A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college.

Most nations require students from different regions to study different curricula. Whether all students should be taught the same curriculum till high school or not is an interesting question. One should look at the advantages and disadvantages of such a recommendation to assess the context where it may be suitable.

A single nationwide curriculum can bring about uniformity of standards and quality in schools. Moreover, this would facilitate comparison among students, as everyone will be measured by the same scale. Thus, when the students go to college, they will have received similar educational training, especially in the objective, basic sciences such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.

In addition, following the same curriculum will aid in inter-school or intra-country migration: students would not need to be concerned about learning a different curriculum if they change schools or move to another state within the country.

Having assessed the merits of a national curriculum, one should also consider the demerits of this recommendation. Undermining regional diversities is the foremost among the disadvantages that should be discussed. In culturally rich and diverse countries such as India, it is imperative that the high school curriculum should reflect the differences in languages and cultures. At least till the high school level, students should be encouraged to study regional languages, and learn more about the history, geography and culture of their home-states/regions. Introducing the same curriculum for all students would make this difficult.

In sum, it may be asserted that requiring all students to study the same national curriculum is not without advantages: it can foster uniformity of teaching and evaluation standards and training and fluidity in movement. However, large and diverse nations also need to make its youth aware of the rich cultural heritage, a goal, that a national curriculum may be unable to deliver. To conclude, it might be a good idea to have a uniform syllabus for mathematics and sciences; however, region-specific social sciences and languages should also be included, so that the cultural diversity of a nation is preserved.