'Too premature to comment': NCERT on reports about move to change 'India' to 'Bharat' in textbooks

NCERT on Wednesday said that “it is too premature to comment” on reports in sections of media concerning changing ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ in its textbooks and noted that development of new syllabus and textbooks is in the process for which groups of domain experts are being notified by it. NCERT said that since “the development of new syllabus and textbooks is in the process and for that purpose various Curricular Area Groups of domain experts are being notified so it is too premature to comment on the news being flashed in the media on the concerned issue”. A high-level National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) panel, headed by historian CI Issac, had earlier recommended replacing ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ in school textbooks. The recommendations were made by the seven-member Committee for Social Sciences which is among the committees constituted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training to prepare position papers on various subjects. However, NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani denied reports that the the proposal of the Social Sciences panel has been approved. The high-level NCERT committee made its recommendations in the final position paper on social sciences. Speaking to ANI over the phone, Issac said the “term India started being used commonly only after the establishment of the East India Company and the battle of Plassey in 1757”. “We have unanimously recommended that the ‘Bharat’ should be used in textbooks for students across classes,” Isaac said. Saklani said the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is the official document for the curriculum. “Nowhere in it, it is written that the name should be changed. These are rumours. No such thing is being done. Whosoever has claimed must show documents. We haven’t done it,” Saklani told ANI. The panel chaired by Issac was among the 25 committees formed by the NCERT in December 2021 to prepare position papers on various subjects and themes. A controversy had broken out over the panel recommendations with some opposition leaders alleging that “confusion” was being created as several institutions use ‘India’ in their names.