India

__**The Teaching of Civics in India **__ by Rob Geremia

**Country Overview**

India is located in South Central Asia. The Indian Ocean borders the country to the south. India has a population of 1,189,172,906 people. It is the second most populated country in the world. There are 14 official languages in India. The most common second language spoken is Hindi with 41% of the population. English is spoken in the government and in the international business sector. The majority of the population (80%) identifies as Hindu believers; 13% are Muslim; 2% Sikh; and 2% are Christians.

India became an independent country from the United Kingdom in 1947. India was a British colony for roughly 100 years. Long before the arrival of the British, India was home to several kingdoms and civilizations including several developing in the Indus River Valley. The origins of the religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism are found in India. World War II devastated the United Kingdom. At the conclusion of the war, the British found it very difficult to manage their overseas colonies. It was during this context that many British colonies moved toward independence including the areas of the Indian Empire. The Indian Empire was partitioned into two countries based on religion in 1947; the Hindu majority would make-up the country of India; the Muslim population would be divided into West Pakistan and East Pakistan. East Pakistan and West Pakistan officially separated in 1971. East Pakistan became known as Bangladesh.

The Hindu majority established the nation of India in 1947. The democratic parliamentary government would take resemble the British parliamentary government. However, the Head of State would not be held by a monarch, but by a President. The Head of Government role would be held by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister heads Parliament and is head of the Governing Councils. The Prime Minister runs the day to day business of the Indian Government.

The majority of the population practicing Hinduism led to the establishment of a caste system long before the arrival of the British. The caste system was a strict class system. Followers believed devout Hindus were born into a certain caste and must fulfill the assigned duties in the caste for their lives. Upon death, if the believer fulfilled in his or her role then he or she could ascend to a higher caste in their next life (reincarnation). The accepted inequality arising from the caste system created a contradiction for the establishment of democracy in India. Therefore, the Indian Constitution promotes secular policies essentially outlawing caste discrimination. However, traditional caste culture still exists in many rural parts of India.

**Context**

The Indian educational system is managed under the National Council of Education Research and Training. This national government agency outlines standards for schooling and creates curriculum. The state and local levels of government implement the national policies set from the National Council of Education Research and Training. In 2005 this council established a National Curriculum Framework (NCF). The NCF developed a syllabus for each subject area and grade. The aims of the syllabus seek to “relate classroom learning with children’s life outside” and to “address the problem of curriculum load and stress” on teachers (Foreword).

The Indian education resembles aspects of the British schooling system. In India students move through twelve grades called classes. Classes I-V are designated as the elementary level; Classes VI- VIII are designated as the middle level; Classes IX- XII are designated as the secondary level. The Indian government seeks to provide universal education from Classes I-VIII or ages 6 to 14. Students study a variety of subjects including their local Language Classes (early Classes), Hindi and English (middle level and secondary Classes), Mathematics (Classes I-VIII), Environmental Studies (Classes III-V), Science (Classes VI-VIII) and the Social Sciences (Classes VI-VIII). Art and Health and Physical Education details are set to be released in the future.

Civic education is delivered formally from Classes III to XII. Civic education is packaged as //Environmental Studies, Hindi, English,// and all of the social science classes//.// The time allotted for studying in the elementary level is not specified. Students study //English and Hindi.// In a country with 14 official languages, the study of //English// and //Hindi// is considered a part of civic education. The study of these languages can instill a common national identity through common language (republican civic education model). //Hindi// and //English// are taught for 150 periods of instruction a year. Each period would be about 50 minutes of instruction.

Students study about 150 periods of //History, Geography// and the //Social and Political Life// class in the middle grade levels. At the secondary level, students study 150 periods a year of //English, Hindi, History, and Geography//. The secondary //Political Science// classes provide a formalized structure for civic education. Each class devotes between 100-150 periods, depending on the course, of instruction a year. In addition students may also elect to take other social science courses such as //Economics// and //Psychology//.


 * Subject Content Standards **

In 2005 the National Council of Education Research and Training published curriculum objectives for civic lessons in Classes III- XII. In Classes III-V, civic education is found in the subject //Environmental Studies. Environmental Studies// is taught with the integration of the natural sciences and family life a few hours per week. One of the NCF’s 2005 objectives of //Environmental Studies// includes “ to create cognitive capacity and resourcefulness to make the child curious about social phenomena, starting from family and moving on to wider spaces." The students examine “Family and Friends” “Relationships” like “My family”, “My family and me”, “Whom do I look like?” and “The Old and Physically Challenged.” The Indian education system realizes the importance of civic education and begins to teach children about their immediate surrounding worlds.

The middle school level (Classes VI-VIII) civic education is presented under the various disciplines of Social Sciences including a separate subject called //Social and Political Life//. Although, civic education themes are presented in //History// and //Geograph//y in these middle years, the //Social and Political Life// subject formalizes civic education. In Class VI students focus on //Diversity and Interdependence;// Class VII students focus on //Democracy and Equality//; Class VIII students focus on //Rule of Law and Social Justice.// The standards aim to connect their everyday lives with the issues raised in textbooks. The learning objectives outline study of community and state levels of government and the differences between rural and urban systems of government. The students critically analyze gender; the role of the media; and the markets. The conclusion of the middle school level outlines principles and procedures of the national government and devotes significant time to critical discussion of "why" and "how" India created its government and how students can file lawsuits.

Civic Education continues into the high school level. In Classes IX &X, Indian students continue building upon their foundations of civics through the Social Science courses. These courses include //History, Geography, Political Science// and //Economics//. Most of the focus of civic education falls under the discipline of //Political Science//. In Class IX students study //Democratic Principles I// and in Class X students study //Democratic Principles II.// Students interested in focusing on //Political Science// for university study would take four courses in Class XI and XII. In Class XI students study //Indian Constitution at Work// and //Political Theory//. In Class XII the two courses include P//olitics in India Since Independence// and //Contemporary World Politics//. The emphasis of civic education at this level is about principles and procedures with discussion of "why" and "how" integrated throughout the objectives. Students examine the views of different social groups within the country and begin to see the role of the Indian government on the world stage.

The curricular writers seek to teach students about the world around them through a developmental approach. Beginning by examine the student's immediate surroundings and moving outward towards the national and international identity. The curricular writers have tried to balance the approach of civic education with local, state, and national level tensions.

**Materials**

Visit the web site http://ncert.nic.in/NCERTS/textbook/textbook.htm to download any textbook used in India. Each Class and subject has a textbook. The Environmental Studies class utilizes Around Us textbook series from Classes III-V. The textbook provides narratives, though provoking questions, scripts to read and images to help students connect to the content. The textbook provides students opportunities to learn about different groups of people. The books also pose open-ended questions for student discussion.

Several textbooks are used in the middle grades. There is a textbook for the //History, Geography and Social and Political Life// classes. This means there would be three textbooks for their Social Science classes alone. The textbook for the //Social and Political Life// class shows different examples of civic engagement. It highlights a protest that occurred in India. The textbook describes how rallies are a form of civic engagement. The textbook even encourages students to stop the next time they see a rally to ask a participant the purpose of the rally. The textbook continues by describing how police action and rallies conflict. The textbook provides a scenario of how a police officer shot a man at the rally. The textbook poses the question, //how could this shooting have been prevented?// The civic education textbooks seem to truly lay the foundations, expose diversity and engage the students in a critical manner.

The secondary level also uses many textbooks. Like the middle grades there is one for each social science class. The Class XI //Political Theory// textbook presents the functions and procedures of the Indian government. One chapter focuses on the executive branch. The text discusses the role of the President and the Prime Minister and compares the Indian executive branch with the executive branches of other systems (the US and the UK). The text outlines the functions of the executive, but it does not drown in procedures and structure. The text poses questions in cartoon forms in the margins. It poses constitutional questions about the limits of the executive and examines times those boundaries were broken. The textbook even presents a cartoon of female student asking if there was ever a woman president; this comes after the text constantly referred to the President as "He."

The textbooks try to connect the lives of the students to the world around them. The textbooks initiate critical engagement with an examination of diversity, process and foundations. The textbooks provide opportunities for students to draw their own conclusions about the world around them. However, there are many textbooks for each aspect of civic education. It can be quite burdensome for students.

**Nature of Curriculum**

The civics curriculum objectives present a clear and coherent conception of civic education. Overall, the education system aims to move from an education of rote memorization of facts to an education that engages the child. The civic education program begins by using a diversity civic education model in the earlier grades and concludes with a republican civic education model by the conclusion of Class XII. Liberal and critical civic education are interwoven throughout the civic education experience.

The elementary level It begins by having students examine the world around them by studying families and local communities (diversity model of civic education) through //Environmental Studies// course in Classes III through V.

The middle level Classes VI through VIII students study //Social and Political Life//. All four civic education models are seen throughout the three year scope and sequence of this class. The //Social and Political Life// course during Class VI seeks to celebrate the different groups of people throughout India (diversity civic education model) while emphasizing the interdependence of each of these groups into a national community (republican civic education model). In Class VII students study the functioning of state government (liberal civic education model); examine the social construction of gender (diversity civic education model); and analyze how everyday practices foster inequality in order to question those practices (critical civic education model). In the last year of the //Social and Political Life// course students in Class VIII study the purposes and functions of the government (liberal civic education model) and examine the Constitutional idea of “secularism.” Students study how the Hindu caste system posed a contradiction for democratic ideals during the creation of the Constitution; the students learn that the Indian Constitution believed fostering a democratic, national identity (republican civic education model) would be best achieved from shared fundamental rights arising from secularism. This course concludes with a unit on marginalized groups and students learn to formulate arguments from the points of view of the marginalized groups (diversity and critical civic education models).

The secondary level The high school level of civic education falls under the discipline of //Political Science//. The objectives for the courses in Classes IX and X present four objectives, one for each model of civic education. However, there is a heavy focus on Indian democratic ideas and institutions emphasizing process and participation (liberal civic education model). Class X continues examination of democratic ideas and institutions, but by the end of the course, students evaluate the outcomes and challenges of democracy (critical civic education model). The Class XI courses include //India Constitution at Work// and //Political Theory//. Both courses gloss over processes and emphasize many “how” and “why” questions about the Constitution and its principles (liberal/critical civic education models). The final component of the scope and sequence of Indian //Political Science// education looks at recent politics in India. These two courses (//Politics in India Since Independence// and //Contemporary World Politics//) focus mostly on nation-building and India’s place on the geopolitical scale (republican civic education model). //Politics in India Since Independence examines recent challenges, social movements, and constitutional crises (critical, diversity, and liberal civic education models //). //Contemporary// //World Politics// presents a view of one India in a world of economic and political globalization (republican civic education model).

**Main Issues and Challenges** The Indian Constitution made a commitment to provide free and universal education for all students ages 6 to 14 or from Classes I-VIII by 1960. However, due to the inability of the Indian national government to appropriate resources for schools this has posed a challenge. As of 2005, the government still had not reached its 1960 goal. Additionally, two out of five first grade students will not complete the primary grades of Classes IV and V. If 40% of students drop out before Classes IV, these students are not being exposed to **any** civic education in India. This is because the first part of Indian civic education is introduced in Classes III-V in the //Environmental Studies// class and then formalized in the //Social and Political Life// course in Classes VI-VIII.

The numbers of students enrolled become bleaker as students reach 14 years old. By the time students reach the secondary level, 50% of children enroll in secondary schooling (Classes IX-XII) and only 20% actually attend. Therefore, although significant time is devoted to civic education through the disciplines of //History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics// in Classes IX-XII, very few students in the Indian population attend school. This leads to an elite few engaging in civic education. This poses a problem for a country promoting universal principles of democracy for all.

The students who enroll **and** attend secondary school have a variable quality of civic education. The national government provides a strong foundation of broad and meaningful civic education objectives in social science and language courses. However, the various states in India implement the curriculum. Some states have done a better job with implementation than others. //A Profile of The Indian Education System Paper// reveals teachers are typically appointed based on political affiliations, not on content or pedagogical knowledge” (pg. 10). This poses a problem for civic education. Not only is there an absent evaluation system to measure teacher effectiveness, the teacher could be a political appointment. A political appointment could mean the pursuit of a particular political agenda, which might differ from the objectives of the national curriculum.

Before the 2005 publication of the curriculum a concern was the conflict between the national will and local traditions. Many people throughout India do not look to the national government for their needs first. Many still rely on traditional power structures based on the caste system in their local communities. Historically, the Indian civic textbooks did not highlight the values of these local institutions. The textbooks only presented the Indian national government's actions as the only proper way. This presented a contradiction; although civic classrooms taught about democracy they did in an undemocratic way by discounting other viewpoints. The national government looked at the problem and included more objectives about the state and local levels of government in the middle grades in 2005. The new national curriculum has taken steps to include local traditions in the earlier grades. However, many students leave school before they learn about the role of the national government in school. This continues to perpetuate the disconnection between the individual citizen and the national government.

The Indian civic education attempts to take a balanced approach of all four models of civic education. It begins by having students examine their immediate environment and then broadens that examination. Along the way representations of various communities are taught; procedures and principles are taught and critically examined; and a sense of India as a nation in the context of the world is studied. However, the major obstacle to Indian civic education will be implementation. Poor facilities and instruction foster high drop out rates before students even begin to examine procedures and principles. Therefore, students will never be able to look beyond their local communities to engage in a civic way. This could pose a break down in national cohesion which is already difficult with its population of over one billion people.


 * Resources **

Indian Parliament, //Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009//: __[]__ See page 4.

Madan, A. (2003). Old and new dilemmas in Indian civic education. //Economic and Political Weekly,// 4655-4660.

National Council of Educational Research and Training. (July 2011). National Curriculum Framework 2005. [Posted on the World Wide Web.] New Delhi, India: Author: Retrieved July 3, 2011 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ncert.nic.in/index.html

National Center on Education and the Economy. Cheney, G.R., Ruzzi, B.B. and Karthik, M. (2005). //A Profile of the Indian Education System Paper// //prepared for the New// //Commission on the Skills of the American// Workforce//. [Posted on the World Wide Web]. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved July 17, 2011 from the World Wide Web:// //inspa.info/pdf/**Indian**%20Edu%20Sysytem.pdf//

United States Central Intelligence Agency. (July 2011). //India.// [Posted on the World Wide Web]. Langley, VA: Author. Retrieved July 10, 2011 from the World Wide Web: []