Important Chapters Removed from Syllabus...

The decision of the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) to drop key chapters from political science course like Federalism, Secularism, Nationalism and Citizenship to reduce the syllabus for class 9^th to 12^th for the 2020-21 academic year is an arbitrary and hasty move. 

In its bid to reduce the syllabus for students amid the corona virus pandemic, CBSE has removed key and core chapters from the school courses. While the rational behind removing the chapters has not been explained but the decision appears to be ideologically driven, giving significance to political consideration rather than academics.

Some of the most important topics on democracy and diversity, have been let go of. How are young minds supposed to form political opinions? Let us try to understand them in brief to know why it is so important. 

Secularism means separation of religion from political, economic, social and cultural aspects of life, religion being treated as a purely personal matter. It emphasized dissociation of the state from religion and full freedom to all religions and tolerance of all religions. It also stands for equal opportunities for followers of all religions, and no discrimination and partiality on grounds of religion.

Federalism is a mixed or compound mode of government that combines a general government (the central government) with regional governments (provincial, state, cantonal, territorial or other sub-unit governments) in a single political system. Federalism is a form of government in which powers are divided between two levels of government of equal status.

 Nationalism is an idea and movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereignty over its homeland. Nationalism holds that each nation should govern itself, free from outside interference, that a nation is a natural and ideal basis for a polity, and that the nation is the only rightful source of political power.

Citizenship, relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection. Citizenship implies the status of freedom with accompanying responsibilities. Citizens have certain rights, duties, and responsibilities that are denied or only partially extended to aliens and other non citizens residing in a country.

This forms the crux of the principles on which our constitution was drafted. Avoiding formal and academic engagement with these issues would mean depriving future young citizens of the resources to develop critical thinking and a scientific temper, the basic equipment required for citizens in a rapidly changing world. It would affect the quality of education; hence It is crucial for a students to learn about these chapters.

Federalism, Secularism, Nationalism and Citizenship are pillars of Indian democracy and students of every class must learn them, repeatedly and in detail. What is being done is not healthy and will have long term effect. Due to the significance of the topics dropped and in the interest of students and education and future of the largest democracy in the world, it’s of vital important for the government to reconsider its decision.