2. Values and Dispositions

Developing Values and Dispositions is integral to the Aims of Education of this NCF. This is directly informed by the explicit commitment of NEP 2020:

The purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by our Constitution. -- [NEP 2020, Principles of this Policy]

Education must build character, enable learners to be ethical, rational, compassionate, and caring, while at the same time prepare them for gainful, fulfilling employment. -- [NEP 2020, Introduction, p. 4]

The education system and its individual institutions must also develop in students ethics and human & Constitutional values like empathy, respect for others, cleanliness, courtesy, democratic spirit, spirit of service, respect for public property, scientific temper, liberty, responsibility, pluralism, equality, and justice. -- [NEP 2020, Principles of this Policy, p.5]

Students will be taught at a young age the importance of ‘doing what’s right’ and will be given a logical framework for making ethical decisions. In later years, this would then be expanded along themes of cheating, violence, plagiarism, littering, tolerance, equality, empathy, etc., with a view to enabling children to embrace moral/ethical values in conducting one’s life, formulate a position/argument about an ethical issue from multiple perspectives, and use ethical practices in all work. As consequences of such basic ethical reasoning, traditional Indian values and all basic human and Constitutional values (such as seva, ahimsa, swachchhata, satya, nishkama karma, shanti, sacrifice, tolerance, diversity, pluralism, righteous conduct, gender sensitivity, respect for elders, respect for all people and their inherent capabilities regardless of background, respect for environment, helpfulness, courtesy, patience, forgiveness, empathy, compassion, patriotism, democratic outlook, integrity, responsibility, justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity) will be developed in all students. -- [NEP 2020, 4.28]

Section 2.1 - NCF Commitment to Values and Dispositions aligned to NEP 2020

As stated in Part A, Chapter 1 on Aims and Curricular Areas of School Education of this NCF, developing Values and Dispositions is critical to attaining the Aims of Education.

The coherent set of Values and Dispositions to be developed through this NCF are derived from NEP 2020, which, in turn, are informed by India’s Constitutional values and broader human values, including those that arise from India’s deep cultural heritage, worldview, and elaborate ethical systems.

The process and the content of education across Stages will aim to develop in all students these Values and Dispositions, and the capacities for their practice.

This goal will inform the curriculum, school cultures and practices, as well as the overall culture of the school education system. Some of these values are democratic outlook and commitment to liberty and freedom; striving for equality, justice, and fairness; embracing diversity, plurality, and inclusion while remaining conscious of our underlying unity; humaneness, compassion, empathy, and fraternal spirit; responsibilities that come from freedom and rights; social responsibility and the spirit of seva (service); ethics of integrity and honesty; self-discipline; equanimity in the face of success or failure (nishkama karma); scientific temper and commitment to rational and public dialogue; patience and persistence; humility; peace; social action through Constitutional means; respect and care for the environment and nature; sense of aesthetics; respect for India’s cultural heritage; unity and integrity of the nation; and a true rootedness and pride in India with a forward-looking spirit to continuously improve as a nation.

See Part A, Chapter 1, and Part D, Chapter 1 for more details.

Section 2.2 - Approach to Developing Values and Dispositions in the NCF

While there is an overall consensus that education must develop values, there is equal recognition that developing values has been one of the biggest challenges in formal educational settings.

The approach of this NCF is to aim to develop Values and Dispositions using both direct and indirect methods. In the direct method, there will be classroom activities, discussions, and readings specifically designed to address ethical and moral awareness and reasoning; in addition, a course on ‘Moral and Ethical Reasoning’ will be introduced for all students in Grade 9. In the indirect method, the contents of Languages, literature, History, and the Social Sciences will incorporate discussions particularly aimed at addressing ethical and moral principles and values such as patriotism, sacrifice, nonviolence, truth, honesty, peace, righteous conduct, forgiveness, tolerance, sympathy, helpfulness, courtesy, cleanliness, equality, and fraternity.

As consequences of basic ethical reasoning, traditional Indian values such as seva, ahimsa, swacchata, satya, nishkama karma, tolerance, honesty, hard work, respect for women, respect for elders, respect for all people and their inherent capabilities regardless of background, and respect for the environment will be fostered in students, as these qualities are extremely important for society’s and India’s progress. Using dustbins, using toilets and leaving toilets clean after use, standing in queues properly and patiently, helping the vulnerable and contributing to philanthropic and community work, being punctual, and always being courteous and helpful to those around you in general even when you do not know them are some of the basic values of social responsibility that will be developed in students early and throughout their school years. The approach in this NCF for the development of Values and Dispositions has the following key aspects:

a. Integral part of Learning Standards: In this NCF, the development of Values and Dispositions is an integral part of the Learning Standards and pedagogical processes across all Stages and Curricular Areas and must reflect in their content, pedagogy, and assessment (e.g., building resilience through learning to win and lose with grace in Physical Education, or building scientific thinking through laboratory experiments and trials in Science).

b. Development through practice: Values are best learnt and imbibed, and dispositions are best developed when experienced and seen by students in practice in real life. This NCF lays a lot of emphasis on building, sustaining, and enriching school culture and practices which immerse the students in desirable values. It is the responsibility of the school, from the management and leadership to the Teachers and other school workers, to provide an enabling environment and opportunities and encouragement for practising values and developing dispositions.

c. School culture is central: The most important way in which these values are practised and dispositions are developed in school is through the building of a caring, collaborative, and inclusive school and classroom culture and practices. Illustratively, sensitivity and respect for others are encouraged when opportunities are provided for all students to participate in activities and select students do not participate in all activities; regular bal sabhas and bal panchayats help build notions of democracy, justice, equality, sharing, and fraternity.

d. Differentiated development across Stages: The development of Values and Dispositions is influenced by school and classroom culture and processes in a differentiated manner as children grow, and therefore must be planned appropriately at different Stages.

Illustratively, at the Foundational Stage, the learning of Values and Dispositions are embedded in the selection of content (e.g., choosing stories that emphasise a love of nature) and pedagogy (e.g., encouraging children to play together and learn to share). At the Preparatory Stage, there is a clearer emphasis on developing positive habits (e.g., emphasising on completion of given work and putting things back in their place as a part of classroom practice). In the Middle Stage, the emphasis on collaborative group work as part of classroom practice helps develop the ability to work in teams. In the Secondary Stage, the emphasis on giving critical feedback on work done would help develop the ability to handle criticism and praise, success, and failure with equanimity.

e. Differentiated development effects: It is also important to note that each of these processes helps develop different kinds of values. Some values are developed better through particular processes. Illustratively, regular dialogue and discussion with active listening as part of classroom culture and processes help develop democratic values such as commitment to equality and justice, as well as rational thinking and sensitivity in dealing with fellow humans. Curricular Areas such as Art Education and Physical Education and Well-being help build individual virtues, such as aesthetic sensitivity, patience, endurance, honesty, and courage. Curricular Areas such as Science and Mathematics help build epistemic values, such as scientific temper and mathematical reasoning. Marking important days through community service as part of school culture and practices help build cultural values such as seva, ahimsa, and shanti. Regular music and dance performances at the school assembly help promote pride in India’s rich cultural heritage.

f. In content: The content — both, implicit and explicit — will support the development of desired values. All implicit content choices have deep implications for the learning process. For example, diversity in the choices of names of people (e.g., characters in stories or illustrations), vocations, and geographical areas of India used and depicted in textbooks and illustrations that also aim to break gender or other stereotypes, should be given attention throughout.

Equally, high-quality content explicitly fostering these values should be included. Inspiring lessons from the works of literature and the people of India must be incorporated throughout the curriculum as relevant. India has a long history and tradition of people and stories that beautifully teach or exemplify so many of the above-mentioned core values and socio emotional capacities. Discussions on the Indian Constitution, the values of Equality, Liberty, and Fraternity that it espouses, and the Fundamental Duties that it enjoins on Indian citizens must be a part of classroom processes. Stories from the lives of great Indian heroes of history are also an excellent way to inspire and introduce core values to students.

g. Separate subject: In this NCF, the development of Values and Dispositions is fully integrated into Learning Standards, pedagogical processes, and school and classroom culture and processes. In addition, a course on ‘Moral and Ethical Reasoning’ will be introduced for all students in Grade 9. In addition to the curriculum for this course, developers or schools (in practice) could consider and rigorously address the following questions and issues:

i. Examine whether there are specific values that need to be addressed in a focussed manner with students and, therefore, require specified time to be set aside. Illustratively, commitment to equality may require an understanding of the idea of equality, its practice, our individual and collective experiences, research from across the world, and its importance for democracy. If so, this could need both separate time and attention, warranting a separate class — perhaps alongside Social Science.

ii. Teachers may need support in developing the capability to handle such specific sessions on the development of Values and Dispositions in a rigorous manner that encourages respectful questioning and discussion.

iii. Teachers and students may need appropriate, rigorous, and interesting material on these matters that incorporates both research and experience.

h. Values in conflict: Another critical issue that schools often face is that the values recognised or encouraged at school may not be seen or practised outside of the school commonly — in fact, they may even be actively discouraged, and the school has very little or no control over what happens in students’ lives outside of it. For example, gender equality is taught and encouraged in school but students may sometimes see the opposite within their families or communities.

How does a school handle this conflict in the lives of students presented by the values being aimed at the school versus actual situations in which these values may be violated? This question does not have a simple answer.

Processes of dialogue and empathetic behaviour which demonstrate that conflicts and values are an integral part of human societies and that they need to be resolved through discussion and sustained effort, will have to be built into classroom culture and practice. This process of reconciliation of values would need some focussed attention. Teachers would need to help students listen and observe carefully, not jump to conclusions, ask questions politely, study the issue, and learn about it in some depth before deciding on a response. It would be critical for Teachers to help students understand why there may be some differences in values at school and in their families or communities, and to support them to choose their responses in a way that allows students to place their views before their families or communities with respect and reason, and without giving up easily in the face of opposition. A particular kind of conflict or contradiction that must be addressed is an individual’s own action that may fall short of the values commitment that they have. Students must learn that such things happen in the natural course of the development of a human being and that the important thing is to learn from such challenging situations and keep improving one’s response to it.

i. Assessing the development of Values and Dispositions through observation of behaviour: Developing values and dispositions is a continuous process and is mostly contingent on the environment supporting and encouraging such development. Putting the onus of developing values and dispositions on the student could take away this responsibility from the school and its processes.

However, developing values and dispositions is a critical part of the education process and it is important to understand the development of these just as much as it is important to understand how much Mathematics or Language a student has learnt. Careful and objective observation would be critical to the assessment of developing values and dispositions.

i. The focus of the assessment must be on the ‘behaviour’ that demonstrates the value or the disposition. Just like actually adding two numbers demonstrates that a student is able to ‘do’ addition, illustratively, ‘Student A helps other students when there is a problem’ is a better way of articulating the learning rather than saying that a student has developed ‘empathy’ or ‘sensitivity.’

ii. The rubrics for this need to be very carefully developed avoiding all biases and ensuring that these can be practically implemented by Teachers.

iii. This should form a part of the periodic learning assessment report.

iv. The rubrics, the report, and everything else associated with this must be constructive and must ensure that it does not have any kind of negative effect on (or negative labelling of) the students or their families. Some other possible ways of assessment could be through analysis of student reflective diaries or material developed by students, group discussions or presentations on a particular topic, and student participation in community work or school events.

It is important to reiterate that only ‘understanding’ values and disposition is not enough. Values and dispositions must be part of everyday behaviour to demonstrate that they have been learnt and developed.

j. Values of the Teachers, Principals, and System: In the process of developing values and dispositions in students, the perspectives and capacities of educational functionaries, school Principals and Teachers are equally critical. Their understanding of these values and building them into school culture and practices is what will make this happen. The culture of the education system must support the development of the same values and dispositions that are expected of students.

Section 2.3 - Some Illustrations across School Stages and Curricular Areas

Developing values and dispositions is an integral part of this NCF across all School Stages and Curricular Areas. This is reflected in different ways — as part of Learning Standards at every Stage (as reflected in Curricular Goals and Competencies), as part of pedagogical processes across Stages, conceptually integrated into Curricular Areas, and as a separate Curricular Area in the Secondary Stage. It is a critical objective of school and classroom culture and practices. Some Stage-wise illustrations are suggested below, among countless other possibilities. Teachers will have to judiciously select from the vast material that can be tapped to evoke and inspire values.

See section on Pedagogy for more detail in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.1.2.

a. At the Preparatory Stage, values are best learnt through simple stories selected from India’s vast repository of stories, such as Panchatantra, Hitopadesha, and Jataka tales. Storytelling should be followed by discussions (‘What is the meaning of friendship in this story?’, ‘How could the lion and the bull maintain their friendship?’). Among many other possible activities, children can be made to draw scenes from a story, or create a puppet show for it. Apart from children’s books with good graphics, well-selected short videos of the stories could also be used.

b. At the Middle Stage, more elaborate stories, such as those drawn from Indian Epics and Indian literature from across our languages can be used; popular literature for children, including comics, is a useful source. Many stories of Birbal and Akbar, for instance, illustrate values of justice, compassion, mindfulness, and the capacities of rational thinking, problem solving, scientific temper, and humour. Every story read (or film shown) should be followed by a discussion or class activities, such as staging of the story, role plays, and students imagining multiple alternative scenarios. Life stories of inspiring Indian figures can be introduced, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Guru Nanak, Mahavira Acharya, Gautam Buddha, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Shri Rabindranath Tagore, Dr. M. S. Subbulakshmi, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Charaka, Susruta, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya, Brahmagupta, Chanakya, Chakrapani Datta, Madhava, Panini, Patanjali, Nagarjuna, Gautama, Pingala, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Dr. C. V. Raman, Dr. Homi Bhabha, Sankardev, Maitreyi, Gargi, and Tiruvalluvar, among many other Indian greats from all fields and walks of life. Heroes from all over the world in various disciplines can also be discussed to further inspire students, such as Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela.

c. In the Secondary Stage, the full range of Indian literature can be used for the development of values. Many well-selected Subhasitas can also be used in the same manner (e.g., discuss ‘One may own a hundred cows, but his need is only one cup of milk; one may own a hundred villages, but his need is only one morsel of food. One may own a hundred-roomed palace, but his need is but one cot. All the rest belongs to others.’ Or ‘Trees are like good people. While they themselves stand in the scorching sun, they provide shade and fruit for others.) Texts such as Bhartrihari’s Satakatraya or Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural also offer many thoughtful maxims that can initiate stimulating discussions.

Regional freedom fighters or social reformers can also offer shining examples. Some of our industrialists, businessmen, scientists, and artists of modern times with an altruistic attitude and record, medical and agricultural pioneers, and other inspiring well-known and not-so-well known people (particularly from local areas) can provide shining examples of values.

Students can be encouraged to find out information on some of these inspiring figures by themselves. For example, a school project could be putting together an anthology of ethical persons who have had an impact on the students’ own lives, or a compilation of local freedom fighters, or of unsung heroes who came out to help at the time of calamities and disasters. All of this also lends itself to Stage-wise adaptations.

Besides such material drawn from the vast resources offered by India, students should be exposed, through brief biographical sketches, skits, and/or videos, to some other great figures worldwide (e.g., Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela) who embodied the values of leadership, dedication, selflessness, altruism, quest for truth, fight for justice, and freedom from oppression. Discussions on growing ethical issues and conflicts in the use of technology (e.g., information technology, genetics, and issues of environmental pollution) also need to be introduced.

In all of the above, two critical approaches should be constantly kept in mind:

a. At every step, care should be taken to lead the student to connect specific values and situations to their immediate environment, or the nation/world at large. This may lead to complex and occasionally delicate discussions, especially in the higher stages, and care should be taken to be non-judgmental and encourage nuanced reasoning in students.

b. Values, as explained above, impact every field of knowledge, from Physical Education to Environmental Education, from Science to Social Science, and from Vocational Education to Art Education. Crosscutting situations should therefore be abundantly used to drive home the point that values are about the whole of life and not a separate isolated subject. Some more discussion regarding this is in Section 3.1.2. This NCF provides many examples of such intersections in chapters on Environmental Education (see Part B, Chapter 3), Inclusion (see Part B, Chapter 4), Social Science (see Part C, Chapter 5), and Physical Education (see Part C, Chapter 8), among others. Chapter 7 in Part C on Interdisciplinary Areas also has a useful discussion on this.

2.3.1 School Culture and Practices

Various aspects of school culture and practices can be aimed at developing Values and Dispositions. For example, the daily assembly can allow students to take up different tasks at different times helping them learn responsibility and accountability. Music during the assembly can include songs from the local area as well as from different regions and in different Indian languages. Real stories of courage and resilience and seva can be narrated, preferably by the students themselves. Students can perform skits on various social issues to sensitise others and assembly time also can be devoted to discussing current social and national issues.

Like the daily assembly, mealtime is another daily practice that allows schools to inculcate values of equality, sharing, care, and the importance of health and hygiene. All students sharing and enjoying a meal together will send a strong message to students about non-discrimination. For many students, this could be the one proper meal that they get during the day, so the school’s effort in serving a good nutritious meal will demonstrate care and responsibility towards students, teaching them the same. Healthy eating habits and good hygiene standards can also be taught in this process.

Every school must encourage the formation of student committees and forums (Bal Sabha, Bal Panchayat, and other student forums) to involve students in school activities and create a sense of ownership and responsibility among them. By participating in activities of different committees, students learn cooperation, teamwork, proactiveness, taking initiative, leadership, and conflict resolution. Some of these committees take care of school-level tasks, such as ensuring cleanliness, managing Mid-day meals, or organising cultural events. Some schools also have committees that work at the community level. Health committees, sports committees, eco clubs, and music clubs can take up activities within the community with guidance from the Teacher. Through these forums, students learn and develop respect for different kinds of work.

When the school reaches out to parents and the community, welcomes them, gives them regular updates, consults them on relevant matters, and tries to use their knowledge and experience, they feel respected. When schools respect parents and the community and invite students to participate in this process, they send a strong message to students that they must do so too. This would improve their relationship with their own parents and their participation in community life.

*2.3.2 Pedagogy across Stages *

Many values are directly reflected in the way classes are conducted in schools. Student participation and learning must be the focus of classroom activities and events. Opportunities must be provided for all students to participate in activities, and not for select children to end up participating in all activities.

Classroom processes must encourage active learning with an emphasis on dialogue and building relationships based on mutual respect. Students can work individually, in pairs, and groups. They must be encouraged to listen, understand, appreciate, and reflect on their own thought process, and look at others’ experiences with empathy and critical understanding. Teachers can participate in discussions as one among the group and facilitate understanding of varied points of view and encourage students to take on varied roles in the group.

Students must be encouraged to develop appropriate work habits and responsibilities. They should organise the space and materials before and after use, persist and complete work, stay on a task even without a Teacher being present, convey doubts, solve problems, and also give space to others to work in silence as per individual needs.

Teachers must ensure that students feel safe enough to take intellectual risks, make mistakes, experiment, and freely express their opinions without the anxiety of being judged, ridiculed, reprimanded, or punished. Confidentiality of sensitive information (regarding a student’s background and circumstances) should be maintained. Bullying, harassment, intimidation, and the use of derogatory or demeaning language are calmly but strongly discouraged.

a. At the Foundational Stage, the learning expectations of Values and Dispositions are embedded as part of classroom processes, in the selection of content, pedagogical approaches, and assessment tools. Some Competencies lend themselves to values. For example, ‘Shows kindness and helpfulness to others (including animals, plants) when they are in need’ is a Competency that embodies the value of compassion. Given the developmental stage that children are in, it is well understood that children learn these ideas and their practices best when it is an integral part of the teaching-learning process.

b. Art Education across Stages focusses on thinking, making, and appreciation. Students get exposure to artists from their own community as well as those from different parts of India. Knowledge and appreciation of art traditions and unique approaches and artwork help them appreciate the richness and beauty of thought and expression across cultures. This helps them realise that multiple perspectives and interpretations can coexist in their own classroom so the same would hold true for society too. The ‘making’ process lends itself to the inculcation of values. For example, making string puppets and then playing with them to perform a variety of actions to narrate a story requires practice and hard work, while also being a joyful experience. As students work with a variety of art forms and techniques, they will develop an appreciation for hard work and an understanding of the time, effort, and practice required to achieve quality artwork.

With such experiences, students would develop respect for all kinds of vocations, professions, and work, as well as respect for all people. The value of liberty and freedom is best experienced when students create and express themselves openly through their artwork. A student who may experience shyness, stage fear, or any other kind of discomfort with their own body can express their experiences and challenges during the process of learning Dance and Movement. This develops greater understanding among students and respect for all people regardless of their capacities and background. Such processes also allow all students to feel included as equal contributors in the learning process.

c. Science across Stages provides students with opportunities to explore their observations and experiences in the real world. Students must identify and appreciate scientific values (e.g., creativity, objectivity, rational thinking, perseverance, cooperation, scepticism) through ‘doing’, as well as engaging with specific examples. These examples will be related to the development of scientific laws and theories, and the lives and work of a few scientists in some detail. Students will examine how ideas have changed over time in light of new evidence, leading to an understanding of the tentative nature of science and the role of empiricism in developing scientific knowledge.

Students must also develop a holistic understanding of Science through seeing its interconnectedness with the real world as well as with other Curricular Areas. While appreciating how science and technology have contributed to human lives, they will also examine their use from the lens of ethics, which may appropriately include discussions on the limits of science and technology when their applications are not governed by appropriate values.

d. Interdisciplinary Areas include building sensitivity and care towards the environment and developing the capacity for moral and ethical reasoning.

Students will be encouraged to explore, appreciate, and develop sensitivity towards their social and natural environment. They will appreciate the need for balance and harmony between human society and nature. They will develop a sense of care not only for themselves, but also for other humans, plants, birds and animals, as well as the rest of the natural environment.

Students will also develop capacities for ethical and moral reasoning, and active participation as citizens in debate and action. They will develop an understanding of how to respond to issues and events — they will be able to examine them from multiple perspectives, identify ethical and moral questions and dilemmas, and evaluate them for violation of human and Constitutional values as enlisted in NEP 2020. They will be able to take a position and justify it with evidence and rationale. They will also be able to re-examine their positions based on additional information and/or evidence and be able to communicate in a democratic manner.

e. Physical Education and Well-being across Stages will help students value physical activity, hygiene, nutrition, and diet for a healthy life. It will also encourage inclusion, cooperation, and responsible behaviour, quick decision making, respect for all players including opponents and fair play, gracious acceptance of both victory and defeat, and commitment, perseverance, and hard work to achieve excellence.

Sports provide opportunities to reflect on personal and team behaviour and help build dispositions helpful for working in teams such as teaching patience, regulating emotions, handling difficult situations, and celebrating others’ achievements. Students will also learn to modify a game or create new ones to include those who may have different needs and abilities.

f. Mathematics across Stages will develop capacities for logical thinking and reasoning in a rigorous, accurate, objective, and rational manner. Through participation in the discovery of patterns and relationships and the derivation and proof of principles and theorems, they will learn the value of collaboration, creativity, and perseverance when engaging in problem solving. They will also learn the value of communicating their ideas clearly and precisely.

g. Language across Stages will help students develop democratic and epistemic values, and dispositions of respect for culture and diversity in society (‘cultural literacy’). Learning more than one language will broaden students’ horizons and learning another Indian language will enable a deeper connection with the country and develop a sense of pride and belonging to the country.

Students will be encouraged to think independently, take an interest in books, and read to learn about the world at large. Young learners will develop an attitude of thirsting for knowledge about the world through books. They will also develop the ability to express themselves, fostering independent analysis, organising thinking, and creative expression. Through Language education, students will develop deeper capacities for effective communication and will be taught the value of meaningful and effective social and democratic participation. Along with this, students develop the ability to enjoy reading and writing and explore different literary devices and forms of literature in more than one language, thus inculcating respect for other cultures and viewpoints.

Students will learn an appreciation of aesthetics in different genres, use language to develop reasoning and argumentation and an appreciation for different regional languages to acknowledge, respect, and respond to ideas from across the country.

h. Social Science across Stages will focusses on inculcating epistemic values of scientific rigour in the analysis of events, and the interpretation of sources related to different aspects of human life and society. Globally accepted scientific methods of enquiry, such as the evidence-based, empirical, and verifiable approaches to social, historical, and political events ensure the development of this epistemic value.

Appreciation for Indianness (Bharatiyata) through an understanding of India’s rich past (its cultural diversity, heritage, traditions, literature, art, philosophy, and medicine), and learning about the geographical diversity of the Indian subcontinent is an important Curricular Goal. Similarly, understanding the functioning and impact of social and political institutions, and learning about various forms of inequality and discrimination will contribute to social and democratic values of equality, justice, fairness, and inclusion.

Students will learn the process of development of the Constitution of India, the emergence of the modern Indian state, and the importance of these in the promotion of democratic values, culture, and biodiversity. Understanding the basic contours of the economy and its rapid development is an essential aspect of the curriculum that contributes to an appreciation of modern India with a forward-looking attitude and desire to continuously improve as a nation.

i. Vocational Education helps students learn and respect the value of shrama or physical work, respect for all and their capabilities regardless of background, and respect for the environment.

Vocational Education will prepare students for meaningful and productive participation in the world of work by learning hands-on abilities and skills (i.e., ‘physically doing’), developing equal respect for head-hands-heart, valuing the dignity of labour, and understanding vocational choices for the future.

Students will develop a broad-based understanding of different forms of work. They will also develop respect for dignity of all labour through the acquisition of values related to work and the workplace. Students will develop persistence and focus, curiosity and creativity, empathy and sensitivity, and collaboration and teamwork. The disposition of working hard with persistence, focus, and attention to detail is an important component of work ethic. Schools must design and establish cultures and processes to ensure that students develop Values and Dispositions that help them attain the Aims of Education.

2.3.3 Assessment of Values

Assessment of values is necessarily a delicate exercise, since testing values through MCQs, for instance, would be a futile exercise. Values should be assessed in their practice, not as dry knowledge. This section must be read along with Section 2.2 (i) earlier.

Assessment of values must not be for judging the student but must be only a developmental exercise. Any use of such assessment for ‘judging’ is likely to do deep harm.

Assessment of values in Preparatory and Middle Stages is best carried out internally in the school, through careful and objective observation of each student’s participation and behaviour in class discussions and activities. In the Secondary Stage, assessment could additionally include creative short essays in class (e.g., asking for comments on a text) or projects.

In all the above, an excellent practice consists in asking students to evaluate another student’s presentation/project/exposition, which provides training in objectivity and impartiality. Self assessment can also be tried whenever adequate, with guaranteed confidentiality.

At the level of Board examinations, the question needs proper thought and planning and is addressed in Part A, Chapter 3.

Since Values and Dispositions will not be acquired if the student fails to perceive the Teacher and the whole school as embodiments of those values, innovative exercises to get the Teacher and the school management assessed by the students could be undertaken (as in higher education, where students’ feedback is sought on instructors and courses). This may be done through anonymous questionnaires that will not only ask specific questions and also invite constructive suggestions