Prayagraj, July 29: For the third consecutive year, the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board) has decided to only cover 70 per cent of the prescribed annual syllabus in the new academic session for over one crore students of Class 9 to Class 12.
These students are enrolled in around 27,735 schools affiliated to the Board across the state.
The board has retained the 30 per cent cut, as in the past two years, in the syllabus uploaded on its official website.
According to the board officials, the decision has been taken due to lack of regular studies for the 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 without putting any additional pressure, only 70 per cent of the curriculum would be taught and assessment of students would be based on the curtailed curriculum covered.
The UP Board is also 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 UP Board to curtail its annual syllabus by 30 per cent comes close on the heels of a similar decision taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which too has retained the 30 per cent cut in curriculum for the year as done by it in the previous two pandemic-hit years.
CBSE’s Prayagraj regional officer Shweta Arora, while confirming the move, said last year’s syllabus will be applicable to the 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.
