The document discusses the need for universities to adopt scientific principles of curriculum development when designing their syllabus documents. Currently, university syllabi are lacking important information and not meeting stakeholder expectations. Proper curriculum documents should include objectives, assessment guidelines, time allocation and resource requirements. Adopting curriculum development practices could help reform university teaching and examinations by creating more valid and reliable question papers. Universities should learn from the curriculum development cells in Maharashtra polytechnics to improve their syllabus documents.

1. UNIVERSITIES SHALL ADOPT THE SCIENTIFIC
METHODOLOGY OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
By
Dr. Sunil G. Deshpande.
B.E. (Mech), M. Tech. (Curr. Devp), D.B.M., M.B.A., Ph. D. (BMA), MIE, MISTE
Assistant Secretary (Tech)
Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education, Mumbai
Sgd_gd@rediffmail.com
Prologue: -
The paper is out of syllabus? We want revaluation? This is the common shout of
the students of University Education System. One may say that this is very common with every
education and examination system, what can we do for it? No doubt this is common cry-out of
the students, but how many universities have given a serious though to this issue? In fact it is
obligatory on the part of universities to look into this issue when students community asking for
such demand. Will it possible for universities to reduce this regular shout o student?
When we consider this issue on the background of Curriculum Development Theory &
Principles the answer is positive. Using curriculum development principles there is ample scope
to reform the design and structure of their syllabus contents with a blend of curriculum
principles. In Maharashtra State, with the adaptation of Scientific Principles of Curriculum
Development, the curriculum contents of the Technician (Polytechnic) Education System have
undergone vital reforms, and now their curriculum documents are more responsive to the
stakeholder’s requirements also.
What is Validity and Reliability of Student’s Assessment: -
The validity and reliability of any assessment or examination tool is more important in order to
make effective assessment of the student. Now when student shouting about “Paper is out of
syllabus” means he is asking about the validity of question paper. When students are
demanding for revaluation of answer sheets means they are asking about the reliability of
question paper.
So what is validity of question paper? what is reliability of question paper? How many
universities have given the serious thought to this issue, answer is perhaps no. As a matter of
fact challenging the sanctity of question paper in terms of its validity and reliability by the student
community makes it obligatory on the part of university authorities to take care of this issue.
The stakeholders of Technical education system
Like any education system there are stakeholders of technical education system also. The
various stakeholders of technical education system and their expectation from syllabus
document are given in table below.
As shown in table the Students, Parents, Teachers, Examiners, Administrators, Industries,
Professional bodies etc. are the major stakeholders of Technical Education System. These

2. stakeholders have their own expectations from various programmes and its syllabus document.
Some of such expectations are listed in table below
Stakeholders Expectations form syllabus documents
Students What is expected out of me?
Teachers Up to how much depth I shall teach?
Examiner What to assess? How to assess? When to assess?
Administrators Which type of resources shall we provide and why?
Industries Which type of students I will get? What are their skills profiles?
Professional bodies What is credibility of programme? Whether programmes are accredited?
The real question is that how many university syllabi (of various programmes) are in a position
to give information desired by these stakeholders thereby fulfilling their expectations?
Unfortunately again the answer is NO. When this is true why the universities are not adopting
the scientific system of curriculum development? Why they are still adopting the old and out
dated method of syllabus preparation? In the context of changing scenario and accountability it
is better that universities shall seriously think about bringing the reforms in the designing and
drafting of their program contents and prepare a document which is more user (stakeholder)
friendly. This document is called as “Curriculum Document.” By adopting the curriculum
development principles universities with their expert teaching faculties can easily and effectively
prepare such curriculum document.
What is Curriculum: - The curriculum is a comprehensive and broad concept. Syllabus may be
considered to be part of curriculum may be called as curriculum document. I fact curriculum
development is a continuous process. To make the concept more clear let us examine few
definitions of curriculum.
• Curriculum is composed of all experiences that student have under he guidance of
teachers. (Cazewell & Cambell, 1936)
• All learning, which is planned and guided by school whether, it is carried out in a group
or individually inside or out side the school (Kerr, J.)
• A curriculum is an offering of socially valued knowledge, skills and attitude made
available to the students through a variety of arrangements during the time they are at
schools, colleges or Universities. (Open University)
From all the above definitions one can say that “Curriculum is an instructional programme
design and implemented to achieve certain specified educational objectives.”
Curriculum Development process: -
The technology development is a continuous process so the process of curriculum development
is also continuous. The curriculum development process covers curriculum design, curriculum
development, and curriculum implementation and curriculum evaluations also. Now it is
necessary to see the each of this section details.

3. Features of Curriculum Document: -
As stated above the syllabus is a part of curriculum. Syllabus may be called as a curriculum
document. However the curriculum document is a specific document in a curriculum
development process. It has its own specific features. The syllabus to be qualified as a
curriculum document must posses following features.
There are various features of curriculum documents. All these features are vital as they provide
the main source of information to many stakeholders of technical education system
Important Features of Curriculum Document:
• Rationale: - The rationale is very important contents of curriculum document. Rationale
is similar to preface of any textbook, as it tells why this document is prepared, how it
should be used. It gives brief information to various stakeholders about what
educational aims are to achieved how it should be achieved and which methodology
shall be adopt for its achievements. Most of the syllabus documents of universities are
missing this feature. The rationale take care of the need f
• General Objectives Specific Objectives of the Programme: -The general objectives
are giving the broad idea to the students as well as teachers about the expectation from
student after learning a particular subject. In short it will spell out the ability of students
in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude at the end of the course. The general
objectives are further divided into specific objectives, wherein the behavior of student is
measurable and observable. The specific objectives will help teachers and student both
as it embarks the specific area of learning and assessment.
In each subject, there are units, units contain chapters, chapters contains topic and in
each topic there are sub-topic. Now the curriculum development principles advocates
that specific objectives are to be set at sub-topic level by the teachers while performing
teaching learning process. The difficulty level of questions will be set as per the difficulty
level of pre-set objectives. This will guide teachers/examiner in assessment part to a
great extent.
The specification table can be prepare for each subject, which if supplied to paper setter
will helps him lot in designing good question paper with lot of validity and reliability.
• Teaching & Examination Scheme: -This is an important part of curriculum document
for teachers, student and examiners. The scheme contains the details of formative and
summative assessment. The time allotted for completion of subject will assist teacher in
planning his teaching –learning activities and allotment of marks will guide the teacher,
examiner about the validity of assessment.
• Formative and Summative Assessment: -One of the important characteristics of
curriculum document is to guide the teacher about the formative and summative
assessment or evaluation. The formative assessment is also called as Continuous
assessment and summative assessment is goes by the name End examination.
The need of formative assessment is very high as it gives feedback to the teachers
about the formation of student up to certain level of expectation set by him as a subject
teacher. It also gives some feedback to the teacher about improvement (If Necessary)
in teaching learning methodology adopted by him in classroom, laboratory workshop

4. and field etc. The summative assessment is in fact the assessment of your formative
assessment hence it is also equally important.
• Guidelines for Instructional Strategies: - The curriculum document also guides to the
teachers about suitable instructional strategies to be used in classroom, laboratories etc
in order to make effective learning among the students. These guidelines are helpful in
uniform implementation of curriculum. The teacher is treated as “Classroom Manager”
so these guides are not mandatory but advisory in nature. The new teacher entrant may
find these guidelines very much useful for his teaching learning methodologies.
• Guidelines for Assessments: - The guidelines for assessment are also given in
curriculum document. These guide lines give in-sight to the teachers as well as
examiners abut the difficulty level of questions to be set or asked to the students as per
the predetermined objectives of that subject or unit or chapter or topic or even subtopic
level.
Generally the difficulty level of question is determined while designing the curriculum
contents and the objectives set for the accomplishment of the student. These entire
things are prescribed in what is called as “Specification Table.” The Specification Table
is fulfilling the expectations of teacher and examiners.
• Resources Required: - Curriculum document also give necessary information about
the requirement of various resources to the teacher examiners. The Administrators will
get the idea about the necessary quantity and quality of resources required in the
educational institutes
• Time Allocation & Weightage of Marks: - The time allocation for each content of the
subject and Weightage of Marks to each topic is very vital and necessary information for
students as well as teachers. This information will helps teachers to plan his teaching
schedule and also for students to prepare his programme of study.
What Universities Syllabi document missing?
If we carefully go through syllabus documents of universities, the various vital things are missing
in their documents like no mention of Rationale, General Objectives and Specific Objectives,
Chapter wise Time and Marks allocation. Specification table, Guide lines for Instructional
strategies, Guidelines for assessment, Resources required for implementation of syllabus etc.
Are syllabus documents of universities are obsolete?
Unfortunately the answer to this question is YES. The present format and structure of syllabus
documents of universities are lacking various important information, which makes them not
suitable for its stakeholders. These documents are not satisfying the expectation of their
stakeholders. In fact they are not user friendly too.

5. Its High Time For Universities To Adopt The Practices of Curriculum Development:
Looking at the various discrepancies present in universities syllabi document, it is now high time
for them to give serious thought to this issue and the problems associated with their
teaching and examination system. The universities shall also bring reforms in their
syllabus document. In Maharashtra around 50 teachers are working in various
Government Polytechnic have acquired specialization in the area of Curriculum
Development. University authorities can seek helps and guidance from these teachers.
Most of the Government autonomous polytechnic institutes in Maharashtra State have
separate Curriculum Development cell, which is frequently doing the activities of
curriculum development for their diploma, post diplomas Advance diploma programme. If
universities can approach to these institutions the CDC cell will definitely extend a hand of
cooperation for the noble cause of betterment of students.
Dr. Sunil G. Deshpande.

6. Its High Time For Universities To Adopt The Practices of Curriculum Development:
Looking at the various discrepancies present in universities syllabi document, it is now high time
for them to give serious thought to this issue and the problems associated with their
teaching and examination system. The universities shall also bring reforms in their
syllabus document. In Maharashtra around 50 teachers are working in various
Government Polytechnic have acquired specialization in the area of Curriculum
Development. University authorities can seek helps and guidance from these teachers.
Most of the Government autonomous polytechnic institutes in Maharashtra State have
separate Curriculum Development cell, which is frequently doing the activities of
curriculum development for their diploma, post diplomas Advance diploma programme. If
universities can approach to these institutions the CDC cell will definitely extend a hand of
cooperation for the noble cause of betterment of students.
Dr. Sunil G. Deshpande.