lear
ning to Read and W
rite
3.2
Mathematics
42
3.2.1
Vision for School Mathematics
3.2.2
The Cur
riculum
3.2.3
Computer Science
3.3
Science
46
3.3.1
The Cur
riculum at dif
ferent Stages
3.3.2
Outlook
3.4
Social Sciences
50
3.4.1
The Pr
oposed Epistemolo
gical F
rame
3.4.2
Planning the Cur
riculum
3.4.3
Appr
oaches to P
edago
gy and Resour
ces
3.5
Art Education
54
3.6
Health and Physical Education
56
3.6.1
Strategies
3.7
Work and Educa
tion
58
3.8
Education for Peace
61
3.8.1
Strategies
3.9
Habitat and Learning
64
3.10
Schemes of Study and Assessment
65
3.10.1
Early Childhood Education
3.10.2
Elementar
y School
3.10.3
Secondar
y School
3.10.4
Higher Secondar
y School
3.10.5
Open Schooling and Bridge Schooling
3.11
Assessment and Evaluation
71
3.11.1
The Pur
pose of
Assessment
3.11.2
Assessing Lear
ners
3.11.3
Assessment in the Course of
Teaching
3.11.4
Cur
ricular Ar
eas that Cannot be ‘T
ested for Marks’
3.11.5
Design and Conduct of Assessment
3.11.6
Self-assessment and F
eedbac
k
3.11.7
Ar
eas that Requir
e F
resh Thinking
3.11.8
Assessment at Different Stages
4.
School and Classroom Environment
78
4.1
The Physical Environment
79
4.2
Nurturing an Enabling Environment
82
4.3
Participation of All Children
83
4.3.1
Children's Rights
4.3.2
Policy of Inclusion
4.4
Discipline and Participatory Management
87
4.5
Space for Parents and the Community
88
4.6
Curriculum Sites and Learning Resources
89
4.6.1
Texts and Books
4.6.2
Libraries
4.6.3
Educational T
echnolo
gy
4.6.4
Tools and Laboratories
4.6.5
Other Sites and Spaces
4.6.6
Need for Plurality and Alter
nati
ve Materials
4.6.7
Or
ganising and P
ooling Resour
ces
4.7
Time
95
4.8
Teac
her’
s Autonom
y and Pr
ofessional Inde
pendence
98
4.8.1
Time for Reflection and Planning
xvi
5.
Systemic R
eforms
101
5.1
Concern for Quality
102
5.1.1
Academic Planning and Monitoring for Quality
5.1.2
Academic Leadership in Schools and for
School Monitoring
5.1.3
The P
anchay
ats and Education
5.2
Teac
her Educa
tion f
or Cur
riculum R
ene
wal
107
5.2.1
Present Concer
ns in T
eacher Education
5.2.2
Vision for T
eacher Education
5.2.3
Major Shifts in the T
eacher Education Pr
ogramme
5.2.4
In-Ser
vice Education and T
raining of
Teachers
5.2.5
Initiati
ves and Strate
gies for In-Ser
vice Education
5.3
Examina
tion R
efor ms
114
5.3.1
Paper Setting
, Examining and Re
por
ting
5.3.2
Flexibility in Assessment
5.3.3
Board Examinations at Other Levels
5.3.4
Entrance Examinations
5.4
Work-centr
ed Educa
tion
116
5.4.1
Vocational Education and T
raining
5.5
Innovation in Ideas and Practices
119
5.5.1
Plurality of
Textbooks
5.5.2
Encouraging Innovations
5.5.3
The Use of
Technolo
gy
5.6
New Partnerships
121
5.6.1
Role of NGOs, Civil Society Groups
and T
eacher Or
ganisations
Epilogue
124
Appendix I
126
Summar
y
Appendix II
131
Letters fr
om Education Secr
etar
y, Gover
nment of
India, MHRD
,
Depar
tment of
Secondar
y and Higher Education
Ind