The Karnataka government has made its final revision to textbooks for classes I to X for Kannada first language and second language; classes IX and X for Kannada third language; and classes VI to X social science subjects. Among several changes, the state government has decided to give an “appropriate description” to Sanatan Dharma in a chapter and has brought back the works of progressive writers like Girish Karnad, Periyar and Devanur Mahadeva.
These writers were earlier dropped by the textbook revision committee under Rohith Chakrathirtha, which was formed by the previous BJP government under Basavaraj Bommai. Now, the panel has retained all the corrections introduced in the textbooks after the Congress formed the government following the assembly elections.
The Congress government, however, has avoided a major faceoff by not adding anything related to Tipu Sultan. Some of the major changes include the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation chapter being retitled as ‘Ancient Indian Civilization-Sindhu-Saraswati Civilization’ and Veda Kala, Sanatan Dharma given appropriate description; as well as origins of Jain and Buddhist religions added and Veerashaiva sect values renamed as Basavadi and Shivasharana values, in the history textbook for Class VIII.
In Kannada textbooks for Classes VIII to X, additions have been made of chapters from Girish Karnad (‘Adhikara’) and Devanur Mahadeva’s (‘Yadegey Bidda Akshara’) works and SG Narasimhachar’s ‘Govina Charithre’ (Cow’s Character) along with P Lankesh’s essay.
The BJP has opposed the revised draft calling it an attempt by the Congress to create confusion among people. “They don’t respect the Constitution, faith and belief of the people of Karnataka. They want to create chaos, confusion and polarisation. They don’t respect the Sanatan Dharma we believe in, so they are trying to drive people against it. By doing this, they are trying to create confusion and working against Sanatan Dharma; we condemn this and will expose the Congress government and raise awareness. We’ll strongly oppose the syllabus and ensure that the inclusion doesn’t happen,” said former higher education minister CN Ashwath Narayan.
The committee has trimmed the chapter about Kashmir’s Karkota dynasty as well as the Ahom dynasty while there is additional information on philosophers and saints like Kanaka Dasa, Purandara Dasa and Shishunala Sharif in the history textbook for Class IX.
In the Class X history textbook, extracts about social activists Savitribhai Phule and Periyar. The social science curriculum has permanent inclusions like ‘Culture of Vedic Period’ and ‘Rise of New Religions’. Child rights information has also been added under the chapter on human rights as well as fundamental rights and duties. Basaveshwara has been termed as a cultural icon.
The state government is racing against time and will have to print 12 crore textbooks and distribute them before June, when schools open after the summer vacation.
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