Review school texts to include wisdom of the Vedas, other scriptures: Parliamentary panel

Many historical figures and freedom fighters incorrectly portrayed as offenders, says panel

School textbooks should incorporate the “ancient wisdom, knowledge and teachings about life and society from the Vedas and other great Indian texts”, according to a Parliamentary panel on education. History textbooks should also give greater importance to unknown freedom fighters, women heroes, the empires of the Deccan and the history of the Northeast, and the Sikh and Maratha communities, added the panel.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports submitted its report on reforms in the content and design of school textbooks to the Rajya Sabha on November 30. The panel held consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including the State and Central institutions, responsible for drafting textbooks and curricula, as well as education experts and civil society representatives.

A major chunk of the panel’s final observations related to history textbooks. “The committee during its interaction noted that many of the historical figures and freedom fighters of [the] Indian freedom struggle have been portrayed in an incorrect manner as offenders. Therefore, the committee is of the view that wrong portrayal of our heroes of freedom struggle should be corrected and they should be given due respect in our history textbooks,” it said.