IHC: Changes mooted in NCERT textbooks biased

What is the News?

Indian History Congress(IHC) has objected to rewriting the history textbooks in the National Council of Educational Research and Training(NCERT) school textbooks.

What is the issue?

• The Rajya Sabha secretariat had released a circular saying that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on education would discuss changes in the NCERT’s textbooks and curriculum and consider reforms with a focus on:
  • removing references to “un-historical facts and distortions about national heroes;
  • ensuring equal or proportionate references to all periods of Indian history and
  • highlight the role of great historic women heroes.

What has the IHC said?

• Indian History Congress(IHC) has said that the reasons cited for the proposed change in NCERTs are unfounded.
• The claim that there are ‘unhistorical facts and distortions’ with regard to national heroes is completely false.
• Further, the claim regarding the lack of equal space accorded to various periods of Indian history is not true.
• Hence, these changes are not being done for ‘academic’ reasons. But instead, the changes are being made for ‘political reasons.

Indian History Congress(IHC):

• IHC was founded in 1935. It is the largest association of professional historians in South Asia.
• Origin: The lead to establish IHC was taken by Poona historians during the period of British colonial rule. The first session took place in Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, Poona in 1935.
• Mandate: Its main objective is to promote secular and scientific writing of history. It also has been holding its sessions very regularly.