NCERT drops periodic table chapter from Class 10 science textbook in ‘rationalisation’ exercise

The significance of the Periodic Table in chemistry cannot be overstated, as it serves as a fundamental framework for understanding the composition of the world. According to American chemist Glenn T Seaborg, an understanding of the Periodic Table is crucial for unravelling the intricacies of chemistry and comprehending how the world is constructed from its elemental building blocks.

Interestingly, the chapter titled ‘Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties’ in NCERT’s Class 11 Chemistry textbook begins with Seaborg’s words. However, in an exercise of “rationalisation,” a complete chapter introducing students to this topic has been removed from NCERT’s Class 10 Science textbook. Meanwhile, the chapter on the same topic remains intact in the syllabus for Class 11.

The NCERT made the decision to remove certain content from the Class 10 textbooks in June 2022, citing the need to reduce the academic burden on students during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the sections that was deleted was related to the topic of ‘Classification in Elements and Periodicity in Properties’. Additionally, passages on ‘Evolution’ were also among the deletions made in the class 10 Science textbook. The revised textbooks, reflecting these changes and deletions, have now been released and are available in the market.

The concept of ‘Evolution’, including the Darwinian theory of natural selection, continues to be included in the school curriculum through the NCERT’s Class 12 Biology textbook, which features a comprehensive chapter on the subject. However, certain topics have been removed from the Science textbooks. For example, chapters on ‘Fibre and Fabrics’ have been omitted from the textbooks for Classes 6, 7, and 8. In the Class 6 chapter on the topic, there was a reference to Mahatma Gandhi in relation to the charkha (spinning wheel). It mentioned that Gandhi popularised the use of the charkha during the Independence movement, encouraging people to wear clothes made of homespun yarn and avoid imported cloth manufactured in British mills.

One notable deletion is the removal of the chapter “Why do we fall ill” from the Class 9 Science textbook. Interestingly, this chapter discusses viruses and airborne diseases, including Covid-19. It is ironic that the rationalisation exercise conducted by the NCERT resulted in the removal of a chapter that specifically addresses the topic related to the reasons behind illnesses and includes relevant information about viral infections.

The updated chapter, which was removed from the textbook, included a paragraph that highlighted the transmission of disease-causing microbes through the air. It explained that when an infected person sneezes or coughs, small droplets containing the microbes are expelled into the air. If someone nearby breathes in these droplets, they may become infected. The paragraph specifically mentioned common illnesses such as the common cold, Covid-19, pneumonia, and tuberculosis as examples of diseases that can be transmitted through the air.

However, the entire chapter was removed from the textbook as part of the effort to reduce the content load on students due to the disruptions in learning caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to its internal experts, the NCERT collaborated with 25 external experts from institutions such as Delhi University, ICHR, Kendriya Vidyalayas, and private schools to conduct the rationalisation process.

The NCERT mentioned several reasons for the deletions, including content that was deemed “overlapping,” “not relevant or outdated in the present context,” “difficult,” and information that is “easily accessible to children and can be learned through self-learning or peer-learning.” These factors contributed to the decision to remove certain content from the textbooks.