CBSE to focus on northeast issues in its curriculum

New Delhi: CBSE may ask its students to work on project on the northeast or students may have to answer questions that may be part of the open book assignment. The northeast regions is to become the region of focus in its curriculum.

Besides setting up a centre of excellence for teachers in Guwahati in collaboration with IIT Guwahati, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is going to include various aspects of northeast studies in its Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system as well as emphasize on the region in Heritage India Quiz.

In a meeting held earlier this month, the board has proposed implementing a six-point strategy to sensitize students on the northeast issues.

To include these issues in the curriculum, CBSE is planning to introduce such project works under CCE from classes VI to VIII. At the meeting with the committee, set up to look into the concerns of the people from the northeast, the board said it had already advised the schools to take up these projects. "We will also ensure that these cannot be bought off the shelf," said CBSE, which will release related guidelines for the schools.

For higher classes, CBSE is planning to make use of open text book assessment, which has been introduced in all main subjects in classes IX and X and in economics, biology and geography in Class XI. These study materials will be based on situations found in the northeast.

Under Formative Assessment of CCE, the teachers from the Northeast will be trained to devise assignments in local, social, economic and political contexts. CBSE has specifically asked them to include freedom fighters from the region in these materials.

At the centre of excellence, the teachers from the northeast will train their counterparts and students from other parts of the country for better connect with the region.

The value education kits-the handbook for the CBSE teachers-will also be improved to introduce activities for creating awareness about the students from the region.