Government has ruled out any further review of the recent changes made in textbooks of NCERT. In a written reply to a question on whether government was aware of errors in the new history syllabi, Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Rita Verma told the Rajya Sabha that while NCERT had undertaken suitable measures on the basis of comments and suggestions received from well-known historians and the CBSE, no review is being considered.
She said all the manuscripts (of textbooks) were being rigorously examined at workshops to ensure that the books remain free from factual errors as well as any sectarian or ideological bias. In reply to another question on whether government was aware of the resentment in the academic circles about the recent revision of history text-books, the minister replied in the affirmative but termed the reaction of some historians to the review as based on ideological consideration.
Some historians have reacted through media and organisations like Sahmat. These are apparently based on ideological consideration, she said.
The minister also said there was no proposal for the time being to open any new Kendriya Vidyalayas in the country owing to budgetary constraints.
Bureau Report