UP Board set to tweak norms for science labs of its schools
The UP Board has decided to revise norms of labs for new schools seeking affiliation with it as well as for the existing over 28,000 odd schools already affiliated to it.
Now schools vying to get affiliated to Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Parishad, commonly called UP Board, will have to meet stricter norms for their science labs.
These institutions would need to ensure that their labs have all necessary equipment, gadgets and chemicals. Even already affiliated schools would also need to ensure that their labs meet these new criterions, inform officials.
The UP Board has decided to revise norms of labs for new schools seeking affiliation with it as well as for the existing over 28,000 odd schools already affiliated to it.
The board has begun the process of finalising new ‘minimum-required’ norms for science labs of these schools and has formed a committee to recommend minimum necessary space, set of equipment, salts, lab staff that these schools would have to ensure in their labs, say officials.
UP Board secretary Neena Srivastava said a meeting of the committee of science experts was convened at the board headquarters on October 3 as a step towards framing new norms for the science labs of schools affiliated to it for chemistry, physics and biology.
“Based on the recommendations of the experts, we will seek approval of the state government on them before introducing the revised norms for science labs of schools wishing to get affiliated with us,” she said.
The UP Board secretary made clear that the already affiliated schools would also be asked to adhere to these new revised guidelines.
Presently, the schools seeking affiliation to UP Board are required to ensure that their labs have gadgets worth at least Rs 25,000.
However keeping in the mind the present day needs, this norm is also in for an upgrade, say officials aware of the development.
The need for the revision has been felt owing to the fact that the old norms are now quite old and in 2018 the board also embraced new curriculum based on National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus which necessitates better equipped labs in schools, claim officials.
