Come 2012, boards will follow common commerce curriculum

After agreeing to a uniform curriculum for maths and science for standards XI and XII across all boards, the Council of Boards of School Education in India (Cobse) on Tuesday handed over to state boards a common curriculum on commerce which the school boards have agreed to adopt from 2012.

The core curriculum on commerce, prepared by the Cobse, was circulated among all boards, including ICSE and state, which agreed to adopt it with the required modifications. Based on this, each board will now prepare its own syllabus.

The Cobse, which is an advisory body to the central government having members from each state and all boards, had earlier prepared a core curriculum in science and mathematics which was accepted by all boards. Human resource development ministry officials said that the common curriculum in these subjects at senior secondary level will pave the way for a common entrance test for colleges and universities.

Meanwhile, HRD minister Kapil Sibal asked school education boards to change their examination patterns and shift the focus from testing rote learning to assessing critical thinking of students.

Accordingly, the Cobse has decided to set up a committee to study the examination patterns followed by different boards and suggest modifications.