NCERT recommends changing ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ in textbooks

Committee also recommended highlighting “Hindu victories” in battles. Representation pic

A high-level committee tasked with revising the school curriculum by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has proposed the substitution of the term ‘India' with ‘Bharat' in textbooks. The committee's chairman justified this recommendation by citing the historical significance of the name ‘Bharat,' which can be traced back to ancient texts like the Vishnu Purana, dating back over 7,000 years.

Professor CI Issac, chairman of the committee, explained, "The unanimous recommendation made by the seven-member committee has been incorporated in its final position paper on social sciences. This position paper serves as a pivotal guiding document for shaping the framework of forthcoming NCERT textbooks."

The Article 1(1) of the Constitution already states "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States".

"The term ‘India' only became common after the establishment of the East India Company and the Battle of Plassey in 1757," he stated.

The committee, one of the 25 committees established by the NCERT in 2021 to produce position papers on diverse subjects and themes, has also recommended the adoption of ‘classical history' in lieu of ‘ancient history' in textbooks, officials said.

Besides, the committee has also recommended the introduction of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) in the curriculum of all subjects.

The NCERT is revising the curriculum of the school textbooks in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The council has recently constituted a 19-member National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) to finalise the curriculum, textbooks and learning material for these classes.

But, NCERT stated it is too premature to comment on the issue at this stage as no decision had been taken yet on the panel's recommendations.