SRINAGAR: Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh said on Sunday that the Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) is likely to finalise curricula after August.

He told presspersons here that his Ministry would "de-saffronise" the curricula. It had been ensured that no one would interfere with the project and that the entire exercise would be carried out by academicians.

"We have been able to ensure, to a large extent that anything that is not in tune with the constitutional imperatives is modified," Mr. Singh said. "Some modification has taken place already," he added.

There would be further changes in curricula after the CABE, led by Prof. Yashpal, approves the texts. The changes which have been effected so far are in circulation so that more suggestions could come from interested circles.

Mr. Singh said that education is a sphere of activity where a "fine balance or equilibrium has to be maintained." He said that the earlier regime had thrown some of the fora like the pre-Partition CABE into disuse. "Some changes were made in curriculum which was not in tune with the records and that created misgivings," Mr. Singh said.

He said that revision of the syllabi should be left to academicians. CABE has submitted its report and the draft text is in circulation for comments from the public. Once it is approved — most likely in August — the NCERT will start its implementation, Mr. Singh said.

Best system

Asked if there was any need for having a long-term policy for preventing the repetition of changes in the syllabi as per political ideologies, Mr. Singh said the existing fora, if permitted to function on their own, would offer the best system of checks and balances.

Mr. Singh arrived here on Friday to attend the Northern Zone review meeting of Centrally sponsored schemes in elementary and adult education, and laid the foundation stone of a college in Dooru in south Kashmir.

"The political leadership that took the decision [of power sharing] will decide about the [transfer]," Mr. Singh said when asked about Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's future once he completes his term this autumn.

Crediting the Mufti for timely projection of the requirements of his State in education, Mr. Singh said the UPA Government had accorded top priority to education. Apart from the 14 colleges that the Prime Minister announced as part of the package, Mr. Singh announced four more - two each for Kashmir and Jammu.

Mr. Singh approved girls' hostels for universities in Jammu and Kashmir, besides offering a grant of Rs. 1 crore each for GGM Science College and Jammu and SP College, Srinagar, which had been declared heritage colleges last year. He also approved an Academic Staff College for Jammu. Mr. Singh assured adequate funds for the early completion of the Engineering College at Chak Bhalwal, but said State universities should increase pace of utilising funds they get.

Mr. Singh said he would help the State get 13 more kendriya vidyalayas when the KV Board of Governors meets next month.

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