Parliament panel recommends NCERT to add Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, history of ‘unsung’ freedom fighters in textbooks

A parliamentary panel has recommended National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) to include the contributions of many “unsung freedom fighters” from all corners of the country, including the northeast, and incorporate with equal emphasis in school textbooks.

The panel urged the school education department under the Union Ministry to coordinate with the NCERT and ensure the same. The suggestions were tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

It was also noted that prominent women personalities coming from different fields along with their contributions should also be added in “regular books” of NCERT so that it become “mandatory reading material”.

The report titled ‘Reforms in Content and Design of School Textbooks’ was tabled in the Upper House last year on Monday. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports headed by BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur submitted the ‘action taken’ report on the observations made in the report.

The panel also took note of incorporating knowledge of “vedas” and teachings of the Bhagavad Gita in school curriculum. The report said, “The committee is of the view that the department may make adequate efforts to highlight and present the diversity of religious teachings as brought out in all the ancient scriptures and educative/religious texts, through the school textbooks and incorporate the same in the revised NCF.”

The action taken report said, “The committee while taking note of the specific action proposed to be taken in respect of North-Eastern States, feels that the action taken or proposed to be taken regarding adequate representation of Sikh and Maratha history needs greater study and enhanced portrayal of contribution. Hence, the committee recommends that true reflection of history of these communities may also be simultaneously ensured as part of the NCF.”

The committee was constituted to identify mention of “un-historical facts” in school textbooks and ensure balanced space to all periods of Indian history.

Source : Business Today