What is the full form of NCERT?
The NCERT is an abbreviation for National Council of Educational Research and Training. It has been deemed an autonomous organization of the Indian Government established on 1st date of September, 1961.
The NCERT would be best described as a scientific, literary and charitable society, established under the Societies Registration Act. The present director of the council Dr. Hrushikesh Senapaty has been holding the post since September 2015. The headquarters of the society has been located at Sri Aurbindo Marg in New Delhi.
Agenda behind establishment of NCERT
It would be pertinent to mention here that NCERT was established for designing and supporting the common education system. It would also encourage and enable the diverse culture of the nation.
The Education Commission recommended the issuance of first national policy statement on education in 1968. According to the policy, adoption of uniform pattern of school education was endorsed across the nation. It comprised ten years of general education program followed by two years of varied schooling.
Curriculum for ten year school
The framework laid emphasis on curriculum based on principles developed on basis of research.
National Curriculum for Elementary and Secondary Education
It entailed twelve years of school education and suggested reorientation of curricular and instructional materials for making it more children-oriented. It laid emphasis on educational reforms.
National Curriculum Framework for School Education
The framework laid emphasis on requirement for enjoyable, healthy and stress-free childhood and lessening of curricular load. It also focused on integrated and thematic approach. As a result, emphasis was laid on environmental education, language and mathematics was integrated during initial two years of schooling.
National Curriculum Framework
The new National Curriculum Framework was drafted in 2005 by National Steering Committee. It was based on five major principles:
- Identify and nurture through caring concerns
- Examinations made flexible and integrated with classroom life
- Curriculum enriched with overall development of children to go beyond textbooks
- Shifting from rote learning method
- Life outside school connected to knowledge
Objectives of NCERT
The objectives of the council would be:
- Promoting and conducting educational research, experimentation of novel ideas and practice.
- Collaborating with international, national and state organizations.
- To train in-service and pre-service teacher education along with state and national level functionaries.
- Developing National Curriculum Framework, textbooks and syllabi, teaching of learning materials and kits, video, audio and ICT materials, training models and strategies.
Actions
NCERT offers a comprehensive extension program whereby departments of Regional Institute of Education, National Institute of Educational, Central Institute of Vocational Education and offices of field adviser’s in the state have been engaged in different activities. A wide variety of programs have been organized in backward and rural areas for reaching out to different functionaries in the areas.
It would be pertinent to mention here that council would act as Secretariat of National Development Group for Educational Innovations. The NCERT offers training facilities through participation in workshops and attachment programs for educating workers of other nations. Textbooks have been published for various kinds of school subjects from I to XII classes.
NCERT has been popular for publishing books along with providing different kinds of sample question papers used in private and government schools across the nation. However, the schools should be following CBSE curriculum.
In addition, online system called e-pathshala has developed for distribution of educational e-resources. It should be inclusive of audio, textbooks, video, periodicals and wide variety of other print and non-print materials. It would ensure the students gain free access through mobile phones and tablets and online through desktops and laptops.
Textbooks
Textbooks published by NCERT have been prescribed by CBSE from I to XII classes. However, there have been exceptions to few subjects. You could also gain access to online textbooks through epathshala. You could access soft copies of the books upon request to NCERT. The textbooks would be printed in colour. These are least expensive books available in Indian bookstores.