Condemning the recommendation of NCERT's (National Council of Educational Research and Training) panel regarding replacing 'India' with 'Bharat' in school textbooks, members of All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) in Mysuru District said that this recommendation is in accordance with Hindutva agenda of Central government and demanded its withdrawal, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
Further, speaking on this, AIDSO District Secretary Chandrakala said that we believe this recommendation is in accordance with the Hindutva agenda of the Central government. "Central government through the NCERT panel is furthering Outright Centralisation of Education which is in stark contrast to the democratic aspect of Education in our country. The Panel has also recommended implementation of the Indian Knowledge System which is also against the Scientific and Secular spirit of Education," she said.
"Already in our Constitution, we have accepted both the names 'Bharat' and 'India', by making such recommendations NCERT is only trying to kindle Sentiment of Nationalism to divert attention from genuine problems plaguing the Education system of our country," she added.
Additionally, the members said that we demand NCERT not to implement these recommendations which would destroy the real spirit of education which was envisioned by Renaissance thinkers and revolutionary freedom fighters of the country, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
All India Students' Association (AISA) shared in their statement that the NCERT's suggestion constitutes a disregard for the Indian Constitution, where Article 1(1) explicitly declares, "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." They also shared, "This recommendation also has the potential to generate confusion since numerous institutions incorporate 'India' within their names."
Furthermore, they claim that Panel Chairman Prof CI Issac (Retd), a historian and alleged RSS ideologue, asserts that the committee has recommended reducing the emphasis on Hindu defeats in the social sciences curriculum.
