hildren can now hope to have quality education.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training recently held a three-day joint meeting at Hyderabad to review the national curriculum framework.
It is preparing a report that will focus on general issues like inclusive, compulsory and comprehensive education.
The report will also focus on specific issues like teaching of Indian languages and education of children with special needs.
The National Policy of Education provides a five-yearly review in curriculum to ensure quality in children's education. The NCERT's executive committee will now review the national curriculum framework of 2000.
This time, 21 national focus groups have been formed to prepare foundation papers on curriculum design for subjects ranging from science education to the role of art and music in education.
Yash Pal, chairperson of the review exercise, said, "Memorising has replaced understanding in today's education. This apart, students are under terrible pressure today.
"There is so much competition among students that it has led to a spurt in the number of coaching classes. I believe, however, that any education that requires such coaching facilities is bad education.
"Systemic reforms," he said, "therefore, are required in the examination system and curriculum so that the pressure on students is reduced."
Pal also called for the need to change the examination system: "Most of the competitive exams focus on speed. But we need to change this system, as important decisions in life cannot be taken in haste.
"The fact that educational institutions are conducting extra classes today to cover the syllabus shows that they have not been teaching well during the regular classes. However, if they feel they need to spend more time with their students, we cannot legislate against that."
Today's education faces many challenges, said Pal: "We need to be an inclusive society so that all segments of the society -- social, economic and cultural -- are not ignored in the education system."
Education for all and lack of jobs in spite of education need urgent attention.
"Ultimately," said Pal, "we need to focus on issues like inaccessibility of education for all and lack of jobs in spite of education. Another disturbing factor is that an increasing number of students opt for foreign universities for higher studies. Our education system, therefore, needs to be better than foreign education."
The report will be submitted to the NCERT's executive committee and the general body for discussion and approval before being presented to the Central Advisory Board of Education.
The entire process is said to be completed by May this year.
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