Ramayana, Mahabharata should be included in social sciences curriculum: NCERT panel

New Delhi: A committee constituted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to revise the curriculum for social sciences in primary education has recommended that Indian epics such as Ramayana and the Mahabharata should be included in social sciences textbooks, committee chairperson CI Issac said. The high-level committee has also noted that the Preamble of the Constitution should be written on the walls of classroom.

The seven-member committee is among 25 such expert panels formed by the NCERT to come up with recommendations on various subjects and themes. The high-level committee on social sciences has till now made several recommendations for its final position paper on social sciences, which is a key prescriptive document for laying down the foundation for the development of new NCERT textbooks.

“The panel has stressed on teaching epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata in the social sciences syllabus to students. We think that students in their teenage years build their self esteem, patriotism and pride for their nation,” Issac told reporters. The NCERT is yet to take a call on the recommendations.

Earlier, the committee created a furore after it recommended that children in primary and higher secondary education should be taught the name ‘Bharat’ in textbooks and not ‘India’.

Issac said that the epics should be taught to children since they are now leaving India to pursue education in other countries, even opting for citizenship later. He said that the lack of patriotism is a key reason.

“It is important for them to understand their roots and develop love for their country and their culture. Some boards already teach Ramayana and Mahabharata but it should be done in a more elaborate way,” he said.

“Our Preamble gives importance to social values including democracy and secularism. It is noble. Therefore, we have recommended writing it on the walls of the classrooms so that everyone can understand and learn from it,” Issac added.

The new NCERT textbooks are likely to be ready by the next academic session. The panel’s recommendations will now be taken into consideration by the 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) notified in July to finalise the curriculum, textbooks and learning material for these classes.