Syllabus, NCERT Consulted 25 External Experts and 16 CBSE Teachers

The removal of several topics and sections from NCERT textbooks has sparked a debate, with the opposition accusing the Centre of “whitewashing with vengeance.”

According to the education ministry, the NCERT consulted 25 external experts and 16 CBSE teachers to carry out its syllabus rationalisation exercise, as part of which portions on the Mughals, Mahatma Gandhi, his assassin Nathuram Godse, references to ‘Hindu extremists,’ and the 2002 Gujarat riots were dropped from school textbooks.

The removal of several topics and sections from NCERT textbooks has sparked a debate, with the opposition accusing the Centre of “whitewashing with vengeance.”

At the heart of the controversy is the fact that, while the changes made as part of the rationalisation exercise were notified, some of the contentious deletions were not. This has given rise to allegations of a covert attempt to delete these sections.

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The NCERT described the omissions as a possible oversight but refused to reverse the deletions, claiming they were based on expert recommendations. It has also stated that the textbooks will be revised in 2024, when the National Curriculum Framework takes effect.

In addition to its own internal experts, NCERT sought out the advice of subject specialists from universities/organizations and working teachers for all of its activities related to research, development, training, and extension, the ministry had stated in a written response to a Lok Sabha written question.

The NCERT consulted five and two outside experts, respectively, for the history and political science textbook deletions that have generated the most controversy.

The Ministry’s response was, “Each expert underwent one round of consultation.” Umesh Kadam, a professor of history at Jawaharlal Nehru University and member secretary of the Indian Council for Historical Research, Dr. Archana Verma, an associate professor of history at Hindu College, Shruti Mishra, the head of the history department at Delhi Public School (RK Puram), and Krishna Ranjan and Sunil Kumar, two teachers at Kendriya Vidyalayas in Delhi, are the five experts who were consulted for the history section.

The NCERT held two rounds of consultation with four experts for the political science textbook. Vanthangpui Khobung, an assistant professor of political science at the NCERT’s Regional Institute of Education in Bhopal, Maneesha Pandey, a teacher at Hindu College, and school teachers Kavita Jain and Sunita Kathuria were among them.