Expect more radical changes in the 2nd phase of textbook revisions: Rajasthan education minister

Having kicked up a storm over the changes introduced in the content of textbooks like dropping the prefix of ‘Veer’ from Savarkar’s name, education minister Govind Singh Dotasra, while talking to TOI’s Shoeb Khan, said more radical changes should be expected in the second phase of revision. He emphasised that the Congress government was forced to make these changes as a “corrective measure” because of the “biased” content introduced by the previous BJP government
Why has the state government initiated a series of changes in the content of school textbooks?
BJP government had infected the entire curriculum with their ideology of hate and divide. The text is gender biased, communally insensitive, misleading and outdated. The textbooks were designed to work as the saffron party’s mouthpiece. The biased content introduced by the previous BJP government necessitated a review and corrective measures, which we are now enforcing. The review is being done by a committee of experienced academicians, unlike the BJP which had only RSS members in its committees.
Did the government study the content that was introduced by the previous government before initiating these changes?
Yes, a committee was set up in January. The committee in its report brought to light some astonishing claims like the overuse of Devnagri script in maths, which overshadows the international numeric system. The dual script has confused the teachers and impacted the learning outcomes in the subject. The committee informed me that BJP also promoted content which suited their ideology and was gender-biased. The chapters dealing with courage and bravery only mentions male heroes. Even in the graphics and illustrations, women are shown doing household chores while men doing outdoor activities including games.
Our government is not rushing with the changes, which will come in two phases. The recent changes like including Balakot airstrikes for Class IX students and replacing the illustration on ‘Sati’ on the cover page of Class VIII Social Science textbook are the changes made in the first phase and would be introduced from the upcoming academic session. The more radical changes, which will be brought in after a proper review, will be introduced in 2020-2021.
What are these radical changes?
The two textbook committees are set to cleanse the curricula and ensure that it no longer is BJP’s propaganda machine. We are reviewing what BJP had included related to demonetisation, evaluation of central government schemes and impact of the central government on foreign policy. The text will be strictly based on NCERT following themes like local to global, continuous and comprehensive learning.
BJP leaders have accused you of appeasing the minority and showcasing loyalty for the Gandhi family by dropping prefix ‘Veer’ in Savarkar’s name, rewriting the life sketch of Maharana Pratap and replacing the illustration of ‘Sati’ by Chittorgarh fort?
I challenge the BJP leaders to prove us wrong. Had Savarkar never sought an apology from the Britishers? I would like to ask BJP leaders to name one freedom fighter apart from Savarkar, who was accorded the prefix ‘Veer’. Savarkar was accorded ‘Veer’ prefix by the RSS and not by the government of India.
The previous BJP government had deliberately trimmed down the role of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in the freedom struggle. How is that justified? These great leaders will get their due in the textbooks. BJP had narrowed the life sketch of Maharana Pratap to the battle of Haldighati, which had lasted about four to six hours. Our team has corrected the myopic view by highlighting the courage, valour, social justice, communal harmony and democratic principles laid by Maharana Pratap in his entire life span.