New NCERT Chief: Professional Historians Free to Select Content Without Intervention

Vinod Kakumanu
March 2, 2022, 10:41 a.m.

Professor Dinesh Prasad Saklani took charge as the new Director of the National Council of Educational Research (NCERT). His top priority is the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. As per his statement, work on the national curriculum framework for school textbooks is proceeding according to the schedule.

Regarding concerns about the content of the current history textbooks glorifying the Mughal rulers, he stated that he will be inviting professional historians to look into the matter, and select history content, without any interference or dictates from him. Their decision on content and syllabus for history will be followed under all circumstances.

He spoke about the main priorities, with the first priority being the implementation of NEP, for which work is in progress. The Indian Government has already constituted the steering committee for framing the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), along with 20 focus groups working on the position papers.

He emphasised on the need to re-energise NCERT, pointing out faculty-shortage, with over 50% of the posts remaining vacant in the National Institute of Education and Regional Institute of Education. He said that a few problems exist and need to be tackled.

According to him, balance between modern technology and traditional knowledge should be stressed on, in the school curriculum. He said that at the root of our country’s philosophy lies the harmony with nature, with our traditional knowledge depending on nature. He said that we need to adopt the modern, but without ignoring the traditional.