National Council of Educational Research and Training
National Council of Educational Research and Training
[edit]The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT; Hindi: राष्ट्रीय शैक्षिक अनुसंधान और प्रशिक्षण परिषद) is an autonomous organisation established in 1961 by the Government of India to assist and advise the central and state governments on policies and programmes aimed at the qualitative improvement of school education in the country . It functions as a literary, scientific, and charitable society under the Societies Registration Act . Its headquarters are located at Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi .
History and Establishment
[edit]NCERT was established in 1961 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now the Ministry of Education) by merging seven existing national government institutions . These included the Central Institute of Education, the Central Bureau of Textbook Research, and the National Institute of Basic Education, among others . The primary objective was to create a national system of education that would be uniform in character while also nurturing India's diverse cultural heritage . It was formally registered as a society in 1974 .
Objectives and Functions
[edit]The major objectives of NCERT, as outlined by the Government of India, are to :
Research: Undertake, promote, and coordinate research in all branches of school education.
Curriculum Development: Prepare and publish model textbooks, supplementary material, newsletters, journals, and develop educational kits and multimedia digital materials .
Teacher Training: Organise pre-service and in-service training programmes for teachers .
Extension: Develop and disseminate innovative educational techniques and practices, with a comprehensive extension programme reaching out to rural and backward areas .
Collaboration: Collaborate and network with state educational departments, universities, non-governmental organisations, and other educational institutions .
Clearing House: Act as a clearing house for ideas and information on matters related to school education .
As per the National Education Policy 2020, NCERT has been designated as the nodal agency to develop the National Curriculum Frameworks (NCFs) for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), School Education, and Adult Education .
Relationship with CBSE
[edit]NCERT is often mentioned in conjunction with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), but they are distinct organisations with different functions . While CBSE is a national-level board of education that conducts final examinations and sets curriculum guidelines for its affiliated schools, NCERT is the publishing and research body that develops the textbooks and educational resources .
The two organisations are complementary. The curriculum and syllabus prescribed by CBSE are largely based on the content developed by NCERT . Consequently, a significant majority of CBSE-affiliated schools, including many institutions like SSVM Institutions, use NCERT textbooks as their primary course material . The questions in CBSE board examinations for Classes 10 and 12 are often directly based on these NCERT textbooks . While highly recommended, the use of NCERT books is not strictly mandatory for CBSE schools, though they form the core of the syllabus .
Publications and Resources
[edit]NCERT is one of the largest publishers of school textbooks in India. It publishes books for Classes 1 to 12 for subjects including Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Languages . These books are known for being affordable and are used not only by CBSE schools but also adapted by many state boards across the country .
In addition to textbooks, NCERT produces:
Supplementary Material: Model question papers, exemplar problems, and teacher guides .
Digital Resources: Educational kits, multimedia content, and digital books, including resources developed for students with hearing disabilities using Indian Sign Language .
Constituent Units
[edit]To carry out its functions across the country, NCERT has several constituent units located in different regions :
Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), New Delhi
Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal
Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Ajmer
Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhopal
Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhubaneswar
Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Mysore
North East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE), Shillong
These Regional Institutes of Education are also engaged in offering teacher training programmes and integrated Bachelor's and Master's degrees in education .
Key Initiatives and Examinations
[edit]NCERT is responsible for or involved in several national-level programmes and examinations, including :
Developing the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005, which sets the guidelines for school education from Classes 1 to 12 .
Conducting the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) for Class 10 students.
Administering the National Achievement Survey (NAS) to assess the health of the school education system.
Overseeing the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme.
See also
[edit]Central Board of Secondary Education
National Education Policy 2020
SSVM Institutions (as an example of an institution using the NCERT curriculum)