Mental burden on tiny tots taking a toll on their health: NCERT Director

New Delhi, Sept 13: NCERT Director Hrushikesh Senapaty said the mental burden of studies on tiny tots is more alarming than the heavy school bags that they carry on their back, which needs to be reduced. Expressing these views, he told UNI that play-way method is best to start with rather than stressing more on memorising the chapters. Music, art and dance should be integrated together in the learning process of children. 'We try to keep minimum books in our curriculum. Private schools may increase burden, but in government we ensure that at primary level not more than three books are in the curriculum, for instance for third standard we have just three books--language, EVS and Maths,' the NCERT Director added. A conducive environment for students is the need of the hour. Family should be full supportive of children. Highlighting on the way teaching should be, Mr Senapaty said, 'Class room teaching these days needs to be made process-oriented which in turn will develop critical thinking, which will let students create something new. Classroom work should be made more interactive. He said product-oriented education should be changed to process-oriented education. 'We are preparing our children for examination so that they secure good marks. This kind of teaching is only product-oriented. Students have become only passive listeners, they just try to cram text books.' He said students in schools should start working in groups. 'Our education should more be focusing on all round development. The aim of process-oriented education is on making the children more active,' Mr Senapaty noted. 'We should now focus on 'ratna se hatna' (no more cramming),' said the NCERT Director. UNI