Author: Aniket Raja
Publication: The Organiser
Date: May 13, 2001
Eyebrows are often raised by the
self-styled secularist forces against the reforms introduced by the BJP
led NDA Government.
However recently in an interesting
case a former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Shri V.R. Krishna Iyer, who
is also a leading champion of human rights and Indian secularism dropped
the charge of saffronisation which he had levied against the National Council
of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
In a letter to the Prime Minister
Justice Iyer had severly criticised the NCERT and its present Director
Shri J.S. Rajput for spearheading the Vajpayee Government's agenda of allegedly
saffronising education.
Dropping the charges which he had
levelled against the NCERT after Shri Rajput's explanation, Justice Iyer
has hoped that the position as put forward by the NCERT should be put into
actual practice. "Our secularism and humanism in the educational field
are priceless values, regard being had to our pluralist polity", he said.
Earlier, writing to Prime Minister,
Vajpayee as President of the All India Save Education Committee, Justice
Iyer had observed that there was a planned effort to introduce religious
instruction in course curricula in the guise of value education. He had
written, "rejecting, the correct classical concept of secularism in education
as the separation of religion from educational content and as pertaining
to matters of this world alone, NCERT is harping on Sarvadharmasamabhava.......
"The classical definition of secularism was not the product of fanciful
imagination but emerged from the historical need to unite people divided
by regional, religious and caste banners." He had further stated in his
letter that "it remains relevant but Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, the Human
Resource Development Minister and the NCERT are seeking to put the clock
back once again by making the learning of science optional but of religion
compulsory."
Refuting the allegations of Justice
Iyer, Shri Rajput said that the NCERT is following the document 'National
Curriculum Framework for School Education' released on November 14, 2000.
He said, "It is totally false and
incorrect contention that learning of science is made optional and religious
education compulsory. NCERT has recommended compulsory learning of science
in accordance with the 'Education Policies of 1968, 1986 and 1992 and nowhere
it has recommended education on religion (to be made) compulsory." He said
that "NCERT has very clearly said, that it is recommending education about
religions and not religious education in its document." At no stage any
dose of religious values has been proposed. What has been proposed is the
moral, ethical and humanistic values along with constitutional values.
There is no harm in saying that children must know the. Fundamental Right
and the Fundamental Duties, he said.
Shri Rajput said that those who
are criticizing the NCERTs contention on value and education about religion
should read the recommendations of the Committee of Members of Parliament
headed by Shri S.B. Chavan consisting of Hon'ble Member of Parliament from
all parties which submitted its, Report to the Rajya Sabha 1999. What the
NCERT has recommended is certainly not in any way beyond the recommendation
of the committee's report. People definitely have their own views. Young
immature minds need not only be exposed to Harry Potter, Enid Blyton and
Superman, etc. 'The great stories from the lives of Rama, Krishna, Guru
Gobind Singh, Hazrat Mohammad Saheb, Bhagwan Mahavir, Jesus Christ and
other religious leaders, gurus, saints, fakirs and thinker will certainly
provide a great understanding of India as a nation, its pluralities and
diversities to the young children and generate a confidence of self-assurance
and social cohesion. NCERT's document is based upon national consensus
which has been evolved with great effort, he said.
He further rejected the allegations
made by Justice Iyer that the NCERT has gone to the extent of proposing
the school infrastructure - building programme- 'Operation Blackboard'-
that was proposed to be scrapped by the NCERT.
He also made it clear that the NCERT
has. not in any way proposed dual system of education in any form as stated
by Justice Iyer. NCERT has recommended vocational education as it feels
that vocationalisation is the only panacea for enhancing the quality of
education for most of the children in the country.
Clarifying the goals of the NCERT
Shri Rajput said, NCERT is a national asset which has done considerable
good work. It has continuously upgraded the quality of its contributions
and has attempted to correlate these to the socio economic and cultural
context of the nation. Obviously having inherited an alien model of school
education, it has taken time to fully understand what is best for the Indian
society of tomorrow and for the young minds of today who will be shaping
the destiny of India in future. Needless to say NCERT is fully aware of
its nation building responsibilities. It can't allow itself to be driven
by any particular group of persons or an ideology. It bases its tasks within
the national policies of education, which were formulated in 1968, 1986
and 1992. The final policy formulation is the job of the Government of
India and there has been no policy change since 1992 onwards as far as
NCERT is concerned.
NCERT also shares the global viewpoint
that the most outstanding objective of education in the 21st century would
be to achieve social cohesion and society will have to 'learn to live together'.
The utility, acceptability, credibility of education will not be judged
only by employer and experts but also by communities.
Rural India cannot be neglected
by the elite and therefore NCERT would like children to learn what they
can utilize. Can anyone deny that in a cohort of 100 children, only less
than 10 matriculate in this country? The remaining 90 of them neither go
to school, are either unenrolled, dropout or those who were declared fail
in the examination. This youth power cannot be neglected by the nation
any more. NCERT is concerned equally about the 90 per cent as about the
remaining ten percent.
He emphasised that the greatest
advantage of NCERT is that it is in constant touch with eminent educationists
on one hand and the practising teachers on the other. It consults the entire
spectrum and gets their inputs. For NCERT every professional is a source
of inspiration and NCERT has no hesitation in going to anyone who is willing
to contribute academically or professionally. NCERT is confident that even
those who are apprehensive will have to face the facts and will not continue
to read in between the lines according to their prejudged notions.
For us in NCERT everyone is a contributor.
Our focal point is the child who is still outside the school or who has
left the school or is in a deficient and deprived school situations. NCERT
works for every child in school along with them, he said.
