NCERT designated authority for curriculum under RTE: Govt to HC

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday told Delhi High Court that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been authorised as the "designated authority" for curriculum and evaluation procedure under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The Centre told a bench comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal that National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005, formulated by NCERT, has been accepted as the curriculum framework for the purpose of RTE Act, 2009.

The government said this in an affidavit in the high court on a plea which has sought a direction to it to provide common syllabus and curriculum to all children aged between 6 -14 years.

"This document (NCF, 2005) has been hailed nationally and internationally as trend-setting in defining learning processes, assessment, quality and integration of various aspects of education geared towards producing a creative citizen of the country," the government said seeking dismissal of the plea.

"As follow up of the NCF 2005, the NCERT has brought out new syllabi and textbooks which provide adequate space to environment, health, safety, value of secularism, fundamental duties, directive principles in integrated manner across all the classes and all the subject areas," the government said.

It said NCF 2005 provides for broad framework for school curriculum development and "all states/union territories have either adopted textbooks developed by the NCERT or revised their textbooks in accordance with the provisions of NCF 2005 and in conformity with values enshrined in the Constitution".

The court, which fixed the matter for hearing on April 26, had earlier sought the Centre's response on the plea which also sought a direction "to provide an authoritative textbook on 'Environment, Health and Safety' and 'Socialism, Secularism and Nationalism' for children aged 6-14 years and a standard textbook having chapters on fundamental rights, fundamental duties, directives principles and the golden goals as set out in the Preamble..."

The plea has claimed that the prevailing education system under Article 21A of the Constitution was "inconsistent".

It has said that Right to Education Act envisaged not only free and compulsory education, but also equitable quality education having a common syllabus and common curriculum to all the children aged 6-14 years.

"Uniform education system would ultimately eliminate disparity and discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth and lead to equality of status and of opportunity in all matters in the spirit of the Preamble of the Constitution," the plea has said.