Central Education Board adopts new curriculum framework, to “de–saffronise” school textbooks

New Delhi – In its move to “desaffronise” school textbooks and prepare for the new academic session, the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) has adopted the National Curriculum Framework–2005, Christian Today has confirmed.

Under pressure from a section of the academic community for drafting a curriculum that "lacked a firm commitment against a sectarian and narrow vision of education," the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) had to revise the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 before meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE).

While the first draft proposed four guiding principles to address distortions in educational aims and quality, the revised document has added a fifth that seeks to nurture "an identity soaked in caring concerns within the democratic polity of the country.''

The document recognises India's diversity as its strength. By stressing on local knowledge, the aim is to help the student critically engage and negotiate with what he sees around him. However, all forms of local knowledge must be mediated through Constitutional values.

Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh who chaired the meeting said that all the suggestions made and views aired at the CABE meeting would be taken into consideration while drawing up the syllabus and writing the textbooks.

The Minister also announced that a monitoring committee to monitor the syllabus preparation and textbook writing, would be appointed.

The drawing up of a new curriculum was necessitated due to the “saffronisation” of the school textbooks by the ruling BJP–led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. However, the move by the NDA government of re–writing of school textbooks to suit particular political and religious ideology was met with stiff protests.