Oppn parties protest move to introduce CBSE syllabus in Pondy

CHENNAI: Opposition parties in Puducherry, including DMK and Congress, have come out in protest against the government's move to introduce CBSE pattern syllabus in government schools of the territory.

Puducherry Education Minister A. Namassivayam has recently submitted a petition to the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking the Union government's approval for the new education pattern in the territory.

The main resentment is that Hindi will be made mandatory and there won't be any option to study under the state board. Opposition leaders pointed out that this would lead to the implementation of the National Education Policy.

DMK leader and leader of opposition in the Territorial assembly, R. Siva told IANS that there was something fishy in the move and that the education minister did not even discuss the matter in the territorial assembly. He also said that the previous Congress- DMK government had even passed a resolution in the assembly against the implementation of the NEP.

The DMK leader said that CBSE syllabus would need teachers qualified under the Central Teachers Eligibility test and recruitment will be of teachers from other states.

However, A. Namassivayam told IANS that the government plans to introduce the CBSE syllabus in all schools upto Class 9th and that this would help the students crack competitive exams like NEET and JEE. He also said that the NEP syllabus would help the students be ready for the 21st century.

Puduchery is not having a syllabus of its own with Karaikkal and Puducherry following the Tamil Nadu board, Mahe area following the Kerala board and the Yanam territory following the Andhra Pradesh board and the implementation of the CBSE pattern would help to bring about a uniform education pattern in the territory.

Member of Parliament and Congress leader V. Vaithalingam opposed the move of the UT government. He said that with the emphasis on CBSE, there would be complete neglect of Tamil language and asked whether Mathematics and Science would be taught in Tamil.

K. Arogyasamy, social activist and retired school principal from Puducherry told IANS, "The government should bring up an open discussion across the territory and then bring this in the assembly and then only introduce CBSE pattern if required".