Stress on ancient knowledge, astrology, Hindu past in states' suggestion to Centre on textbook revision

In an attempt to incorporate a bottoms-up approach in syllabus and school textbook development, Centre had invited suggestions from ‘state focus groups’. Instead, what they received were earnest attempts rooted in ‘ancient knowledge’.

The Uttar Pradesh government suggested ‘4th century Vaimanik Shastra that deals with invisible planes’ to be included into the curriculum, while the BJP government in Haryana batted for inclusion of Maharishi Kanada as ‘father of atomic theory,’ The Print reported. Haryana government didn’t stop here.

They also stressed on the need to incorporate topics that will help students “analyse the mistakes of the past that let us be ruled by invaders like Mughals and the British and take a lesson from them”. To some relief, the submission added that this could not be made a part of syllabi so long owing to the “fear of hurting the religious sentiments of a large population.”

The suggestions were made between 2022 and 2023 to the national steering committee of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)- the autonomous body under Ministry of Education. NCERT is in charge of designing and implementing school syllabus and textbooks in India. 

Gujarat, the holy grail of BJP’s right wing politics, pitched to treat astrology and astronomy as ‘two sides of the same coin.’ Madhya Pradesh, another BJP-ruled state wants “essence of the Upanishads, Gita, Mahabharat, Ramayana” to be part of the history curriculum.

Suggestions from Goa pointed to the Western nature of Indian education and said “no nation can develop national pride by learning the content that is predominantly non-Indian and often critical of Indian culture.”

The ‘State groups’ that made suggestions have academic experts, teachers and professors, but the nature of suggestions received raise questions and concerns over clear ideological push from the ruling government. 

The NCERT had in 2021 planned a 21-part guiding board, led by previous Indian Space Exploration Association executive K. Kasturirangan, for the advancement of the Public Educational program System.

Presently, another board containing writer and philanthropist Sudha Murthy, PM’s Economic Advisory Chairman Bibek Debroy, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue Chamu Krishna Shastry and artist Shankar Mahadevan is working to structuralise the new reading material.