Maharashtra: SCERT issues revised timetable to introduce third language in primary schools

Mumbai: A day after the Maharashtra government issued a revised government resolution (GR) making a third language compulsory in state-run schools, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) on Thursday released a new daily academic timetable. The revised schedule adjusts teaching hours across subjects to accommodate the third language from Class 1 onwards.
As per the circular, the changes are aimed at aligning the total annual instructional hours with the National Curriculum Framework's (NCF's) requirement of 990 academic hours. However, to allot teaching hours for the third language, the SCERT has reduced teaching time for subjects like art education, physical training, and work experience, now renamed as 'work education'. As per the NCF, the third language is also supposed to be taught only from Class 5.
The revised timetable has drawn criticism from educationists and school principals, who said that the changes could compromise students' overall learning experience, especially in areas meant to foster creativity and physical development.
According to the revised plan, the number of teaching hours for core subjects like the first and second languages and mathematics remains largely in line with NCF recommendations, which are in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020. However, art education, which the NCF suggests should be taught for 144 hours annually, has now been allotted just 81.67 hours under the new SCERT schedule.
The SCERT has also, for the first time, provided a sample timetable to help schools plan their academic day. While the sample timetable itself is not mandatory, the subject-wise allocation of teaching hours must be followed. Unlike the NCF's recommendation of 45- to 50-minute periods, the Maharashtra government has opted for shorter 35-minute sessions. However, two consecutive periods may be combined to provide extended time for certain subjects.
The SCERT circular clarified that the revised daily schedule, as per the GR dated June 17, will apply to state board schools of all language mediums for class 1 this academic year and then class 2 from next year.
Mahendra Ganpule, former spokesperson of the State Principals Association, questioned the logic behind introducing a third language from Class 1. 'Without any clear rationale, the government has introduced a third language from the very beginning of schooling. And now, they've issued a timetable that cuts into the time meant for other important subjects. The NCF doesn't even mandate instructional hours for the third language at the foundational level. Then why is the government insisting on pushing it?' he said.
The state's June 17 GR had earlier drawn flak for making Hindi the default third language unless at least 20 students in a class opt for an alternative. Education experts and opposition leaders said it was in effect a backdoor entry of the state's earlier proposal to make Hindi a compulsory language in state board schools.

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