The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) should consider replacing the name ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ in textbooks for classes 5 to 12, a high-level panel for social sciences, constituted by NCERT has proposed, the committee’s chairperson CI Issac was quoted as saying by news agency PTI and several other media outlets said on October 25.
Other propsed changes include introducing "classical history" instead of "ancient history" in the curriculum and including the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) in the syllabus for all subjects, according to reports.
However, the Ministry of Education has so far issued no comment on the matter.
NCERT Committee recommends replacing India with 'Bharat' in all school textbooks. pic.twitter.com/prFn1s5wGZ
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2023
According to PTI, NCERT officials have said that no decision has been taken yet on the panel's recommendations. "The committee has unanimously recommended that the name 'Bharat' should be used in textbooks for students across classes. We have also recommended introducing 'classical history' instead of 'ancient history' in the textbooks," Isaac told the news agency.
He said the committee has also recommended highlighting "Hindu victories" in various battles in the textbooks. "Our failures are presently mentioned in the textbooks. But our victories over the Mughals and sultans are not," Isaac, who is also a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), added.
The recommendations come as the NCERT is revising the curriculum of the school textbooks in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The council recently constituted a 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) to finalise the curriculum, textbooks and learning material for these classes.
Other members of the committee include ICHR Chairperson Raghuvendra Tanwar, Vandana Mishra, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Vasant Shinde, former vice-chancellor of the Deccan College Deemed University, and Mamta Yadav, who teaches sociology in a Haryana government school.
Earlier in August, the government announced major changes in the education curriculum framework as part of which students would be allowed to appear for board exams twice a year and retain the best score.
“Board exams will be offered at least twice a year to ensure students have enough time and opportunity to perform well. Students can then appear for a board exam in subjects they have completed and feel ready for. They will also be allowed to retain the best score,” the Education Ministry had then said.
The new curriculum, in accordance with NEP, is ready and textbooks will be developed on its basis for the 2024 academic session, officials said.
(With inputs from PTI)
(Edited by : Amrita)
First Published: Oct 25, 2023 2:11 PM IST
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