Academics slam 'name withdrawal spectacle' amid NCERT textbook row
A group of academicians, including vice-chancellors of central universities, IIM chairpersons, and NIT directors, has reportedly expressed concerns regarding specific individuals who have withdrawn their names from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbook row. According to PTI, the dramatic action by some people, whom they describe as self-interested and arrogant, is disrupting the curriculum update procedure.
Why does this story matter?
The decision to drop numerous portions and topics from NCERT textbooks in April triggered a nationwide controversy, with the opposition blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre of "whitewashing with a vengeance." While the changes made as part of a rationalization exercise were informed, some of the controversial removals weren't, leading to suspicions that a bid was made to delete these portions surreptitiously.
Know about joint statement from 73 academicians
Reportedly, numerous academicians and political scientists like Suhas Palshikar and Yogendra Yadav had urged the council to remove their names from textbooks over "substantive revisions of original texts." In a joint statement on Thursday, 73 academicians claimed that there had been deliberate attempts to tarnish the NCERT, which reflected the "intellectual arrogance of academicians who want students to study 17-year-old textbooks."
Details on academicians' joint statement
"In the past three months, there have been deliberate attempts to malign the NCERT, a leading public institution, and disrupt the much-needed process for curriculum updation," PTI quoted the release as saying. "Academicians trying to capture media attention through this name-withdrawal spectacle seem to have forgotten that textbooks are an outcome of collective intellectual engagement and rigorous efforts," it added.
Here's how NCERT responded
While reacting to the name withdrawal developments, the NCERT stated that the withdrawal of anyone's association is out of the question as textbooks at the school level are put together on the basis of knowledge and understanding of a given subject. Furthermore, the autonomous organization added that at no stage is individual authorship claimed.
Academicians are continuing to create hurdles and derail process: NCERT
The NCERT further stated that while students wait for the updated textbooks, academicians keep creating new hurdles. "In their quest to further their political agenda, they are ready to endanger the future of crores of children across the country," it stated. "While students are eagerly awaiting updated textbooks, these academicians are continuing to create hurdles and derail the entire process," added the NCERT.
