Republic Day Today: How Many Know Salient Features?

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Constitutional literacy should be made a compulsory part of school syllabus. That will enable the students to understand the key provisions and the basic values of the constitution and help them become better citizens of the country, city’s educationists say. 

The Constitution is the subject-matter of a big debate in the country but our students have little to no knowledge of what it says. Social science textbooks for Class 6-10 do contain some details, but they are mainly with reference to the political system, Parliament, government structure.

Assistant professor of political science at Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal, Kulveer Singh Chauhan said knowledge about Constitution was part of general knowledge that each one of us should have. Moreover, Constitution has much to do with our life.

So, it should be made a compulsory for all students as a subject.  “The Constitution does not figure prominently in the syllabus. It is limited to one or two chapters. We normally teach the basics of constitutional values from Class 6 to 10,” he said, adding, “constitutional literacy is must for everyone. We can’t do anything without the knowledge of constitutional law.”   

He, however, said NCERT was now focusing more on the Constitution. Educationist BN Trishal said Constitution should be mandatorily taught in schools. “The students should know that if Constitution gives them some rights, it also casts some duties on them,” he added.   

“The Constitution of India is so big that it can’t be covered in a text book. Basic knowledge of the Constitution is given to students of different classes through different chapters,” Rajya Shiksha Kendra PRO Amitabh Anuragi said. Preamble of Constitution is published on back cover pages of books of all subjects for Class 1-12.