Academics and activists have written to the Karnataka government requesting it to print and supply government school textbooks which have been in use for many years since the last amendment.
A number of teachers and educators in Karnataka have called on the state government to repeal the textbook amendment, claiming that it is “extremely annoying and hostile to our education system and core values of the constitution”.
In May, the state government was criticized by student and teachers’ organizations for deleting a text from Bhagat Singh’s textbook. State School Education Minister BC Nagesh has denied that the text has been deleted.
In a letter, teachers say – textbook revision – is an unnecessary, divisive and costly practice. We strongly urge the Government of Karnataka to:
The Karnataka government has recently revised the Kannada and social science textbooks, with some chapters removed and some added. The process and essence of the textbook revision is extremely tedious and hostile to our education system and the core values of the Constitution for a number of reasons.
Academic experts, teachers, and prominent citizens are usually consulted for a variety of inputs that enable the textbook revision practice to be free from the prejudices of some parties, a process that has not been followed.
It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Textbook preparation is a process that requires a high sense of responsibility, because textbooks are the primary resource that will open the minds of millions of young people.
Almost all the members of the committee are Brahmin men. Excluded chapters are written by Dalit writers and progressive writers, and added chapters are written by Brahmins. The formation of textbook revision committee does not reflect the reality of Karnataka society.
The committee seems to have taken the influential religion or caste ideology forward in this process. Diversity and lack of representation undermine the credibility of the committee. Rejecting the views of people who have faced social injustice for centuries only reinforces that injustice.
Without access to structural education and access to textbooks, most children in Karnataka have faced a dire situation during the epidemic. Unfortunately, this amendment has cost children in the state – due to this practice, textbook printing has been delayed by at least 3 months (which is the whole semester). They need a variety of educational materials, including textbooks, which reflect the ideals of social justice, democracy, egalitarianism and India’s shared cultural heritage.
Instead of expanding the textbook content to strengthen the constitutional principles of equality, social justice and democracy, the Karnataka government is actually embarrassed to delete some chapters of such national values.
