Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Centre during the Monsoon Session of the Parliament has told the Rajya Sabha that new NCERT textbooks have incorporated references to the history, culture, traditions, art, heritage and contributions of the North Eastern States, particularly for students in Classes 1 to 8.
Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary gave the information in a written response to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Birendra Prasad Baishya on whether the government was considering including the history, culture and heritage of the Northeast in the NCERT curriculum.
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The government said the move is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, both of which emphasise respect for India’s diversity and local context in curriculum and pedagogy.
NORTHEAST CONTENT ALREADY IN NEW NCERT BOOKS
According to the Ministry of Education, NCERT has developed new textbooks that include references to the history, culture, traditions, art, heritage and contributions of the North Eastern States, especially from Classes 1 to 8. The stated objective is to help promote awareness of the region’s rich cultural diversity among students across the country.
The ministry said NEP 2020 provides for the inclusion of “Knowledge of India” across the school curriculum, covering India’s contributions, achievements, challenges and aspirations. It also calls for Indian Knowledge Systems, including tribal knowledge and indigenous and traditional ways of learning, to be incorporated wherever relevant.
The policy also emphasises multilingualism and respect for India’s linguistic diversity, including languages of the North-East.
The Centre said NCERT had conducted district-level consultations across States and Union Territories, including the North-Eastern States, as part of the process of translating the recommendations of NEP 2020 into the National Curriculum Frameworks.
State Focus Groups were also constituted across States and Union Territories, including the North-East. These groups prepared Position Papers that contributed to the development of the National Curriculum Frameworks.
The NCF-SE 2023 recognises the diversity of cultural expressions across India and states that local arts and cultures should be used as a starting point for Arts Education across all stages of school education.
ASSAMESE, BODO, MANIPURI AMONG LANGUAGES COVERED
The ministry also highlighted NCERT’s language learning material as part of its efforts to reflect the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity.
NCERT has brought out Grade 6 R3 Language textbooks and Grade 9 age-appropriate learning material in 22 languages, including Assamese, Bodo and Manipuri, which reflect the culture of the North Eastern States.
The Centre further said NCERT is conducting capacity-building programmes across States and Union Territories, including the North-Eastern States, to promote awareness of cultural rootedness, Indian Knowledge Systems and the curricular approach under NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023.
The National Syllabus and Teaching-Learning Material Committee and Curricular Area Groups also include experts and scholars from the North-Eastern States, including NCERT faculty members, the ministry said.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
