The Modi government has asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to undertake an internal review of the contents of school textbooks.
According to the reports published in the ‘Hindustan Times’, the review of all textbooks taught from Class I to XII was meant to update children of recent developments. The updates may include topics like demonetisation and Goods and Service Tax (GST).
The review of textbooks was last done in 2005.
A senior NCERT official said, ‘an internal review has already started on what contents require changes and to ensure that they keep pace with the changes in the market and surroundings. We have an internal group working on this.”
Schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodya Vidyalayas, among others, follow NCERT curriculum.
Another senior NCERT official said, “currently the textbooks do not carry topic on ‘demonetisation’ which took place in 2016. But this is something that students have to be taught. Similarly, if monsoon maps have been updated, they can be included in the books.”
“We will know what all needs to be updated once all books are examined by our officials.” he futher added.
For the past two years, any changes in the text contents have been controvercial. Several opposition leaders have claimed that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government wants to saffronize the education.
