A group of 73 academicians, including vice chancellors of central universities, directors of NITs, and chairpersons of IIMs, criticised the removal of names from the NCERT textbook amidst a controversy. They described this action as a “spectacle” orchestrated by certain individuals who are “arrogant and self-interested.” Furthermore, they accused this move of disrupting the crucial process of updating the curriculum, which is urgently needed. Previously, Yogendra Yadav and Suhas Palshikar, both academicians and political scientists who were part of the NCERT’s textbook development committee, had requested the council to exclude their names from the textbooks due to “several significant revisions of the original texts,” according to an official statement.
In the past three months, there have been deliberate attempts to malign the NCERT, a leading public institution, and disrupt the much-needed process for curriculum updation. “Academicians trying to capture media attention through this name-withdrawal spectacle seem to have forgotten that textbooks are an outcome of collective intellectual engagement and rigorous efforts,” the statement said.
The scholars who have suggested the changes in the textbook have not suggested any epistemic rupture in the existing domain of knowledge but just rationalised the course content as per contemporary knowledge need. “As regards the decision of who decides what is unacceptable and what is desirable it is argued that every new generation has the right to make additions/deletion to the existing knowledge base,” the statement added.
“Through misinformation, rumours and false allegations, they want to derail the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) and disrupt the updation of NCERT textbooks. Their demand that students continue to study from 17-year-old textbooks rather than updated textbooks in sync with contemporary developments and pedagogical advancement reveals intellectual arrogance,” the joint statement said.
“In their quest to further their political agenda, they are ready to endanger the future of crores of children across the country. While students are eagerly awaiting updated textbooks, these academicians are continuing to create hurdles and derail the entire process,” it said.
The dropping of several topics and portions from NCERT textbooks last month triggered a controversy, with the opposition blaming the BJP-led Centre of “whitewashing with vengeance”. At the heart of the controversy was the fact that while the changes made as part of the rationalisation exercise were notified, some of the controversial deletions were not mentioned. This led to allegations about a bid to delete these portions surreptitiously.
The NCERT had described the omissions as a possible oversight but refused to undo the deletions, saying they were based on the recommendations of experts. It had also said the textbooks were anyway headed for a revision in 2024, the year when the National Curriculum Framework kicks in. However, it subsequently changed its stand and said “minor changes need not be notified”.
With inputs from PTI.