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Subject: Indian Society

  • Replacement Level Fertility achieved in India

    India has achieved replacement level fertility, with 31 States and UTs reaching a Total Fertility Rate (an average number of children per woman) of 2.1 or less, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare has informed Parliament.

    What is Replacement Level Fertility?

    • Replacement level fertility is the level of fertility at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next.
    • In simpler terms, it denotes the fertility number required to maintain the same population number of a country over a given period of time.
    • In developed countries, replacement level fertility can be taken as requiring an average of 2.1 children per woman.
    • In countries with high infant and child mortality rates, however, the average number of births may need to be much higher.
    • RLF will lead to zero population growth only if mortality rates remain constant and migration has no effect.

    Benefits of achieving RLF

    • RLF helps ensure greater food security.
    • The reduced demand for food would in turn lessen agri- culture’s impact on the environment.
    • It would also likely lead to economic benefits through a “demographic dividend.”
    • Finally, achieving replacement level fertility would yield significant social benefits―especially for women.

    How did India achieve this?

    • Between 2012 and 2020, the country added more than 1.5 crore additional users for modern contraceptives, thereby increasing their use substantially.
    • India has witnessed a paradigm shift from the concept of population control to population stabilisation to interventions being embedded toward ensuring harmony of continuum care.

    Way forward

    • Although India has achieved replacement level fertility, there is still a significant population in the reproductive age group that must remain at the centre of our intervention efforts.
    • India’s focus has traditionally been on the supply side, the providers and delivery systems but now it’s time to focus on the demand side which includes family, community and society.
    • Significant change is possible with this focus, instead of an incremental change.

     

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  • Draft disability policy

    Context

    The Department of Empowerment of Person with Disabilities (DoEPwD) recently released the draft of the national policy for persons with disabilities.

    Why new policy?

    • Signing of UN convention: The necessity for a new policy which replaces the 2006 policy was felt because of multiple factors such as India’s signing of the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
    • Increased number of disabilities: Enactment of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, which increased the number of disabilities from seven conditions to 21 necessitated the change.
    • Incheon Strategy: Being a party to the Incheon Strategy for Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 (“Incheon commitment”).
    • Changed discourse from medical model to human right: These commitments have changed the discourse around disability by shifting the focus from the individual to society, i.e., from a medical model of disability to a social or human rights model of disability.
    • The principle of the draft policy is to showcase the Government’s commitment to the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities by providing a mechanism that ensures their full participation in society.

    Absence of commitment to political uplift

    • Article 29 of the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities mandates that state parties should “ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives….”
    • The Incheon goals also promote participation in political processes and in decision making.
    • The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 embodies these principles within its fold.
    • India does not have any policy commitment that is aimed at enhancing the political participation of disabled people.
    • The exclusion of disabled people from the political space happens at all levels of the political process in the country, and in different ways.
    • Section 11 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act prescribes that “The Election Commission of India and the State Election Commissions shall ensure that all polling stations are accessible to persons with disabilities and all materials related to the electoral process are easily understandable by and accessible to them”.
    • Although this mandate has been in existence for a few years, the disabled people still report accessibility issues before and on election day. 
    • There is often a lack of accessible polling booths in many locations.
    • Lack of aggregate data: The lack of live aggregate data on the exact number of the disabled people in every constituency only furthers their marginalisation.

    Lack of representation

    • Representation plays an imperative role in furthering the interests of the marginalised community.
    • Disabled people are not represented enough at all three levels of governance.
    • However, few States have begun the initiative at local levels to increase participation.
    • For instance, Chhattisgarh started the initiative of nominating at least one disabled person in each panchayat.
    • If a disabled person is not elected then they are nominated as a panchayat member as per changes in the law concerned.
    • This is a step that has increased the participation of the disabled in the political space at local level.
    • The goal of the policy document — of inclusiveness and empowerment — cannot be achieved without political inclusion.

    Suggestions: Follow four pronged approach

    • The policy can follow a four-pronged approach:
    • 1] Capacity building: Building the capacity of disabled people’s organisations and ‘empowering their members through training in the electoral system, government structure, and basic organisational and advocacy skills’;
    • 2] Legal and regulatory framework: The creation, amendment or removal of legal and regulatory frameworks by lawmakers and election bodies to encourage the political participation of the disabled;
    • 3] Participation of civil society: Inclusion of civil societies to ‘conduct domestic election observation or voter education campaigns’;
    • 4] Framework for outreach by political parties: A framework for political parties to ‘conduct a meaningful outreach to persons with disabilities when creating election campaign strategies and developing policy positions’.

    Conclusion

    The document lays emphasis on the point that central and State governments must work together with other stakeholders to “make the right real”. This right can be made real only when it includes political rights/political participation within it.

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  • India ranks 135 out of 146 in Gender Gap Index

    India ranks 135 among a total of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, 2022, released by the World Economic Forum.

    What is Global Gender Gap Index?

    • The report is annually published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
    • It benchmarks gender parity across four key dimensions or sub-indices — economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
    • It measures scores on a 0-to-100 scale, which can be interpreted as the distance covered towards parity or the percentage of the gender gap that has been closed.
    • The report aims to serve “as a compass to track progress on relative gaps between women and men on health, education, economy and politics”.
    • According to the WEF it is the longest-standing index, which tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.

    How has India fared on different sub-indices?

    Here’s how it stands on different sub-indices:

    (1) Political Empowerment

    • This includes metrics such as the percentage of women in Parliament, the percentage of women in ministerial positions etc.
    • Of all the sub-indices, this is where India ranks the highest (48th out of 146).
    • However, notwithstanding its rank, its score is quite low at 0.267.
    • Some of the best-ranking countries in this category score much better.
    • For instance, Iceland is ranked 1 with a score of 0.874 and Bangladesh is ranked 9 with a score of 0.546.
    • Moreover, India’s score on this metric has worsened since last year – from 0.276 to 0.267.
    • The silver lining is that despite the reduction, India’s score is above the global average in this category.

    (2) Economic Participation and Opportunity

    • This includes metrics such as the percentage of women who are part of the labour force, wage equality for similar work, earned income etc.
    • Here, too, India ranks a lowly 143 out of the 146 countries in contention even though its score has improved over 2021 from 0.326 to 0.350.
    • Last year, India was pegged at 151 out of the 156 countries ranked.
    • India’s score is much lower than the global average, and only Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan are behind India on this metric.

    (3) Educational Attainment

    • This sub-index includes metrics such as literacy rate and the enrolment rates in primary, secondary and tertiary education.
    • Here India ranks 107th out of 146, and its score has marginally worsened since last year.
    • In 2021, India was ranked 114 out of 156.

    (4) Health and Survival

    • This includes two metrics: the sex ratio at birth (in %) and healthy life expectancy (in years).
    • In this metric, India is ranked last (146) among all the countries.
    • Its score hasn’t changed from 2021 when it was ranked 155th out of 156 countries.
    • The country is the worst performer in the world in the “health and survival” sub-index in which it is ranked 146.

    Where does India stand amongst its neighbour?

    • India ranks poorly among its neighbours and is behind Bangladesh (71), Nepal (96), Sri Lanka (110), Maldives (117) and Bhutan (126).
    • Only the performance of Iran (143), Pakistan (145) and Afghanistan (146) was worse than India in South Asia.
    • In 2021, India ranked 140 out of 156 nations.

     

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  • Centre releases guidelines for Mission Vatsalya

    In order to access Central funds and benefits under Mission Vatsalya (an umbrella scheme for child protection services in the country), the centre has issued certain guidelines.

    What is Mission Vatsalya?

    • Mission Vatsalya promotes family-based non-institutional care of children in difficult circumstances based on the principle of institutionalization of children as a measure of last resort.
    • It is one of the new triad of schemes along with Mission Shakti, and Poshan 2.0, that aims at securing a healthy and happy childhood for every child.

    Components under the mission include:

    1. Improve the functioning of statutory bodies;
    2. Strengthen service delivery structures;
    3. Upscale institutional care/services;
    4. Encourage non-institutional community-based care;
    5. Emergency outreach services;
    6. Training and capacity building.

    Implementation

    • It will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in partnership with state governments and UT administrations, with a fund-sharing pattern in a 60:40 ratio.
    • However, for the eight states in the Northeast — as well as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the UT of J&K — the Centre and state/UT’s share will be 90:10.
    • The Centre will cover the whole cost in UTs without a legislature.

    What are the new guidelines?

    (1) Official changes

    • States will have to retain the official name, as given by the Centre. Only a correct translation to local language is permissible.
    • The centre detailed the process by which funds will be disbursed to states under various heads by defining institutionalised arrangements.
    • Funds to states will be approved through the Mission Vatsalya Project Approval Board (PAB), which will be chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of WCD.
    • The Secretary will scrutinise and approve annual plans and financial proposals received from states and UTs for release of grants.

    (2) Special arrangements

    • States/UTs have also been directed to focus on special needs children with physical or mental disabilities.
    • Institutions now have to provide special educators, therapists and nurses to impart occupational therapy, speech therapy, verbal therapy and other remedial classes.
    • The staff in these special units will have to know sign language, Braille, etc, according to the new guidelines.

    (3) Newly shouldered tasks

    • The guidelines state that Mission Vatsalya will support State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARA), which will support the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
    • This move aims at promoting in-country adoption and regulating inter-country adoption.
    • Mission Vatsalya, in partnership with states and districts, will execute a 24×7 helpline service for children, as defined under JJ Act, 2015.

    Name change saga: Child Protection Services Scheme

    • Before 2009, three schemes were being implemented under the WCD Ministry for children in need of protection:
    1. Programme for juvenile justice for children in need of care and protection, and children in conflict with law;
    2. Integrated programme for street children and
    3. Scheme for assistance to homes for children
    • These were clubbed in 2010 into a single scheme called the Integrated Child Protection Scheme.
    • It was then renamed “Child Protection Services” Scheme in 2017, and again as Mission Vatsalya in 2021-22.

  • Who are the Pasmanda?

    In a political conclave in Hyderabad, PM made a special mention for the Pasmanda muslim community and their social upliftment.

    Who are the Pasmanda Muslims?

    • The word Pasmanda is derived from the Persian language meaning ‘left behind’.
    • The Pasmanda community comprise of Dalits and Backward Muslims who are fighting a different social battle inside the society.
    • This community has its stronghold in Uttar Pradesh where the Pasmandas account for around 75% of the total Muslim population.
    • In fact, 85% of the total population of Muslims in the country is known as Pasmanda.
    • It is believed that the so-called untouchable Hindu converts are categorised as Pasmanda.

    A caste system in minorities

    • The caste system is applicable to Asian Muslims in the same way as it is applicable in the Indian society.
    • Among the South Asian Muslims including those living in India, 15% are considered upper class or upper caste, called Ashraf.
    • The remaining 85% Muslims known as Arzal and Ajlaf are considered to be Dalit and backward. Arzal means degraded.

    Why political parties are focusing on them?

    • If reports are to be believed then the creamy section of the Muslim society looks down upon them.
    • They are backward and oppressed economically, socially and educationally. This oppressed section among Muslims is called Pasmanda in India.

    A social movement in making

    • Actually the Pasmanda movement in India is 100 years old. A Muslim Pasmanda movement had emerged in the second decade of the last century.
    • After this, in the 90s in India, two big organisations were formed in favour of the Pasmanda Muslims.
    • This was the All India United Muslim Front, whose leader was Ejaz Ali.
    • Apart from this, Ali Anwar of Patna founded an organisation named All India Pasmanda Muslim Merej.
    • However, both are termed as non-Islamic by Muslim religious leaders.
    • All the small organisations of Pasmanda Muslims are mostly found in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

     

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  • Tribes in news: Santhal Tribe

    The Santhal community is in the spotlight after a political alliance nominated one of its leaders for the Presidential election, Droupadi Murmu, for the election to the highest Constitutional post of India.

    Santhal Tribe

    • Santhal, also spelt as Santal, literally means a calm, peaceful man. Santha means calm, and ala means man in the Santhali (also spelt as Santali) language.
    • Santhals are the third largest Scheduled Tribe community in India after Gonds and Bhils.
    • The Santhali population is mostly distributed in Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.

    Historical background

    • The Santhals were a nomadic stock before they chose to settle in the Chotanagpur plateau.
    • By the end of the 18th century, they had concentrated in the Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand (earlier Bihar).
    • From there, they migrated to Odisha and West Bengal.

    Demographic details

    • Tribal communities, outside the Northeast, generally have lower levels of literacy.
    • But the Santhals have higher – a result of a pro-school education awareness since at least the 1960s – literacy rate compared to other tribes in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
    • Many of the community have entered the creamy layer of Indian society.
    • For example, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren is a Santhal.
    • The incumbent Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAGI) Girsh Chandra Murmu, who was the first Lt Governor of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, is also a Santhal.

    Cultural features of Santhals

    (1) Religion

    • Despite their social upliftment, the Santhals are usually connected to their roots.
    • They are nature worshippers and could be seen paying obeisance at Jaher (sacred groves) in their villages.
    • River Damodar holds a special place in the religious life cycle of a Santhal.
    • When a Santhal dies, his or her ashes and bones are immersed in the Damodar for a peaceful afterlife.
    • Their traditional dress includes dhoti and gamuchha for men and a short-check saree, usually blue and green, for women, who generally put on tattoos.

     (2) Society

    • Various forms of marriage are accepted in the Santhal society – including elopement, widow remarriage, levirate, forced (rare) and the one in which a man is made to marry the woman he has impregnated.
    • Divorce is not a taboo in the Santhal society. Either of the couple could divorce the other.

    (3) Artforms

    • Santhals are fond of their folk song and dance that they perform at all community events and celebrations.
    • They play musical instruments like kamak, dhol, sarangi and flutes.
    • Most Santhals are agriculturists, depending on their farmlands or forests.
    • Their homes, called Olah, have a particular three-colour pattern on the outer walls.
    • The bottom portion is painted with black soil, the middle with white and the upper with red.

    (4) Language

    • Their tribal language is called Santhali, which is written in a script called Ol chiki, developed by Santhal scholar Pandit Raghunath Murmu.
    • Santhali language belongs to the Munda group.
    • Santhali written in OI-Chiki script is recognised as one of the scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

    Back2Basics: Santhal Rebellion

    • The Santhal rebellion also known as Santhal Hool was a revolt by the Santhal in present-day Jharkhand, India, against the British East India Company and the Zamindari System.
    • It began on June 30, 1855, and the East India Company declared martial law on November 10, 1855, which lasted until January 3, 1856, when martial law was lifted.
    • The insurrection was put down by the Presidency soldiers.
    • The four Murmu Brothers – Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand, and Bhairav – spearheaded the revolt.

     

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  • Judicial Validity of the Talaq-e-Hasan mode of Divorce

    A public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to invalidate Talaq-e-Hasan, the prescribed Islamic way of divorce, has been filed in the Supreme Court.

    What is the PIL about?

    • The petition seeks to make the prescribed Islamic way of divorce Talaq-e-Hasan unconstitutional as it is violative of Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 of the Constitution.
    • The petitioner has been unilaterally divorced through the Talaq-e-Hasan mode by her husband.
    • She also prayed that Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 that permits Muslims to practise unilateral divorce be declared void.

    Basis of the PIL

    • The hearing comes almost five years after the five judge Bench headed by then CJI J.S. Khehar invalidated instant triple talaq in their verdict in the Shayara Bano vs the Union of India Case.
    • The invalidation of instant triple talaq where the court held, “What is bad in theology is bad in law as well”, led to the enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act 2019.

    What is Triple Talaq?

    • In instant triple talaq a man pronounces multiple divorce in one go.
    • It has no scope for reconciliation between the feuding couple, and often ends a marriage instantly.
    • It is, as the judges held, not mentioned anywhere in the Quran which prescribes a code of divorce largely through Surah Baqarah, verses 226 to 237 and the opening six verses of Surah Talaq.
    • Incidentally, triple talaq in this manner has been banned in many Muslim countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Malaysia etc.

    How is Talaq-e-Hasan different from instant triple talaq?

    • Unlike instant triple talaq, Talaq-e-Hasan is pronounced with a gap of at least one month or one menstrual cycle.
    • Only a single revocable divorce takes place through the first pronouncement of Talaq-e-Hasan.
    • The husband and wife are supposed to live together after this pronouncement and have the option of rapprochement.
    • If the couple is not able to mend fences in the intervening period and the husband does not annul divorce through word or by establishing intimacy, the talaq stays valid.
    • At the end of this month, the husband has to pronounce divorce for the second time.
    • Likewise for the third time. After the second pronouncement too, the divorce is revocable, and the couple may resume their conjugal relationship anytime they so desire.
    • If, however, the third pronouncement is made after at least one menstrual cycle, then irrevocable divorce takes place.

    Why such hue over menstrual cycle?

    • Significantly, no divorce can be administered when the woman is undergoing her menstrual cycle.
    • Even in the case of pregnancy, no divorce takes place.
    • And if such a pronouncement is made, it remains in abeyance till the end of pregnancy.

    Are there other options of divorce apart from the Talaq-e-Hasan?

    • The third option of divorce besides Talaq-e-Hasan and the now repudiated instant triple talaq, is Talaq-e-Ahsan.
    • Under this form, a single pronouncement is made.
    • Following the pronouncement, a woman has to go through iddat or a waiting period of three months.
    • During this period the divorce can be cancelled.
    • However, failure to annul divorce during this period results in it being finalised after which a woman is independent, and free to marry another man or stay single, as she may choose.
    • Both Talaq-e-Hasan and Talaq-e-Ahsan enjoy legal validity in almost all Muslim countries.
    • Interestingly, women too have a right to end an unsuccessful marriage through Khula.

    Legal status of Khula in India

    • In April 2021, the Kerala High Court held this form of divorce valid.
    • The court overruled a 49-year-old verdict in K.C. Moyin vs Nafeesa and Others (1972) that barred Muslim women from dissolving their marriage through non-judicial modes.
    • There is some debate among religious scholars on the ways of Khula.
    • Some hold that the man’s consent is necessary in Khula while most say that he enjoys no such privilege.

     

     

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  • IPC Sec 295A: Dealing with Hate Speech and Blasphemy

    The debate surrounding the comments by some political spokespersons has put the spotlight on the IPC Sec 295A which deals with criticism of or insult to religion.

    What is the news?

    • India does not have a formal legal framework for dealing with hate speech.
    • However, a cluster of provisions, loosely termed hate speech laws, are invoked.
    • There are primarily some laws to deal with offences against religions.

    What is Section 295A?

    • Section 295A, define the contours of free speech and its limitations with respect to offences relating to religion.
    • It prescribes punishment for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
    • It calls for imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both.
    • It has been invoked on a wide range of issues from penalising political satire and seeking bans on or withdrawal of books to even political critique on social media.

    Chapters to penalise religious offences

    Section 295A is one of the key provisions in the IPC chapter to penalise religious offences. The same chapter includes offences to penalise:

    1. Damage or defilement of a place of worship with intent to insult the religion (Section 295)
    2. Trespassing in a place of sepulture (burial) (Section 297)
    3. Uttering, words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person (Section 298) and
    4. Disturbing a religious assembly (Section 296)

    Origins of the law

    • Colonial origins of the hate speech provisions are often criticised for the assumption that Indians were susceptible to religious excitement.
    • Section 295A was brought in 1927.
    • The antecedents of Section 295A lie in the communally charged atmosphere of North India in the 1920s.
    • The amendment was a fallout of an acquittal under Section 153A of the IPC by the Lahore High Court in 1927 in Rajpaul v Emperor, popularly known as the Rangila Rasool case.

    Frequency of use

    • The state often invokes Section 295A along with 153A of the IPC, which penalises promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.
    • It acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and Section 505 of the IPC that punishes statements conducing to public mischief.

    What about online hate speech?

    • In cases where such speech is online, Section 66A of the Information Technology Act was invoked.
    • However, in a landmark verdict in 2015, the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A as unconstitutional on the ground that the provision was “vague” and a “violation of free speech”.
    • However, the provision continues to be invoked.

    Issues with such laws

    • The broad, vague terms in the laws are often invoked in its misuse.
    • Lower conviction rates for these provisions indicate that the process — where a police officer can arrest without a warrant — is often the punishment.
    • Critics have pointed out that these laws are intended for the state to step in and restore “public order” rather than protect free speech.

     

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  • Nanhi Pari Programme

    The ‘Nanhi Pari’ programme was recently launched by the Northwest Delhi district administration.

    Nanhi Pari Programme

    • Nanhi Pari programme aims to provide a one-stop solution to parents, eliminating their need to visit various offices to obtain documents.
    • Under the programme, essential services such as the provision of a birth certificate, Aadhaar card registration and opening a bank account for girls are completed and delivered in government hospitals in the district before the mother and baby are discharged.
    • The programme will help in getting registration of baby girls and mothers under various schemes such as the Sukanya Samriddhi Account scheme, the Ladli scheme and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana at the hospital itself.

    Significance of the Programme

    • The programme makes the processes for schemes as simple as possible for all children and mothers.
    • Parents would not have to go from here to there, trying to avail themselves of the essential schemes.
    • Apart from ensuring that schemes reach target beneficiaries and protecting the interests of girl children, the programme also aims to promote institutional deliveries.

     

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  • What are PM Shri Schools?

    Union Education Ministry is planning to set up “PM Shri Schools”.

    PM Shri Schools

    • PM Shri Schools will be the laboratory of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
    • They will be fully equipped to prepare students for the future.

    Likely features of these schools

    • It could imbibe 5+3+3+4 (to replace the 10+2 schooling system) approach of NEP covering pre-school to secondary, emphasis on ECCE, teacher training & adult education.
    • There will be an integration of skill development with school education and prioritising learning in mother tongue which are steps for preparing global citizens of the 21st century.
    • Since the NEP 2020 also increases the span of the Right to Education Act, it will now cover ages 3 to 18.

    Explained: 5+3+3+4 Schooling System

    • As per the new school education system of 5+3+3+4 outlined in NEP 2020, children will spend 5 years in the Foundational stage, 3 years in the Preparatory stage, 3 years in the Middle stage, and 4 years in the Secondary stage.
    • The division of stages has been made in line with the kind of cognitive development stages that a child goes through early childhood, school years, and secondary stage.
    • Here is the age-wise breakdown of the different levels of the new school education system:

    (1) 5 years of Foundational stage:

    For ages: 3 to 8, For classes: Anganwadi/pre-school, class 1, class 2

    • The foundational stage of education as per the national education policy will comprise 3 years or preschool or anganwadi education followed by two years of primary classes (classes 1 and 2).
    • This stage will focus on teaching in play-based or activity-based methods and on the development of language skills.

    (2) 3 years of Preparatory stage:

    For ages: 8 to 11, For classes: 3 to 5

    • The focus in the preparatory stage will remain on language development and numeracy skills.
    • Here, the method of teaching and learning would be play and activity-based, and also include classroom interactions and the element of discovery.

    (3) 3 years of Middle stage:

    For ages: 11 to 14, For classes: 6 to 8

    • As per NEP 2020, this stage of school education will focus on critical learning objectives, which is a big shift from the rote learning methods used in our education system for years.
    • This stage will work on experiential learning in the sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences and humanities.

    (4) 4 years of Secondary stage:

    For ages: 14 to 18, For classes: 9 to 12

    • This stage will cover two phases classes 9 and 10, and classes 11 and 12.
    • The main change in these classes is the shift to a multidisciplinary system where students will have access to a variety of subject combinations that they can choose as per their skills and interest areas instead of being strictly divided into Arts, Science and Commerce categories.
    • This stage will again push for greater critical thinking and flexibility in the thought process.

     

     

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