National Council of Educational Research and Training

The Government of India's Ministry of Education resolved on 27 July 1961 to establish the National Council of Educational Research and Training, which formally began operation on 1 September 1961. The Council was formed by merging seven existing national government institutions, namely the Central Institute of Education, the Central Bureau of Textbook Research, the Central Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance, the Directorate of Extension Programmes for Secondary Education, the National Institute of Basic Education, the National Fundamental Education Centre, and the National Institute of Audio-Visual Education.[2] It is separate from the National Council for Teacher Education.

The NCERT was established with the agenda to design and support a common system of education which is national in character and also enables and encourages the diverse culture across the country. Based on the recommendations of the Education Commission(1964-66), the first national policy statement on education was issued in 1968. The policy endorsed the adoption of a uniform pattern of school education across the country consisting of 10 years of general education program followed by 2 years of diversified schooling.

The NCERT is also behind the formation of the National Science Talent Search Scheme (NTSS) in the year 1963. The program was aimed at identifying, nurturing the talented students in India, and rewarding them with scholarships. The National Science Talent Search Scheme (NTSS) underwent a major change in the year 1976 with the introduction of the 10+2+3 pattern of education. The program was renamed to National Talent Search Scheme with the NTSE examination now being conducted for classes X, XI, and XII. Currently, the NTSE exam [3] is conducted only for 10th class students in India.

The design of the NCERT logo is taken from an Ashokan period relic of the 3rd century BCE which was found in excavations near Maski in Raichur district, Karnataka. The motto has been taken from the Isha Upanishad and means 'life eternal through learning'. The three intertwined swans symbolize the integration of the three aspects of the work of NCERT, namely research & development, training and extension.[2]

The council's objectives are:

• To promote and conduct educational research, experimentation of innovative ideas and practice.

• To develop National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2005), syllabi, and textbooks; teaching-learning materials and kits; training models and strategies; audio, video, and ICT materials.
• Training of Pre-service and in-service teacher education and national and state-level functionaries.
• To collaborate with State, national and international organizations.[4]

Textbooks published by NCERT are prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from classes I to XII, with exceptions for a few subjects. Around 19 school boards from 14 states have adopted or adapted the books.[5] Online textbooks can be downloaded for free from the ePathshala website.[6] Those who wish to adopt the textbooks are required to send a request to NCERT, upon which soft copies of the books are received. The material is press-ready and may be printed by paying a 5% royalty, and by acknowledging NCERT.[5]

The textbooks are in color-print and are among the least expensive books in Indian book stores.[5] Textbooks created by private publishers are priced higher than those of NCERT.[5] According to a government policy decision in 2017, the NCERT will have the exclusive task of publishing central textbooks from 2018, and the role of CBSE will be limited to conducting examinations.[7]

The Regional Institute of Education (RIE, formerly known as Regional College of Education), is a constituent unit of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi. The RIEs are set up in 1963 by the Government of India in different parts covering various regions. The Regional Institutes were started with the objective of qualitative improvement of school education through innovative pre-service and in-service teacher education programs and relevant research, development, and extension activities.

NCERT has a comprehensive extension program in which departments of the National Institute of Education, Regional Institute of Education, Central Institute of Vocational Education, and field coaches' offices in the states are engaged in activities. Several programs are organized in rural and backward areas to reach out to functionaries in these areas.

The council acts as the Secretariat of the National Development Group for Educational Innovations. It has been offering training facilities to education workers of other countries through attachment programs and workshops.[8] The council publishes textbooks for school subjects from classes I to XII. NCERT publishes books & provides sample question papers that are used in government and private schools across India that follow the CBSE curriculum.[9]

An online system named e-pathshala, a joint initiative of NCERT and Ministry of Human Resource Development, has been developed for broadcasting educational e-schooling resources including textbooks, audio, video, publications, and a variety of other print and non-print elements,[10] ensuring their free access through mobile phones and tablets (as EPUB) and from the web through laptops and desktops.[11]

Ever since its establishment, the organization has faced a great deal of controversy and continues to do so today. The disagreement centers around accusations of, on the one hand, the leftist bias of books, and on the other of suppressing cultural and heritage history of India and attempted saffronizing of Indian history. Allegations of historical revisionism with a Hindu nationalist plan arose in two terms: under the Janata Party government 1977 to 1980 and again under the Bharatiya Janata Party government from 1998 to 2004. In 2012, the organization has been blamed for publishing 'undefensive' cartoons against B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and thus lodging an insult to the Constitution, in its textbooks.[12] The controversy led to the resignation of NCERT chief advisors Yogendra Yadav and Suhas Palshikar and an apology from the government.[12][13]

According to historian Sadanand More, the NCERT, as the zenith organization that provides advice and support for the improvement of school education, has been avoiding mentioning in school history books that about half of the Indian subcontinent was ruled by the Maratha Empire for a period before the British East India Company conquered it.[14]

• Central Board of Secondary Education
• Joint Entrance Examination (Main)

• Official website
• ePathshala