The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a new circular providing updated guidelines regarding the use of NCERT textbooks in schools, as per the current affiliation Bye-Laws 2018. These guidelines emphasise the importance of using NCERT/SCERT textbooks and taking extreme care in selecting any supplementary materials to ensure that they do not contain objectionable content.
Current Guidelines:
As per the existing Bye-Laws, schools may prescribe NCERT textbooks in subjects where they are available. If schools choose to use books from private publishers, they must ensure that these books do not contain any content that could offend any class, community, gender, or religious group.
Additionally, schools are required to publish a list of prescribed books on their website. This list must be accompanied by a written declaration signed by both the Manager and the Principal, confirming that they have reviewed the contents of the books and accept full responsibility for them. Should any objectionable content be found in these books, the school will be held accountable, and the Board will take appropriate action.
Proposed Amendments:
Under the proposed amendments, the guidelines are differentiated based on the grade levels:
Classes 1 to 8:
Schools are strongly advised to follow NCERT/SCERT textbooks. While supplementary materials may be used to meet specific needs, these must align with the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) and National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE). The supplementary materials should be comprehensive, including core content along with discussion, analysis, examples, and applications.
Classes 9 to 12:
For higher classes, the use of NCERT textbooks is mandatory as per the CBSE curriculum. In cases where NCERT/SCERT books are unavailable, CBSE books available on the Board's website must be used. Schools may supplement these textbooks with additional materials as needed, and digital content may also be incorporated to enhance learning. However, any supplementary materials or digital content must be carefully vetted to ensure they align with the NCF-SE and do not include any objectionable content that could offend any community, gender, or religious group.