Maharashtra: Balbharati plans setting up textbook museum

State School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad on Wednesday tweeted, “Maharashtra has one of the longest traditions of formal schooling in the country. We wish to share this heritage with the public at large in the form of India’s first Textbook Museum. In a meeting of the Balbharati governing council, a provision of Rs 5 crore was made for this. The Balbharati Library has conserved books from as far back as 1837. The museum will offer book lovers and academicians a chance to study these rare textbooks and learn about the evolution of educational material in the state.”

She added, “The museum will also undertake sourcing of historical textbooks from other states.”

In the Balbharati governing council meeting held on Wednesday, a spending plan of Rs 429.65 crore was approved for 2022-23.

Director of Balbharati, Krushnakumar Patil, said, “The initiative is aimed at helping many who reminisce about their school days… by giving them an opportunity to revisit their textbooks. It is also expected to provide study material to academicians for research work. With textbooks from so many years, one can definitely revisit the timeline of the changing education system.”

He added, “Starting from finalising the place or location, whether it can also be made available in digital format, to appointment of experts to retain the quality of the old textbooks are being discussed.”

However, many criticised the plan as being perfunctory. “The announcement is made even before there is clarity on how all this will be made possible. The claim is that there are textbooks in the archives from 1837. The Balbharati, which was founded in 1967, may have textbooks from that period. What about the rest?” asked a teacher from Mumbai.

Many also argued that the museum should be digital. “If it is a traditional museum, the access will be limited,” said an academician.