Baragur: Textbook panel won’t lean towards the Left or Right

 

“Before assuming charge, I have clearly told primary and secondary education minister Kimmane Ratnakar that I will not allow saffronisation or Congressisation of textbooks but will try to come out with a school curriculum with a new horizon. I cannot toe the Congress Party lines just because I was given the post of chairperson,” Mr Baragur told DC.

 

He said the government offered him the post after constituting 27 committees on various subjects. Those panels were asked to look into complaints of 'saffronisation' and ‘distortion’ of facts and figures in textbooks following written complaints from the public. Members and chairmen of the committees went through all textbooks and deleted whatever was considered objectionable. 

 

After he took over, he held consultation with office-bearers of primary school, high school teachers’ associations, DiET, subject experts and individuals and organisations that had alleged saffronisation of textbooks. Many of them have submitted reports suggesting what should be done to come out with error-free textbooks. Besides, the Centre had come out with a National Curriculum Framework way back in 2005 and accordingly, the work of revision of textbooks was underway.