Some changes needed in books: Panel

Noting the intellectual labour that went into the making of the textbooks,the National Monitoring Committee on NCERT felt that it was unfair to judge and effect changes in the textbooks on the basis of a hurriedly drafted report

Noting the intellectual labour that went into the making of the textbooks,the National Monitoring Committee on NCERT felt that it was unfair to judge and effect changes in the textbooks on the basis of a hurriedly drafted report.

Responding to the Thorat committee report as well as the public debate on the issue which has changed the context on the usage of cartoons in textbooks,it has been decided by the Monitoring Committee that some changes need to be effected in the textbooks at the earliest possible and the NCERT,in consultation with the Textbook Development committee,will do so. There is a lot of unhappiness about the Thorat committee report8230; a response will be sent to the committee, Prof Mrinal Miri,head of the National Monitoring Committee,told The Indian Express.

The six-member Thorat committee,set up by the government to review NCERT textbooks after MPs termed several cartoons as offensive,has recommended deletion of 21 cartoons with immediate effect and modification of captions and text in several places.

One of the committee members,Prof M S S Pandian,filed a dissent note and a separate report in which he has said that the textbooks needed no change. Several academics are upset with the Thorat committee as they feel that it failed to follow due procedure. The National Monitoring Committee on NCERT is set up by the government and is currently headed by former NEHU VC Prof Mrinal Miri. Prof G P Deshpande is the co-chairman on the committee which also has on board Education Secretaries from various states.

The NMC also recommended that a periodic process of review of NCERT textbooks and other NCERT activities should be initiated to ensure the good health of the Council. Prof Yogendra Yadav,Chief Advisor to the Textbook Development Committee,welcomed the Monitoring Committees decision. I think it is a step in the right direction because it combines respect for Parliamentary oversight with institutional autonomy and the integrity of textbooks, he said.