Arbitrary and surreptitious deletion of many parts from various textbooks by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) shows bad faith and lack of professionalism but, in the prevailing political climate, this is not entirely surprising. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has made building a new knowledge ecosystem across all sectors at the heart of its politics. in between Major deletions, which NCERT Described as a rationalization of the curriculum, there are references to Hindutva extremists’ dislike for Gandhi, the ban on the RSS following his assassination, entire chapters on the history of the Mughals, references to the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, the Naxalite movement Discussion on emergency and social movements. History texts targeted Notably, and 250 historians from leading Indian and foreign universities have reported that those who prepared them through a process of consultations and extensive discussions were kept in the dark. These changes are not limited to school textbooks. According to the Indian History Congress, the UGC’s draft syllabus for history at the undergraduate level has also been changed, “leading to an obviously prejudiced and irrational perception of our past”. The NCERT has sought to mark its failure to be transparent as an “oversight”, but is adamant on the amendment.
There is a continuous expansion of knowledge, and revision of curriculum is necessary for a strong education system. What is taught to the younger generation is a collective decision of the society of which formal education is an important part. Collective values and ethics are reflected in education, which develops over time. In India, education has developed with the aim of promoting national integration, critical thinking and scientific temper. As any society matures, it may be able to process darker episodes of the past with greater equanimity. There is also the question of determining the appropriate level at which learners are introduced to different levels of knowledge. For all these reasons textbooks and pedagogy need to be revised from time to time. The trouble is when this exercise is done in a politically partisan manner and without regard to expertise. When conflict, not harmony, is promoted through formal education, it becomes toxic. India’s growth and development almost entirely depend on educating its growing youth population with vocational and social skills and shaping the youth into caring citizens of a pluralistic nation. They should learn history with the aim of not repeating the tragedies of history to build a harmonious future. There should be wider, more transparent consultation in shaping curriculum at all levels.