Since its formation in 1961, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has updated its textbooks many times. In the last six years it has made three rounds of major modifications in its history, political science, and sociology textbooks for Classes 6-12. But this time, the NCERT’s tampering with textbooks has drawn widespread condemnation because experts are of the opinion that certain passages have been erased intentionally to indoctrinate young minds.
Additionally, it is also thought that by eliminating particular literature, NCERT is corrupting young minds and threatening diversity and pluralism. And it also goes against the spirit and promise of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The latest is the elimination reference of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was a freedom fighter and the first Education Minister of Independent India. The NCERT has faced criticism for eliminating references to him from the Class 11 political science textbook. As part of the NCERT’s “syllabus rationalisation” effort in June 2022, the references were eliminated from the textbooks.Also, lessons on a number of other subjects, such as the Gujarat riots, Mughal courts, Emergency, Cold War, and the Naxalite movement were erased from textbooks.
Dr. Ranjit Singh Ghuman, Professor of Eminence, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, while reacting on the changes made in the NCERT textbooks, said, “Ever since its establishment in 1961, the NCERT has been reviewing and modifying the national curriculum framework from time to time but never in the past it has attracted so much attention and criticism as the most recent changes did. It is mainly because of changes and deletions of certain sections in subjects of history and civics.”
Prof.Ghuman added, “A number of renowned historians are of the views that the recent changes have been effected with some ulterior political or ideological motives as those are aimed at deleting certain ‘unwanted and inconvenient’ contents in the curriculum. The situation warrants a plausible response by the NCERT and the government. It needs to be understood that history is not only about the kings and rulers belonging to a particular religion or region but also discusses the then contemporary social, economic and political systems knowledge about which is imperative to learn from history.”
Prof.Ghumansuggested,“The deletions or additions in the curriculum should, thus, be effected with a liberal approach and an utmost sincerity as framing of curriculum is a serious business and has long-term implications for future growth of knowledge.”
Sharing the concern, MM Ansari, Ex-UGC member, said, “What is intended to be gained by teaching about the communal riots of 1984 and other social crimes committed under the rule of the Congress Party but omitting the paragraphs on the Gujarat riots of 2002, which led to unprecedented crimes and human rights violationsagainst Muslims, is not clear. Is it also fair to exclude references to the forces and people connected to the RSS who are suspected of being responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s murder? RSS was outlawed by the then-home minister, Sardar Patel, for its anti-national activities. Writing school textbooks with racial connotations may result in a divided and split society, which could harm national cohesion and the growth of democracy.”
As per the statement issued by the President and the Secretary of Indian History Congress, official distortions of History through new Syllabi and changes in the textbooks are unacceptable. The Indian History Congress, from its very foundation nearly nine decades ago, has remained committed to pursuing the cause of providing an accurate and comprehensive portrayal of the history of this country. It has, therefore, been greatly alarmed by the changes in the History syllabi and textbooks that have recently been effected by central official agencies, leading to a plainly prejudiced and irrational perception of our past.
“The University Grants Commission in the draft syllabus it has framed for the Bachelor’s course for History, claims for India the “honour” of being the Aryan homeland, deems the Epics as possible historical chronicles and excluded all reference to caste system in its ancient India portion. In fact, it expressly treats the caste system as an institution arising after the coming of Islam. The Mughal emperor Akbar along with his policy of religious tolerance between various religions is totally excluded from the syllabus. The students in the Bachelor’s course would not thus learn of any cultural or intellectual developments of the Mughal era (neither Kabir, nor Tulsidas nor Abul Fazl)!,” the statement says.
“Now the same process of misrepresentation has been introduced in the prescribed History textbooks by omitting whole sections, along with individual passages and sentences (or parts thereof) in the prescribed textbooks. These include wholesale omission of the narrative of the Mughal dynasty which gave India political unity for such a long period, and sundry other deletions of statements that are held to be inconsistent with the narrow communalist formulations favoured by the present regime. Even the narrative of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination has been trifled with,” it reads.
“The Indian History Congress recalls its own effort twenty years ago when it published a volume assessing critically the History textbooks then published by NCERT, pointing out their various errors and misjudgements. They were subsequently withdrawn. It is now necessary for all historians, loyal to the rational and scientific nature and purpose of their profession, to stand up and make it clear those such distortions of History as the NCERT has now sought to spread through its deletions and revisions are simply unacceptable,” the statement reads.
Sajid Nomani, who is working with Business Services Company, said, “The recent changes made in the NCERT textbooks have sparked a lot of debate and discussion. While some people are of the opinion that these changes are necessary for the betterment of education, others feel that it goes against the spirit and promise of NEP. The NEP 2020 is a comprehensive policy document which outlines India’s vision for education in the 21st century. It promises to make education more accessible, equitable, and inclusive. However, with these recent changes in NCERT textbooks, it seems like this promise may be at risk.”
He added, “The reactions to these changes have been mixed. Some people feel that they are necessary for making education more relevant to the current times while others think that they go against the spirit of NEP 2020.”