HT Digital,
New Delhi, Oct 25: In the ongoing debate over naming conventions, the National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) high-level committee for social sciences has suggested that textbooks should replace the term ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’, according to Wednesday’s reports.
The committee’s chairperson, CI Issac, pointed out that ‘Bharat’ is a traditional name, referenced in texts like the Vishnu Purana, dating back 7,000 years. In contrast, the term ‘India’ gained popularity following the establishment of the East India Company and the 1517 Battle of Plassey.
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Issac also revealed that the committee proposed a shift from ‘ancient history’ to ‘classical history’ in educational materials. He criticised the British-era division of Indian history into ancient, medieval, and modern stages, arguing that it portrayed India as scientifically backward.
Issac mentioned numerous instances of historical Indian scientific achievements, such as Aryabhatta’s solar system model. The committee recommended teaching the classical period of Indian history alongside the medieval and modern periods in schools. The NCERT, in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2023, is revising the school curriculum.
A 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) was recently established by the council to finalise the curriculum, textbooks, and learning materials for these classes.
