City buses to boost Panambur beach tourism

New Delhi, Jul 9: The Central Board of Secondary Education has strongly defended its decision to drop topics like democratic rights, citizenship, federalism, secularism etc in the name of reducing the syllabus for Classes 9 to 12 due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

The board has claimed that the dropped lessons "are either being covered by the rationalised syllabus or in the Alternative Academic Calendar of NCERT".

The CBSE said it had to come up with the clarification after realizing its decision was "interpreted differently".

"The rationalisation of syllabus up to 30 per cent has been undertaken by the Board for nearly 190 subjects of class 9 to 12 for the academic session 2020-21 as a one-time measure only. The objective is to reduce the exam stress of students due to the prevailing health emergency situation and prevent learning gaps," it said.

While it has said that no questions can be asked from the reduced syllabus in the next board exams, the CBSE has also directed schools to follow alternative calendars prepared by the NCERT.

"Therefore each of the topics that have been wrongly mentioned in media as deleted have been covered under Alternative Academic Calendar of NCERT which is already in force for all the affiliated schools of the Board," it clarified.

On Wednesday, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Shocked to know that the central Government has dropped topics like citizenship, federalism, secularism and partisan in the name of reducing CBSE course during the COVID crisis."

"We strongly object to this and appeal the HRD Ministry to ensure these vital lessons aren't curtailed at any cost," Banerjee added.

Udupi, Feb 11: The three patients, including a child, who were suspected to be suffering from coronavirus were discharged from hospital on Monday after the throat swab sample test proved negative for the infection.

The throat swabs of three persons, who were admitted to a district government hospital in Udupi with symptoms of fever on Friday, were sent to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute for testing of coronavirus.

The trio had returned from China, 15 days ago.

The 30-year-old man from Kaup taluk had been to China on personal work and had returned to Udupi, 15 days ago. He had symptoms of fever, throat pain and cold and he was suggested to get admitted to hospital.

He was treated in the isolation ward.

A family from Mandarthi had gone on a tour to China and had returned 15 days ago. The father and son, who had complained of fever, were kept under observation at the isolation ward in the district government hospital.

Mangaluru, Jan 24: The third annual nocturnal Mangaluru Kambala, also known as the Rama Lakshmana Kambala, will be held on the night of January 25 at Goldfinch City in Bangra Kuluru, Mangaluru Kambala Samithi president Brijesh Chowta announced on Friday.

The all-night Kambala will have six categories - Naegilu Kiriya, Hagga Kiriya, Naegilu Hiriya, Hagga Hiriya, Kane Halage and Adda Halage.

The event will be inaugurated at 0930 hrs on January 25 and another programme will be held at 1800 hrs.