The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education is developed based on the concept and idea of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and to enable its implementation.
The NCF addresses education for the 3 to 18 age group across the entire range of diverse educational institutions in India. This is across the four essential learning stages in the 5+3+3+4 curricular restructuring of school education as envisioned in the NEP 2020.
What is the National Curriculum Framework?
National Curriculum Framework has been propagated since 1975 in many versions. The new one is in sync with the NEP 2020 policy guidelines and aims at an overall raise in the education category. The concept of Framework offers a transparent look into achieving educational objectives and goals that give the best knowledge to students.
The curriculum incorporates the instructor and their innovative capabilities, the involvement of communities and parents, accessible resources, support structures, etc. For your information, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board has also incorporated NCF into the CBSE curriculum.
The framework ensures the placement and positioning of a teaching paradigm shift reliant on teacher, student and learning environment development rooted in tradition and culture. NCF has four sections:
National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) - NCFSE covers the standardised set of syllabus, textbooks and teaching practices guidelines.
National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCFECCE) - NCFECCE is a type of process-oriented curriculum that builds a learner's career from the foundational stage.
National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) – The framework acts as a guiding light for the educators and their training roles in education, distinct empowerment and imparting value.
National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education (NCFAE)** - NCFAE acts as a milestone in creating necessary value for education under age-appropriate strategies.
The framework focuses on the 'panchakosha' idea or concept- the early Indian emphasis on the body-mind connection.
The framework says its 5 essential parts are the development of life energy (pranik vikas), physical development (sharirik vikas), intellectual development (bauddhik vikas), spiritual development (chaitsik vikas) and emotional and mental development (manasik vikas).
The framework is a significant step taken to implement the National Education Policy 2020.
What is the Goal of the National Curriculum Framework?
National Curriculum Framework is implemented and developed in sync with the new policy. These plans have existed and have been in revision for the years 1975, 1988, 2000, and 2005. The new framework is designed, maintained and planned in check with numerous domain-based features. These could be in the social, political, environmental, technological and economic domains. Below are the goals of NCF –
Promote a culture of lifelong studying for greater access to an ever-changing employment market.
Develop the student's skills and knowledge to empower them to participate meaningfully in an information-driven economy.
Promote social justice by providing opportunities for every student according to their needs, interests and potential.
Foster national unity by promoting the person's understanding of and respect for multicultural heritage.
Promote an all-round development of the individual – intellectual, physical, emotional and social – leading to an active, balanced, productive and healthy lifestyle.
Develop learning and creative thinking skills required for the future.
Promote in the student an appreciation of their place in an interdependent global context.
Foster understanding and appreciation of the physical, technological and biological world to enable the student to make informed decisions about the environment and the changing requirements of societies and individuals.
Conclusion
National Curriculum Framework is a result-oriented method that gives sufficient value to the personal and professional improvement of teachers' and students' skills and knowledge. In short, the NCF is a major policy document that will bring the spirit of the National Education Policy alive and lead the educational sector toward transforming India's future.