New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has slashed the syllabi for Classes 9 to 12 by one third for the 2020-21 academic year as the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Considering the importance of learning achievement, it has been decided to rationalise syllabus up to 30 per cent by retaining core concepts,” Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal announced yesterday.

A CBSE statement said that the revision of the syllabi was a measure taken due to the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and in different parts of the world. It said the prevailing situation had resulted in the loss of classroom teaching due to the closure of schools.

“The heads of schools and teachers may ensure that the topics that have been reduced are also explained to the students to the extent required to connect different topics,” the CBSE said.

However, the reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for internal assessment and the year-end Board examination, the CBSE said. The changes in the syllabi have been finalised by the respective Course Committees with the approval of the Curriculum Committee and the Governing Body of the Board.

The Home Ministry guidelines have barred schools from re-opening till July 31. However, schools do not expect to reopen at least until October as the COVID-19 outbreak showed no signs of abating.