After the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) decision to drop chapters on Mughal history sparked controversy, the education body’s chief has now issued a clarification.
Speaking to ANI, NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said the chapters on Mughals have not been dropped. “It’s a lie. (Chapters on) Mughals have not been dropped. There was a rationalisation process last year because due to COVID, there was pressure on students everywhere”, he said.
Calling the debate unnecessary, the NCERT director said the expert committee recommended that if the chapter was dropped, it will not affect the knowledge of the children and an ‘unnecessary burden’ can be removed. “The debate is unnecessary. Those who don’t know, can check the textbooks…”, Saklani added.
“We are working as per NEP (National Education Policy) 2020. This is a transition phase. NEP 2020 speaks of reducing the content load. We are implementing it. NCF (National Curriculum Framework) for school education is being formed, it will be finalised soon. Textbooks will be printed in 2024 as per NEP. We have not dropped anything right now”, the NCERT boss added further.
HT reported that the NCERT has removed chapters and topics related to ‘Kings and Chronicles: The Mughal courts’ from history book ‘Themes of Indian History-Part II’ under its new rationalised syllabus to be taught in Class 12 from the academic session 2023-24.
Even the UP board government schools will adopt the new NCERT class 12 history textbooks from this academic session.
“We teach our students using NCERT books…whatever is there in the revised edition will be followed,” Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak was quoted by PTI as saying.
Additional Chief Secretary (basic and secondary education) Deepak Kumar said, “We follow NCERT books and whatever is available in the revised edition, we will follow it in state schools from 2023-24 session.”