Child rights body asks states to prescribe only NCERT books

New Delhi: A year after it had asked schools across the country to follow only the syllabus prescribed by the National Council of Educational Research Training, the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has once again asked schools to ensure its implementation, failing which will be a violation of the Right to Education Act 2009.

In April last year, the NCPCR sent a similar advisory asking schools to teach from a curriculum recommended by the central syllabus body only. In its advisory to schools, sent on April 9, the NCPCR said that it has seen a “repeated recurrence” of the schools prescribing books published by private publishers.

The child rights authority has also asked for the strict implementation of section 29 of the RTE, which mandates that the curriculum and the evaluation procedure for elementary education is to be laid down by an academic authority specified by the “appropriate” Government.

The NCPCR has also asked schools to ensure that no child is discriminated against or harassed by the school for carrying books published or prescribed by either the NCERT or the SCERT which may cause “mental or physical suffering”. “Any action taken against the child and hence, may attract the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015,” the NCPCR’s letter read.

It has further asked that these directions be displayed on their department websites and notice boards, and circulate a copy among parents.