EDUCATION - 2004 - Indian Social Institute

agree with. "These books were not written professionally and not based on the basic values of
the Constitution," he said, adding that there was a need to free academic activity, including
textbook writing from political interference. Historian Aditya Mukherjee said that while there were
many errors in the textbooks, a matter of equal concern was the bias that had been brought in the
presentation. "Communalism is not just another bias. But it is like racism or anti-Semitism.
Removal of the communal bias is the civilisational and Constitutional imperative of the
Government." (The Hindu 12.6.04)
13 th June
Committee to make 'quick review' of history textbooks (11)
NEW DELHI, JUNE 12. The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry today decided
not to withdraw the history textbooks of the National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT) as of now and has, instead, set up a three-member committee of eminent
historians to do a "quick review" of the books. Late this evening, the Ministry announced that
since "these textbooks have been mostly printed for the current year and in a substantial number
of schools teaching has already started based on these books," it would be "impractical to
withdraw these books at this stage and replace them with more appropriate books without
causing dislocation in the studies of millions of students." Still, working on the premise that this
"impracticability" should not result in children "learning either communal views or distorted facts of
history," the Ministry decided to order a quick review of the books by a panel of "eminent historians
of impeccable credentials." Their brief will be to suggest what needs to be done in the short
term and "if they so recommend", the Government will direct NCERT and the Central Board of
Secondary Education to issue appropriate directions to the teachers to "transact the curriculum
as per those recommendations." (Hindu 13.6.04)
16 th June
Writer’s block may hit HRD detox plans (11)
New Delhi: The HRD ministry's plan to "detoxify" school education by making deletions and additions
in NCERT history textbooks, reworked during former HRD minister M M Joshi's "saffron"
tenure, may run into some legal fine print. An NCERT rule which clearly states that making
changes in books is not permissible without the consent of authors may prove to be a serious
hurdle in the way of the proposed revision of texts, leaving the authorities with little option but to
scrap the books. At the moment, authors of the present set of textbooks are hopeful that the
newly-constituted panel to review their books will give them a chance to explain their work. But
should this not happen, or if the authors are unhappy over the changes, they may well exercise
the option to move court. Prof Settar, one of the three members in the review committee for textbooks,
told The Times of India: "I hope NCERT has some rules to allow such changes. But if
deletions and additions to existing books invite legal problems, the panel may recommend scrapping
of books." (Times of India 16.6.04)
Government detoxifying education: Arjun Singh (11)
SHILLONG, JUNE 15. In its bid to undo the "saffronisation" of education initiated by the previous
NDA regime, the present Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has
started a "detoxifying" process, the Union Human Resources Development Minister, Arjun Singh,
said today. "The process got under way with the setting up of a three-member panel of eminent
educationists of the country three days ago. Mr. Singh told reporters here. We are not desaffronising
education but detoxifying it. The panel was asked to look into the issue and give
reports by 15-20 days, he said. (Hindu 16.6.04)
17 th June
Independent panel to review SCERT books (11)
New Delhi: In a scenario where textbooks change with government, the Delhi State Council of
Educational Research and Training (SCERT) wants to increase the longevity of its recentlypublished
school texts by getting an endorsement from an "independent panel". It has engaged
the Ratan Tata Trust, to be assisted by Oxford University professors, to review its books. This is
the first time in the country that a private agency and professors from a foreign university have