NCERT Forms Expert Panel To Review New Textbooks

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has established an expert committee to review feedback on its new textbooks, which are aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, officials confirmed on Thursday. 

While the official did not specify which textbooks the panel would examine, the decision comes after the recent release of new teaching materials

"As a follow-up to NEP 2020, NCERT has brought out teaching-learning material, including textbooks," a senior NCERT official told PTI. "At present, NCERT has received feedback about the educational content in a few textbooks. Hence a Committee is being constituted having senior experts, as per its established practice." 

The official added that the committee will "examine the feedback in light of the available evidence and submit its report at the earliest possible." 

According to PTI, NCERT clarified that forming such committees is standard procedure when substantial suggestions are received. These panels typically consist of high-level domain experts and faculty members who deliberate on the feedback and recommend appropriate, evidence-based actions. 

Recently, NCERT's new Class 8 textbook, "Exploring Society: India and Beyond," garnered attention.

The book describes the reign of Mughal emperors, portraying Akbar's rule as a mix of ‘brutality’ and ‘tolerance,’ Babur as a ‘ruthless conqueror,’ and Aurangzeb as a ‘military ruler’ who reimposed taxes on non-Muslims. 

This book is the first under the new curriculum to introduce students to the Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, Marathas, and the colonial era.

According to the NCERT, the timeline for these topics has been shifted from Class 7 to Class 8, in accordance with the new National Curriculum Framework for School Education, reported PTI.