AGARTALA, Dec 21? In an attempt to enable the students of the state to compete in national level, Tripura government has decided to introduce a new education policy online with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The new education policy, announced by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar after the cabinet approval on December 18 last, would come into force from 2005 at primary, secondary and higher secondary levels. The new education policy came in the wake of the recommendations made by first Education Commission headed by Prof Basudeb Burman, former Vice Chancellor of Kalyani University. The policy would comply with all the 75 recommendations, the Chief Minister said on Friday in the civil secretariat.
?From the 2005 academic calendar the state schools will follow the CBSE pattern which will help students of the state compete nationwide?, he said. Under the new education curricula in Primary, Secondary and Higher secondary level, students? academic burden will be lessened with the introduction of the weightage system of 40 per cent marks from the unit tests, 30 per cent marks each from the half yearly and annual examinations.
?Physical education in schools have been made compulsory, Kok Borok teaching extended up to Higher Secondary level and Vocational teaching at Higher Secondary level are the other recommendations accepted by the government?, he said. The Chief Minister announced that under the new education package, West Bengal, CBSE and the existing TBSE curricula would be given due consideration for the new curriculum. Besides, new subjects like Sociology, Geography, Psychology, Statistics, Anthropology, Environment Science in university and Information Technology in Engineering College will be introduced in due course of time.? To provide more academic days, minimum teaching days for schools, colleges and university have been proposed at 248,230 and 210 days, respectively.
Other important decisions recommended and approved by the government include ban on private tuition, hike in education fee, Agartala campus for Regional College of Physical Education, evaluation of teachers. However, the Chief Minister reserved his announcement on the hike of academic fees saying a committee had been set upto look into it. On the other hand, an expert committee shall be constituted to examine the recommendations on vocational education.