U.P. Board retains 30% syllabus cut for 2022-23 session too

The U.P. Board has decided to cover only 70% of the prescribed annual syllabus for over one crore students of Class 9 to Class 12 for third year in a row

For the third consecutive year, the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad aka U.P. Board has decided to only cover 70% of the prescribed annual syllabus in the new academic session for over one crore students of Class 9 to Class 12 enrolled in around 27,735 schools affiliated to it across the state.

U.P. Board headquarters in Prayagraj. (HT file)

The board has this time also retained the 30% cut as in past two years in the syllabus uploaded on its official website— www.upmsp.edu.in— for the academic session 2022-23, say UP Board officials in the know about it.

According to board officials, the decision has been taken due to lack of regular studies for past two years due to Covid and the mental pressure that the students are facing owing to it. Officials conceded that this year, after Class 10 and Class 12 examinations, school studies were affected for almost two months due to practical examinations and answer sheet evaluation.

In order to provide a comfortable environment to the students who have returned to schools after two years and for their holistic development sans putting any additional pressure, this year also 70% of the curriculum would be taught and assessment of students too would be based on the curtailed curriculum covered.

The U.P. Board is going to conduct Class 9 and Class 10 written examinations on a new pattern from this year. For the first time, there will be five monthly examinations during the academic session that would form part of students’ assessment. There will be three exams based on multiple-choice questions and two tests based on questions needing descriptive answers.

The decision of the U.P. Board to curtail its annual syllabus by 30% comes close on the heels of a similar decision taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which too has retained the 30% cut in curriculum for the year as done by it in the previous two pandemic-hit years.

Regional officer of CBSE’s Prayagraj regional office Shweta Arora, while confirming the move, said last year’s syllabus will be applicable to 2022-23 session also. The Council for the Indian School Examination (CISCE) has also cut the syllabus for some subjects like Hindi and English for this year.

Principal, Government Girls’ Inter College (GGIC), Prayagraj, Neelam Mishra welcomed the U.P. Board’s decision to cut the annual syllabus this year too. “The decision will surely relieve the students from mental pressure and aid in their overall development. Children have not been able to study properly during the past two years owing to the pandemic and full course could have added to the pressure on them,” she said.