Bound to fail: Karnataka's jump from State to CBSE

Updated on: Wednesday, November 30, 2011

MCI’s plans to introduce a national-level common entrance test for MBBS has set off alarm bells in Karnataka. In panic, the government has decided to upgrade pre-university syllabus to CBSE level, while doing nothing about the state syllabus up to SSLC. That's like a fighter pilot trained on sub-sonic aircraft suddenly being forced to fly a supersonic one. The result, as we know, is often disastrous. Shrinivasa M. reports

It will mean hard work and more hard work. Not surprisingly, students and academicians are shocked by the state government’s decision to upgrade the Pre University curriculum to CBSE standards from the next academic year to prepare state board students for all India examinations.

The drastic upgradation in syllabus follows the Medical Council of India's decision to launch the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) - Under Graduate (UG) for admission to the MBBS course.

The Pre- University Board will upgrade the PUC 1 syllabus to CBSE standards from the 2012–13 academic year and the PUC 11 syllabus from 2013–14, before going in for NEET-UG from 2014.

To make things easier for Kannada medium students, the government plans to come out with Kannada translations of the CBSE curriculum and launch an extensive coaching programme to make sure they are on par with their English medium counterparts.

“Its time to bring in changes even in degree courses as besides NEET-UG, the Union government could also hold a single national level entrance test for engineering and science courses,” explains a PU Board officer.

But academicians are far from convinced, pointing out that a majority of students find it difficult to adapt to the sudden change in the syllabus and question paper pattern even under the present system when making the transition from SSLC to PUC.

“I don't know what will happen if state syllabus students are forced to opt for the Central syllabus immediately after SSLC. Both curriculums are very different. It is like forcing a person who has learnt to swim in a lake to jump into sea,” observes Dr. Vatsallyamma, a retired principal.

Many see the move as unscientific because there will be no continuity between what students are taught upto SSLC and the new PU syllabus they will be expected to adapt to.

The solution is a bridge course for the current batch of SSLC students to prepare them for the improved PU curriculum and an immediate change in the mathematics and science syllabus of primary and secondary classes, say academicians.

“The government needs to consult the students before bringing in such major changes in the education system,” they warn.

Bound to fail: Karnataka's jump from State to CBSE

More Education news