New Delhi, August 20: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has restructured its committee responsible for developing political science textbooks for classes 11 and 12. In an exclusive interview, former NCERT Director JS Rajput shared his insights on the matter.
Rajput addressed the protests from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and opposition parties regarding the new team. He stated, “Just because someone is associated with the RSS does not mean they are bound by its ideology. Why are people troubled by this connection? Do they forget that for decades, communists wrote for NCERT textbooks? Was there any protest during that time? Therefore, the current protests are meaningless.”
He emphasized that NCERT employs a large number of academic staff, and the final outcome of the textbooks is their responsibility. “When I was director, I made it clear that while experts and authors could come from outside, every word in the book would be finalized by NCERT staff. Otherwise, why employ them?” he questioned.
Rajput recounted an instance where a textbook for final approval came to him. Although he is not an expert in every subject, he consulted another professor. The professor pointed out that a claim stating Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by Tamil Christians could not be published by NCERT. He promptly informed the author that it was unacceptable, highlighting the responsibility of NCERT staff in such matters.
He further stated that if there is a clear ideological stance in the content, it is NCERT’s duty to approve or reject it. “If you rely entirely on external people, then why are you even here? External inputs are valuable, but the final decision rests with you,” he noted. Rajput asserted that NCERT considers every child in India as its own and that every professor and teacher contributes to the nation’s future.
Rajput remarked that what is happening today is not new. He believes NCERT continues to gain the trust of the public. “Meet any IAS officer under 35; they will tell you that they are where they are because of NCERT books. When people learn that I was the director of NCERT, I receive immense respect. Thus, NCERT has not lost public trust, although there are controversies associated with it,” he added.
He stressed the importance of teaching children about all religions, promoting five core values: truth, peace, non-violence, love, and religious conduct. “No religion has an issue with this. The Supreme Court has also stated that nothing could be better than this. When I became director, I never forgot that someone sat in my place before me, who was chosen solely on merit, without any ideology. This is how NCERT operates. Criticism helps us improve,” he concluded.
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