NEW DELHI: NCERT’s former Director J.S. Rajput on Thursday defended the inclusion of members with links to the RSS in a panel preparing a new Political Science textbook, calling the criticism “absurd” and irrelevant.
Rajput said an individual’s association with the RSS should not determine their academic credibility, arguing that academic work should be judged on competence and integrity. He also pointed to the past involvement of academics with other ideological affiliations in NCERT textbook writing.
He stressed that while external experts may provide inputs, NCERT’s faculty and academic experts are ultimately responsible for deciding the content of textbooks and addressing any ideological concerns.
Rejecting suggestions that NCERT has lost public trust because of controversies surrounding curriculum changes, Rajput said the institution continues to enjoy widespread acceptance, while acknowledging that controversies have occurred.
On concerns over political influence in textbooks, Rajput said NCERT should select competent academics who are committed to their discipline and to educating young Indians. He also said historical content should be updated in light of new research, archaeological discoveries and other evidence, while avoiding excessive ideological influence. (IANS)
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