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Recent Trends in School Geography in India

Sarfaraz Alam

Department of Geography , Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, India

Published online: 25 Nov 2010.

To cite this article: Sarfaraz Alam (2010) Recent Trends in School Geography in India, Journal of Geography, 109:6, 243-250,
DOI: 10.1080/00221341.2010.502944
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Recent Trends in School Geography in India

Sarfaraz Alam

If we shrink the limits of geography, the greater field will still exist: it will
be only our awareness that is diminished.

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ABSTRACT
This article critically examines the
recommendations of two major Indian
education reportsNCFSE 2000 and
NCF 2005prepared by the National
Council of Educational Research and
Training in India. The NCFSE 2000 has
recommended an integrated teaching of
geography as one component of the
social studies. The NCF 2005 has reverted
to the pre-NCFSE 2001 framework,
wherein all subjects under the banner
of social studies would now be taught
independently. These conflicting reports,
and additional disagreement over the
teaching of local Indian versus world
geography, are investigated regarding
their implications for teaching geography
to Indian students.
Key Words: curriculum reform, geography
education, India

Carl Sauer (1956, 394)

If geography ceases to introduce students to a systematically organized
picture of the world in which we live, some other subject-matter field will be
called upon to fill this need.
Preston James (1967, 5253)

INTRODUCTION
Recent curricular reforms in India have greatly impacted the standing of
geography in the countrys schools. The National Curriculum Framework
for School Education (NCFSE; NCERT [2000]) and the National Curriculum
Framework (NCF; NCERT [2005]), prepared by two separate committees of
eminent educators and scholars under the aegis of the National Council of
Educational Research and Training (NCERT),1 India, have been fiercely contested
in the national print and electronic media by educators, social scientists, and
politicians of different ideologies. However, Indian geographers have not fully
participated in these contentious debates despite the fact that these documents
have adversely affected teaching geography in Indian schools.
The NCERT has always considered geography as an independent part of the
social sciences2 in school curricula. Importantly, the teaching of geography within
the NCERT framework focused on the development of geographical knowledge,
skills, attitudes, and values among children. In this sense, though geography
constituted a part of the social sciences, its teaching was according to the spirit
and philosophy of the discipline. Geography syllabi included subjects such as the
geography of India as well as world geography. However, the NCFSE (NCERT
2000) and the NCF (NCERT 2005) recommendations have brought changes in
these two aspects of school geography in India. In the first place, the NCFSE
(NCERT 2000) report recommended fully subsuming geographic instruction into
the social sciences, whereby it was to be taught in combination with history,
political science, economics, and sociology. The report also recommended a more
focused study of local and Indian geography at the expense of world geography.
While the NCF (NCERT 2005) report returned geography to its status as an
independent subject, it too undermined the study of world geography in favor
of greater focus on Indian local, regional, and national geography. The purpose
of this article is to critically examine the rationale of these two influential reports
and their implications for geographic education in Indian schools.

EVOLUTION OF GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION IN INDIAN SCHOOLS

Dr. Sarfaraz Alam is a senior lecturer in the

Department of Geography at Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi, India.

Geography was adopted as a compulsory subject of scientific study at the school

stage in the second half of the nineteenth century (Kumar 2005). The British Empire
introduced geography in India during this period with a clear understanding
that geography had both symbolic and practical value. The symbolic value
of geography can be best seen through maps. Overtly, the objective of mapbased geographic instruction was to heighten Indian students grasp of world
regions. Alongside this pedagogic goal, however, was an imperial design to make
Indian students aware of the pervasive sway of the British Empire and produce
submissive Indian subjects. Hudson (1994, 326), in his study of the teaching of

Journal of Geography 109: 243250

C 2010 National Council for Geographic Education

243

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Sarfaraz Alam

geography in British colonial schools, points to the fact

that maps and books used in the classroom were typically
designed to reinforce students awareness and acceptance
of the British Empire in which the colonies and their
peoples played vital, though subservient, roles. Further, he
elaborated that classroom maps of the world, generously
splashed with red, emphasized the might and dominance
of the Empire, so that when the geography teacher
spun the globe in the schoolroom, the students could
see only the red of the British Empire (Hudson 1994,
326).
During the imperial era, geography was also a science
of great practical value. The modest science education
(including geography education) imparted was used as a
means to expand and consolidate the British Empire in India
and to extract maximum profits from the country (Sangwan
1990). In this sense, geography as a subject was used as
an aid for colonization and consolidation of administration
on the colonized land and its people.
Perhaps it is because of its role in the expansion, consolidation, and administration of the British Empire in India
that geography found little favor in the school curricula in
postindependence India. The undermining of geography as
a school subject can be gauged by studying the reports of
the committees and commissions on school education in the
postindependence period. Geography as a separate subject
was evidently out of favor in the Report of the Secondary
Education Commission ([Mudaliar Commission] 1953, 81).
The report stated:
It is not often realized that the complaint of
overcrowding [in the curriculum] is largely
due to [a] multiplicity of subjects prescribed
as separate entities without bringing their
organic interrelationships. Thus it is psychologically preferable to present subjects
centering around the study of social environment and human relations under the
comprehensive heading of social studies than to teach a number of separate
subjects like history, geography, civics and
economics in watertight compartments as
segregated wholes [that] lacking (sic)
coordination and compassion [;] rather knit
them in a completely whole (sic) [,]
assigning their due places in the universe
of educational thought and set up.
Similarly, the Kothari Commission (1966) also advocated
for the study of geography within the framework of social
studies.3 The report advocated that geography should start
in the higher primary school (classes V, VI, and VII). In the
higher primary stage social studies may continue as an
integrated course if competent teachers and the requisite
facilities are available; otherwise the study of history,
geography and civics should be taken up as separate
disciplines. The report further suggested:

244

At the lower primary stage, the integrated

approach is desirable. Instead of giving
the pupils miscellaneous and unrelated bits
of information in history, geography and
civics, it is far better to provide a coordinated program of social studies centering
round the study of man and his environment. In the upper classes of the primary
schools, the content of social studies may
still be organized as an integral whole in
connection with the treatment of certain
topics, but the pupils should be gradually
introduced to an appreciation of history,
geography and civics as separate subjects.
In the secondary schools, these subjects will
be treated as separate disciplines and form
the basis of specialized studies in social
sciences at the higher secondary stage.
(Kothari Commission 1966, 201)
Not all elements of Indias education establishment sought
to marginalize geography. For instance, the Government of
Mysore (now Karnataka), in the meeting of the Standing
Committee of the Central Advisory Board of School Education (SCCOBSE; Ministry of Human Resource Development
1997, 293), deplored the marginal position of geography and
history in the school curriculum and emphatically argued
for taking them seriously in school education:
The present position of Social Studies in
the School Curriculum leads one nowhere.
It has been found by experience that the
pupils who come out of S.L.L.C. examination do not posses knowledge of even
the rudimentary of geography and history
of India. It is very necessary that a strong
foundation is laid in both history and
geography of India if a sense of patriotism
in our younger generation is required to
grow. A special Committee of experts may
be appointed to examine this question and
formulate a syllabus to remedy the falling
standards in the study of history and geography of India.
Despite such support for geography in the school curricula,
and subsequent suggestions towards its improvements in
schools, it has remained a marginal subject within the
broader framework of social studies.

GEOGRAPHY BEFORE THE NCF (NCERT 2005) AND

THE NCFSE (NCERT 2000)
A review of NCERT-approved textbooks published in
the last quarter of the twentieth century identified three
approaches to the study of geographyregional geography, systematic geography, and practical geography
that predominate in Indias school curricula. In regional

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Recent Trends in School Geography in India

geography, the concentric model of learning was practiced.

In this students were taught about the various areas
of Earth, starting with the geography of the local and
immediate areas and culminating with the distant (to India)
areas of Earth. In primary classes (III, IV, and V) the
regional geography of the state and India were taught. In
secondary classes (VIVIII) all the continents and major
countries of the world were covered. In this way, in
lower classes the emphasis was on the geography of the
immediate surroundings of children. The size of regional
units was smaller and elementary knowledge about the
region was imparted. At higher stages, more distant
and larger regional units were studied. One exception
was the study of the geography of India, which was
taught in both secondary and higher secondary classes.
However, in this case the treatment was much more
elaborate.
The thrust of teaching regional geography has been
to help children acquire geographical knowledge ranging
from microregional units to meso and macro units, ultimately leading to the study of the whole Earth. The priority
had been to teach the elements of regional environments
and the way of life of different people. The emphasis
was also laid on inculcating an understanding of regional
differences and similarities. However, teaching regional
geography was not devoid of shortcomings. A study by
Kumar (1996) suggests that the treatment of the regions
was very short and encyclopedic in form. The learning
process was excessively dry and burdensome for children.
The presentations of the lessons were equally uninteresting.
Therefore, schoolchildren used to simply memorize textbooks or answers to questions given at the end of their
lessons without understanding the basic principles of the
discipline.
In systematic geography the emphasis has been on
studying phenomena in terms of their significance to
human beings at all geographical scalesstarting from the
local and culminating with the global scale. In lower classes
only those geographical phenomena were taught that had
a predominant presence in the immediate surroundings of
children, while in the higher classes the focus of teaching
was on phenomena that occurred worldwide. The major
drawback of books on systematic geography was that
these were mainly descriptive in nature. Large numbers
of facts and figures were presented. Another important
shortcoming of systematic geography teaching was that
topics were always treated in isolation. These books were
mostly concerned with the where of some phenomena
without writing much about their why (Kumar 1996).
Therefore, the whole exercise was not only dull but also
of very little use.
Practical geography, including fieldwork, constituted
the third aspect of school geography, wherein relevant
geographical skills, tools, and techniques were taught at
all stages of schooling. However, this aspect was the least
planned and most neglected part of school geography.
Fieldwork and excursions were rarely conducted in schools,

and globes, maps, and other tools of geographical representations were scarcely available.

GEOGRAPHY IN THE NCFSE (NCERT 2000):

GEOGRAPHY IN AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM
One of the important recommendations of the NCFSE
2000 was to reduce the curriculum load on schoolchildren.
It had identified two important sources for the burdensome
curricula. To begin with, it is often alleged that there
has been an undue emphasis on memorization of a large
number of lifeless facts, particularly in geography and
history textbooks. Reiterating the recommendations of the
report on Learning Without Burden (National Advisory
Committee [Yash Pal Committee] 1993), the document
emphasized developing concepts and the ability to analyze
sociopolitical realities rather than on the mere retention of
information without comprehension. Though memorizing
facts is often boring and burdensome for schoolchildren,
facts cannot be discarded on this ground only. Knowledge of
useful and interesting facts is important, as they constitute
the edifice for the development of concepts, generalizations,
and theories. Some facts are also intrinsically interesting in
themselves. For example, knowledge about distant peoples,
places,, and environments helps students broaden their geographical horizon and prepares them to appreciate the existing similarities and differences on Earths surface as well.
The second reason that is generally given by the curriculum planners relates to the overlapping of topics and
themes in social studies in the schools. In this context, it is
important to note that the objective of school education is
as much on learning information as it is on comprehending
concepts, methods, perspectives, and acquiring skills used
in different disciplines. A topic can be a subject of study of
many disciplines. However, all disciplines see the problem
through their own lenses. Therefore, a reduction of load
cannot be logically justified merely on these grounds.
Can there be any unstated reason behind this move? It
is important to note that the issue of curriculum load
reduction has been discussed in the social science section
of the curriculum only. In this context, Y. Singh (1986, 103)
has made an important observation:
In cultural modernization through education often more positive value is associated
with learning of physical and biological
sciences, medicines, and engineering rather
than the humanities and social sciences.
The reason for this association is not only
that science education has [a] more modernizing effect than [the] arts but because
this education creates manpower which is
indispensable for economic and industrial
growth. Nevertheless, if the education of a
substantial profession in science and engineering contributes to modernization of society, education in the humanities and social
sciences contributes to the modernization
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of man. One must not be considered less

significant than others.
Whatever the reasons for reducing curriculum loads,
curriculum integration is questionable both on theoretical
and practical grounds. The integration of different subjects is an intellectually challenging task as it requires
the preservation of differences between subjects without
interfering with their underlying relationships. It becomes
even more difficult when one intends to integrate subjects
that have diverse philosophical foundations, like history (a
chronological science), geography (a chorological science),
and political science, economics, and sociology (systematic
sciences). History and geography may be thought of as
not having their own subject matters of study; rather,
they are distinguished by their methods of study. History
deals with changes through time while geography deals
with variations on Earths surface. On the other hand,
civics, economics, and sociology have their own subject
matters of study. Integrating such dissimilar disciplines is
an exceedingly difficult task. There is no guarantee that
the basic concepts of individual disciplines will get due
attention in the integrated situation. Similarly, one is not
sure that integrated learning puts children in the optimum
learning situation. It also raises concern about how the
teacher will cope with the demands of instructing students
in an extremely amorphous field of social sciences.
Some important issues are worth examining purely
from the point of view of geography. Experiences from
several countries suggest that integrated curriculum can
have negative implications on the quality of geography
education in the school. It has been found that in countries
where geography has been integrated with social studies
disciplines it has usually lost the natural connection with
the physical sciences and become a minor component of the
broader field of social sciences. In some cases, geographic
instruction is attenuated to the extent that is serves merely
as a source of examples for historical instruction. Bednarzs
(1998, 86) study of integrated curriculum in the state of
Virginia in the United States, for example, points out that,
Geography appears as a way to make history concrete, not
as a tool of analysis or a discipline deserving of study in and
of itself. Students will be directed to trace the routes that
map colonial possession and describe geographical features
of many places, but not to use geography to understand
the past, present, and future. Further, teaching integrated
social sciences would also imply that a single teacher (who
may not have required training to teach geography) may be
given the responsibility to teach geography in combination
with history, civics, and economics. It is important to note
that the teaching of geography requires some specialized
skills like the construction of a scale, drawing, reading and
interpretation of maps, and conducting fieldwork, among
others. In the absence of trained geography teachers, practical geography would be further marginalized in school
curricula. Thus, it seems that the geography curriculum was
prepared by the NCFSE (NCERT 2000) on the assumption
246

that anyone can teach geographyan assumption that

will not result in the kind of geography that honors or
best represents our science, or prepares our students to
face the challenges of an increasingly diverse, troubled, and
complex world (Gritzner 2004, 44).
Another major problem that is likely to arise with
an integrated social studies curriculum is the neglect of
physical geography. There is a broad agreement within the
geographical community that physical geography constitutes the bedrock of the discipline. The serious study of
the subject cannot begin without the findings of physical
geography; the play cannot proceed without a stage and it
is a stage, be it noted, which plays a much larger part in the
action than in theatrical performances (Wooldridge and
East 1966, 26). Therefore, geography education in schools
requires striking a balance between geography as a physical
science and as a social science. An awareness of the
intricate relationships between man and his environment
is a major realm of scholarly investigation and informed
concern on the part of all men who profess to be educated.
A heightened understanding of such relationships can be
gained only through a disciplined investigation of both
sides of the fence, the natural environment, physical and
biotic; and the human or cultural one. As a discipline geography endeavors to maintain this perspective (Aschmann
1962, 284).
It must be noted that geology as a discipline has never
been taught as a separate subject in Indian schools. Lessons
on the interior of Earth, as well as on processes and features
of Earth, which constitute subject matters of geology, were
taught in physical geography classes. Similarly, elementary
lessons in astronomy were also given in physical geography
classes. In a scenario where geography is amalgamated into
the social sciences, children would be placed at risk of not
learning about relations of Earth with other celestial bodies
and the nature of physical and biotic features and process
of Earths surface.
Another controversial recommendation has been that of
the NCF (NCERT 2005). The controversy in this case relates
to the documents proposal for a more focused study of
India and its regions while remaining noncommittal on the
need for the study of world geography. This is discussed in
the next section.

GEOGRAPHY IN THE NCF (NCERT 2005):

ASCENDANCY OF LOCAL STUDIES
The NCF (NCERT 2005) was prepared to address the
concerns of a large number of Indian academicians about
the NCFSE (NCERT 2000). A majority of social scientists
were unhappy with the integrated social studies curriculum, both on theoretical and practical grounds. They
strongly protested against this integrated curriculum in
both popular and academic media. In view of the strong
resentment expressed by social scientists, the NCF (NCERT
2005) reverted to the pre-NCFSE (NCERT 2000) framework,
wherein all subjects grouped under the social sciences

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Recent Trends in School Geography in India

would no longer be taught in integrated manner. If the NCF

(NCERT 2005) brought positive changes by recommending
independent teaching of geography, it ignored a very
important aspect of school geography. The document
clearly undermined one of the basic objectives of geography
education by not including world geography.
The debate over local geography versus world geography
in school curricula is not new. Back in 1975 the NCERT document The Curriculum for the Ten-Year School had strongly
advocated in favor of the study of world geography.
The document stated that the development of national
consciousness and the development of international understanding should be one simultaneous process. Tolerance,
friendship, cooperation and peace between nations are
possible only with a proper appreciation of each countrys
contribution to the world (NCERT 1975, 4). Elsewhere it
stated that the geography curriculum should bring home
to the pupils the interdependence of various regions of the
country and the world. They should begin to appreciate
that it is only through sharing with others that the peoples
of the world can really enjoy the blessings of the mother
earth ( 22).
A decade later the National Curriculum for Elementary
and Secondary Education: A Framework (NCERT 1988) reemphasized the value and importance of world geography.
The document suggested that the school curriculum, while
promoting national identity and unity should also strive to
create among the pupils an awareness of the necessity to
promote peace and understanding between nations for the
prosperity of all mankind. The curriculum should reflect
some of the major issues facing the world. . . it will have
to make the pupils aware of the concept of world as a
family of nations, the distinct culture of each nation and the
interdependence among nations. . . the school curriculum
[should enable the student]. . . to see himself/herself as a
member of the new and emerging international community
of mankind (1988, 6).
These objectives had to be fulfilled particularly through
the geography and civics curriculum. But, both the NCFSE
(NCERT 2000) and the NCF (NCERT 2005) have ignored
the study of world geography and its implications in
terms of developing an international perspective among
schoolchildren. Instead, they have focused exclusively on
the study of India and her contribution to the world.
Local studies can be considered as important for imparting
geographical concepts, skills, and values, but these alone
cannot constitute the subject matter of geography. It is
absolutely true that the teaching of geography by giving
examples from childrens surroundings would help them
to comprehend the disciplines concepts and skills. What,
however, is equally important is to teach about other
geographical regions of the world, particularly in this era
of globalization.
One of the main complaints about regional geography
has been that it puts an unnecessary burden on students
by forcing them to learn in a dull and boring fashion. It
is indeed desirable that the teaching of the subject should

be freed from the excessive factual burden that puts an

unnecessary burden on its students. However, the fact
that world geography is sometimes taught in a dull and
dreary fashion does not justify removing it from the school
syllabus. In fact, this problem arises because there has been
an ad hoc approach to the study of world geography,
without any serious thought on its pedagogy. World
geography textbooks have been very poorly presented.
Poor pedagogy adds to the problem. However, it must be
acknowledged that writing and teaching about regions of
the world is a difficult art to master. Therefore, we need
good world geography textbooks, maps, and atlases as well
as teacher training to improve its teaching. We can ill afford
to ignore world geography. If we remove world geography
from schools, the ability to think about the world and
imagine it as a mosaic of peoples, places, and environments
will diminish in the minds of the future citizens of India.
Therefore, world geography needs to be refocused in view
of increased connectivity across geographical space.
One point that must be repeatedly stressed is that
inclusion of world geography will contribute in developing
a more sensitive perspective towards different regions. If it
is valid for children from countries other than India to be
taught the geography of India, then it can be asked why
Indian children should be denied their right to learn about
the geography of other regions of the world. To illustrate
this point, a comparison of the levels of geographical
literacy in the United States and India can be mentioned
here. In the United States, geography is not a compulsory
school subject. It is taught as part of the broader social
studies. On the other hand, geography has always been a
major school subject in India. It is only natural that among
young Americans the level of geographical literacy has been
found to be lower compared to Indian students (Sukhwal
1984, 228). Recent surveys also show that geography
knowledge among students in the United States ranks far
below that of students in such countries as Japan, the United
Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. Even worse, the level of
geographical knowledge among U.S. youth has declined
over the years, so much so that many children cannot read
maps or locate states, cities, or important physical features,
even in the United States itself (Shirey n.d.).
In this context, David Harvey (2001, 210) quotes Martha
Nussbaum to emphasize the critical importance of geography education in the contemporary world. Nussbaum
complains how the United States is unable to look at itself
through the lens of the other, and, as a consequence, [is]
equally ignorant of itself precisely because the population
is so appallingly ignorant of the rest of the world. In order
to conduct any adequate global dialogue, she continues,
We need knowledge not only of the geography and ecology of other nations
something that would already entail much
revision of our curriculabut also a
great deal about other people, so that in
talking with them we may be capable
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Sarfaraz Alam

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of respecting their traditions and commitments. Cosmopolitan education would

supply the background necessary for this
deliberation. (Nussbaum, cited in Harvey
2001, 210)
Knowledge and understanding about the geography of
the world can be useful for students of other disciplines
as well. A student wishing to learn about the growth of
the British Empire should necessarily develop an understanding of the location and geographical surroundings
of Great Britain. Similarly, a student of political science
intending to learn about federalism in India must develop
knowledge of its highly multifaceted regional geography
to develop knowledge and sensitivity about the necessity
of federalism. Similar examples can be cited from the
disciplines of economics and sociology as well.
Neglect of world geography may also hamper childrens
understanding of their local surroundings. On the contrary,
the study of different regions and countries would only help
in enhancing childrens knowledge and understanding of
their local situations.
Doing local studies of ones home base
is good and necessary but alone it is not
enough. It may be a place to start but from
that local base we need also to be able
to trace out and understand its intricate
connections to the wider world. We need to
develop a global understanding of the local.
Quite apart from anything else, if we do not
have that we shall never even understand
how the local place comes to be as it is.
(Massey 1999, 264)
A sound knowledge of world geography would enrich
international understanding and enhance goodwill among
different peoples of the world. On the other hand, lack of
knowledge about other peoples, places, and environments
may lead to the development of parochialism, intolerance,
and prejudice among children. Lessons in world geography
also increase childrens awareness about global interdependence and connectivity.
. . . each of our lives, places and societies
is constituted through wider geographies,
and yet that in itself can hide the interrelations on which we depend: the other
peoples and societies whose lives are inextricably linked to our own, whose actions
have consequences for us and who are
themselves affected by decisions of our
own. (Massey 1999, 264)
Knowledge and understanding about world geography
enlarges pupils horizons by allowing them to journey in
their imagination into the geographically varied areas of
the world. The study of geography books, globes, and
maps takes pupils far and wide in its description of
human lives and peoples activities as they relate to varying
248

conditions of physical, spatial, and built environments.

Different communities have evolved these practices over a
long period of time, according to the specific circumstances
of their relationship with the natural environment. In this
way, it is the right of every child to know how different
peoples, places, and the environment of the Earth look, and
are different from or similar to them.

THE WAY FORWARD

Among geographys academic credentials is the manner
in which it can captivate students interests in peoples,
places, and environments. Johnston (1985, 334) argued that
geographys raison detre should be to develop appreciation of the great variety of cultures that comprise the
contemporary world, and to show how in each society these
have evolved and are evolvingas a specific response to
environment, to place and people. According to Preston
E. James (1971, 333334), geography sharpens our world
understanding in four unique ways: (i) geography presents
an effective treatment of the land factor in the study of
man-land relationships; (ii) geography places emphasis
on the significance to the man of the differences which
occur from place to place on the surface of the earth;
(iii) geography teaches the reading and understanding
of the map; and (iv) geography develops the capacity
of out-of-door observation. In addition the function of
[school] geography is to train future citizens to imagine accurately the condition of the great world stage
and so help them to think sanely about political and
social problems in the world around (Fairgrieve 1926,
18).
In view of these reasons, geography merits an independent position in the framework of Indian school
education. However, if one looks at the recommendations
made by NCFSE (NCERT 2000) and NCF (NCERT 2005),
one cannot help but feel the lack of sensitivity towards
school geography. The on-again, off-again integration of
geography in social studies and the manifest neglect of
world geography marginalize the discipline in school
curricula and hamper the very purpose of teaching the
discipline. Teaching geography as a separate subject with
a strong component of world regions would be a far more
practical approach.
There is no doubt about the fact that children learn
best through firsthand experiences that can be gained by
studying the geography of their local community. However,
these experiences should not be an end in themselves;
rather these should be linked to the understanding of
regional and world situations. Every attempt should be
made to give the child an understanding of the relationships
between the home area and other parts of the world
(Gault 1962). The ever-increasing interconnectedness and
interdependencies among the countries of the world, the
increase in travel facilities in an ever shrinking world, the
growing complexities of international problems, increasing
disparities in levels of development at all geographical
scales, and continuing degradation and depletion of natural

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Recent Trends in School Geography in India

resources, have all made the study of geography far

more relevant than ever. However, it is also important to
emphasize that there is a need for a fundamental change in
the way we teach world geography.
In conclusion, the contemporary world is linked into
an international network of transportation and communication. This has facilitated large-scale movements of
people, goods, services, and information across national
boundaries with ease. As a major player in the international
economy and polity, India can ill afford to keep her citizens
geographically illiterate. On the contrary, geographically
literate citizens with sound knowledge of Indias geographical variety and plurality as well as that of different
parts of the world would go a long way in making India
a better place. Well-planned geography education at all
levels will help to make young minds more aware of
other countries and cultures and prepare them to take their
place in the world. Teaching geography as a part of social
studies would undermine geographys educational role.
Therefore, its position as an independent subject must be
maintained.

NOTES
1. NCERT is the organization in India that prepares
course curriculum, syllabi, textbooks, and supplemental reading material for school from primary
level to higher secondary level (class XII).
2. The terms social sciences and social studies are used
interchangeably in this article.
3. The Kothari Commission also suggested that Earth
sciences should be introduced in the secondary
schools, geology and geography being taught as
an integrated subject. There are also many areas
in chemistry, physics, and biology in which certain
Earth science topics can naturally be related.

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