MADURAI: Principal Secretary to the School Education Department cancelled the order approving the new scheme of studies for higher education and ordered schools across the State to continue following the present system.
Taking cognizance of a news article - "Will the new scheme of studies for higher education provides opportunities to the students?" - that appeared in TNIE edition on July 1, Principal Secretary to School Education Department Dheeraj Kumar passed the order on Monday. He said, "Based on the opposition and recommendations of teachers, parents, and educationists among others, the new scheme has been cancelled. The existing scheme of selecting four main subjects will continue."
The principal secretary said that Directorate of Government Examination passed an order in September 2019 about the new scheme of studies for the academic year 2020-21. According to this scheme, language and English subjects are compulsory and the Class XI students have to select three core subjects from any one group while combining three main subjects from science, arts or vocational streams. The total number of compulsory subjects is five and the total marks are 500. The students can choose one more core subject. However, they should pass in all the subjects to get the promotion. As per the government's order, the main aim of the scheme was to reduce the burden on the students and help them focus on their favourite subjects, he said.
However, according to the stakeholders, it would limit the students' opportunities. Also, the present system helps the students to choose the stream once they pass class XII, he pointed out. Thus, there would be no change and the present scheme would be followed from here on, he added.