New panel to look into textbook content

Under pressure from various quarters over the issue of saffronisation of school textbooks, the government has finally decided to take some concrete steps.

Speaking to the Deccan Herald, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Kimmane Ratnakar said: “There will be some changes in the textbook committee and next year a new panel will be formed to look into the contents.”

As an immediate step, Ratnakar said he had directed the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Textbook Society to look into controversial parts and delete them. “I have received a number of letters from various groups and individuals highlighting their grievances. I will forward them to the departments concerned and they will act on them,” said Ratnakar. The minister also declared his intention to constitute a committee that will look into the controversy.

“I have not yet taken a decision. Once constituted, the committee will act as a monitoring body after the DPI and the Textbook Society have done their part. I will also personally look into the changes that have been made thereafter,” said minister.

The Committee for Resisting Saffronisation in Textbooks had compiled a report highlighting instances of alleged distortion of facts and saffronisation in Social Science textbooks of Class 6 and Social Science and Science textbooks of Class 9, this year.