A committee appointed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to revamp the school curriculum for social sciences has suggested incorporating epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata into textbooks.
CI Issac, the committee’s chairperson, revealed that they propose displaying the Preamble of the Constitution on classroom walls. Formed last year, the seven-member committee has outlined various recommendations in its final position paper, a crucial guideline for shaping the new NCERT textbooks.
19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee:
These suggestions may now be considered by the 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC), responsible for finalizing the curriculum, textbooks, and learning materials. Additionally, the NSTC has established a Curricular Area Group (CAG) for Social Science to create syllabi and teaching-learning material for the subject.
Isaac emphasised that teaching students in grades 7 through 12 the Ramayana and Mahabharata is important and said, “the committee has insisted on teaching epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata in the social science syllabus to students. We think that students in their teenage years build their self-esteem, patriotism and pride for their nation. Every year thousands of students leave the country and seek citizenship in other countries because of the lack of patriotism among them. Therefore, it is important for them to understand their roots and develop love for their country and their culture.”
“Although some education boards presently teach Ramayana to students, they teach it as a myth. What is a myth? There is no purpose of the education system if the students are not taught these epics, and it will not be nation serving,” he added.
Panel proposed changing name from ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ in books
Isaac previously stated that the panel proposed changing the name from ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ in textbooks and introducing ‘classical History’ instead of ancient History for classes 3 to 12.
“The recommendation to include Ramayana and Mahabharata in the syllabus was also made earlier. The committee has not made any fresh recommendations,” he said.
He explained that they suggested inscribing the Constitution’s Preamble on classroom walls to emphasize its noble values, including democracy and secularism. This recommendation aligns with the revision of the school curriculum by NCERT in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with new textbooks expected for the next academic session.
Also Read: ABC sends Chandrababu Naidu to 14-day judicial remand in corruption case
Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK
