NCERT Recommends 'Bharat' in School Textbooks

Traditional name preferred over India…

The committee reviewing NCERT textbooks proposed that in Social Science textbooks up to Class 12, 'India' should be referred to as 'Bharat.'

The 2022 Social Science committee, led by Professor C.I. Issac, a renowned historian and Padma Shri recipient, has proposed this change. They are hopeful it will be put into practice in the upcoming academic year, pending NCERT's decision.

Additionally, the committee has suggested that Indian victories should play a significant role in the curriculum.

They've noted that current NCERT books lack information about post-independence history, so they propose introducing historical events from 1947 onwards, possibly by reducing the emphasis on pre-independence history.

The committee proposes replacing 'ancient history' with the 'classical period of Indian history' and expanding the curriculum to include more about the Indian Knowledge System, highlighting the nation's achievements, history, and culture.

This suggested alteration in NCERT books follows a recent debate that began in September when the Union government used "President of Bharat" instead of "President of India" in the invitations for the G20 dinner they hosted.

At the same time, NCERT has entered the final phase of creating new textbooks by forming a 19-member committee. This committee's task is to harmonize "school syllabus, textbooks, teaching, and learning materials" with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for Classes 3-12.

This committee includes notable members such as Fields Medalist Manjul Bhargava, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Bibek Debroy, founding member of the RSS-affiliated Samskrita Bharati Chamu Krishna Shastry, philanthropist Sudha Murty, and the renowned singer Shankar Mahadeva.