Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed strong disapproval of the reports suggesting that a panel within the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) had accepted a proposal to substitute the term 'India' with 'Bharat' in their educational textbooks. Shivakumar asserted that the government had "coerced" the NCERT into this decision, which he regarded as deeply concerning.
Shivakumar questioned the government's intentions, claiming that their stance was creating confusion among the people of India. He characterized their approach as fundamentally adverse to the interests of the public, the nation, and the essence of India itself. In his view, the NDA government had exerted undue influence on the NCERT to steer the decision-making process.
It is worth noting that while there have been reports on the matter, the NCERT has not officially confirmed this decision. The panel that has purportedly endorsed the proposal considers it "premature" to provide a definitive statement. It's important to recognize that the proposal's acceptance is part of the deliberations among a total of 25 panels responsible for evaluating changes and modifications to the content of NCERT textbooks.
Shivakumar criticized the possible decision, emphasizing its incorrectness. He further declared that Karnataka would continue using the existing educational content. His argument centered around the usage of well-established terms such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Indian Administrative Service, and the Indian Foreign Service. He also pointed to official documents like passports, which bear the designation "Republic of India." Shivakumar argued that altering India's historical nomenclature in educational materials was not justifiable.
The chairman of the panel that allegedly backed the proposal, IC Issac, had earlier suggested that upcoming NCERT textbooks would indeed feature the name 'Bharat' in place of 'India.' However, it's essential to acknowledge that while this proposal has been recommended to NCERT's headquarters in Delhi, a final decision on the matter is pending confirmation.
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