NCERT Clears the Air on 'India' to 'Bharat' Switch in School Textbooks

Hey there, peeps! Time to spill the tea on the latest buzz in education. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is considering swapping out "India" for "Bharat" in school textbooks. What's the deal with this? Let's dive into the controversy and break it down.

The NCERT stirred the pot when a high-level committee, led by C I Isaac, suggested this switch-up. They also wanted to swap "ancient history" with "classical history" and introduce the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) into all subjects.

Now, hold up. The NCERT Chairman, Dinesh Saklani, clarified that no concrete decision had been made regarding the committee's recommendations. The council emphasised that the development of new syllabi and textbooks is an ongoing process, and various Curricular Area Groups of domain experts are still being notified, making it premature to comment definitively on the matter.

Isaac dropped some knowledge, saying that "Bharat" goes way back, like 7,000 years back. They pointed out that even the G20 invites and PM Modi's nameplate said "Bharat."

But that's not all! They want to amp up the focus on "Hindu victories" in history books. According to Isaac, current books are all about India's losses against the Mughals and sultans, with a dash of British colonial influence. They're all about showing India's ancient period as kinda meh, but Isaac's squad wants to bring in that "classical" era alongside medieval and modern history.

This isn't just some random idea. It's part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The NCERT recently established a 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) to finalise the curriculum, textbooks, and learning materials for various classes.

Oh, and there's one more thing—Isaac's committee wants to bring the Indian Knowledge System into all subjects. It's all about making our education game stronger.

So, there you have it, folks. The NCERT is stirring the pot with the "India" to "Bharat" switcheroo. We'll have to wait and see where this textbook tale takes us. Stay tuned for more updates on the education front!

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