Chief Advisors Of NCERT Political Science Textbooks Disassociate Themselves From Six Books Over This Issue

Many changes have been made to the NCERT (National Council for Education Research and Training) books. All those changes got different reactions from different sections of the society. Regarding the same modifications, Political Scientists Suhas Palshikar and Yogendra Yadav have asked NCERT to remove their names from the book through an open letter on June 9.

The two of them were Chief advisors for the NCERT’s political science textbooks. Hence, they held a fairly high position in the organization, and their say in any kind of decision regarding the books was important. But when the changes were made in the books, they did not agree on them and still the same were made. Therefore, they have now asked to remove their names from the textbooks.

“Changes are made just to please the powers, “says Palshikar and Yadav

In their letter to the NCERT Palshikar and Yadav said, “We were never consulted or even informed of these changes … The frequent and serial deletions do not seem to have any logic except to please the powers that be.”

Mr. Yogendra even shared a tweet and said, “We fail to see any pedagogic rationale at work” (in the so-called rationalization of these textbooks).

“We find that the text has been mutilated beyond recognition… We were never consulted or even informed of these changes,” he added.

He further expressed his discontent and stated,”… we feel embarrassed that our names should be mentioned as Chief Advisors to these mutilated and academically dysfunctional textbooks… Both of us would like to dissociate ourselves from these textbooks and request the NCERT to drop our names as ‘chief advisors’ from all Political Science Textbooks of classes IX, X, XI, and XII.”

Also Read: “This is RIDICULOUS,” Anger Outbursts On Alterations In NCERT Syllabus

Changes made in the NCERT books were…

In the early part of this year, a section of‘2002 Gujarat Riots’ was removed from the class 12 book of NCERT. Other than that, chapters related to Mughal History were removed from the book. There were different topics like ‘Democracy and Diversity’, ‘Popular Struggles and Movements’, and ‘Challenges of Democracy’ removed from the Class 10 NCERT book.