NCERT scripts a controversy as Nehru replaces Buddha

As the final stages of the Government8217;s National Curriculum Framework comes into effect and the National Council for Education Research Training...

As the final stages of the Government8217;s National Curriculum Framework NCF comes into effect and the National Council for Education Research 038; Training NCERT modifies some school books and replaces others, there is a controversy brewing. NCERT has replaced a book on Gautam Buddha for the Eighth standard with Jawahar Lal Nehru8217;s Discovery of India. The replacement, which comes into effect from this academic year, has not gone down well with well-known Buddhist and All India Confederation of SC/ST organisations Chairman Udit Raj.

Raj is planning to take up the issue with the NCERT as well as the Human Resource Development HRD ministry. Buddha Charita 8212; a biography of Gautam Buddha written by Ashva Ghosh 8212; was so far a part of the Class VIII Hindi curriculum. However, starting from academic year 2008-09, NCERT has replaced Buddha Charita with Nehru8217;s Bharat Ek Khoj.

8220;NCERT has suddenly replaced the famous Buddha Charita. Earlier, the NCERT blamed the BJP for saffronisation and influencing school textbooks. Now, they have also resorted to a sort of Nehru/Gandhi-centric vision replacing Buddha Charita with Nehru8217;s Bharat Ek Khoj. Ashva Ghosh8217;s works are a class apart and there is no good reason to phase it out of the curriculum. Meanwhile, other religion-related books on Ramayana and Mahabharata are part of Class VI and Class VII curriculum,8221; said Udit Raj.

8220;We plan to take up this issue with both the HRD ministry and the NCERT and will demand that Buddha Charita be reinstated in the Class VIII syllabus,8221; added Raj.

NCERT officials, however, maintain that the replacement was in keeping with NCF guidelines.

8220;Over the last two years or so, the school curriculum has been upgraded in line with NCF 2005. Several books have been replaced including Buddha Charita. Bharat Ek Khoj, owing to its broad sweep of Indian history and culture, was considered preferable, so it was introduced for Class VIII Hindi this academic session. New books written by other authors for both Mahabharata and Ramayana for Class VII and VI respectively have also been introduced, so there is no case of a bias or agenda,8221; said a senior NCERT official.

NCF 2005 was unveiled by the NCERT in 2005 and is aimed at making secular democracy a robust idea. The 124-page document, prepared by the NCERT, has focused on learning without burden and child-centred education, cutting down on the number of textbooks, making assessment methods flexible and promoting more inclusive learning among schoolchildren.