Devanur bats for autonomous body for framing textbooks

Writer Devanuru Mahadeva has said that there should be an autonomous body for the framing of textbooks as the issue becomes controversial whenever a government changes.

Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, Mahadeva said there should be no interference from anybody in the panel.

"In the last panel, there was no academician at all. However, the books, prepared by it, have been already distributed among students.

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Thus, the government should issue a circular not to consider those lessons that are contrary to the objectives of the Constitution, for examinations. There was more stress on the Hindutva agenda in the previous revision,” he said.

He said the government should form a committee of experts in six months to revise the lessons, to undo the mistakes of the earlier committee, without causing a scarcity of textbooks.

Mahadeva had protested against the earlier committee, headed by Rohit Chakratirtha and had written a letter to the government, not to use his writeup in the textbooks.

Since the Congress has returned to power with Siddaramaiah assuming office as the chief minister for a second term, some academicians and writers have already met him, a couple of times, to urge him to take steps to review the textbooks.