No new committee for fresh revision of textbooks

The state government will not constitute any committee for fresh revision of school textbooks.

Though there are several objections and allegations, and the state government has announced to verify all of them with an open mind, the officials from the Department of Primary and Secondary Education have said that all such objections will be verified by the subject experts and the teachers who teach that particular grade and subject.

The Karnataka Text Book Society (KTBS) has appointed two senior officers for this purpose.

Speaking to DH, a KTBS official said: “Two officers will be in charge of the re-revision process. All the objections received will be forwarded to them.”

As per the information available from the department, the correction work regarding the objections raised for the 12th century social reformer Basavanna and Architect of the Constitution B R Ambedkar has resumed. “The two officials who have been given in charge of the re-revision work are already at the job and they will soon discuss with the seers and the organisations who have raised objections on contents related to Basavanna and Dr Ambedkar,” an official explained.

Controversial lesson

Meanwhile, the controversial lesson ‘Hosa Dharmagala Udaya’ which was removed at the school level during the revision of textbooks by the Rohith Chakrathirtha-led committee, will be continued at the pre-university level.

Following the objections from Akhila Bharata Brahamana Mahasabha, the state government had earlier decided to revise the lesson. Now the content is dropped from school textbooks, but as the government decided to put off revision of PUC textbooks, the lesson will be continued in PUC.

The controversy over the revised textbooks had forced the government to drop the idea of revising PUC textbooks. However, the officials from the department told DH that the government is likely to issue an order directing teachers not to consider the lesson in question for teaching at PUC 2.