Textbook Overhaul on Cards? Writers, Thinkers Meet Karnataka CM, Urge Him to Relook Changes by BJP

As the discussion surrounding the change of textbook syllabus continues in Karnataka, a delegation of more than 40 litterateurs met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to demand the scrapping of the National Education Policy (NEP) and bring in a New State Education Policy.

The delegation of writers and thinkers under the banner ‘Samanvaya Mansakara okkoota’ met Siddaramaiah with various demands regarding the education system, including the scrapping of the NEP in the state which the Congress had promised in its 2023 Karnataka elections’ manifesto.

This meeting came a week after educationists and school associations appealed to Siddaramaiah to drop a few excerpts from the syllabus formulated by the previous BJP-led government and bring back the old syllabus in the curriculum for the upcoming academic year.

The litterateurs also demanded the Congress-led government to immediately form a committee to revise the syllabus if not bring back the old one which was formulated by the Baragur Ramachandra committee. Apart from this, the delegation also sought the scrapping of the NEET medical entrance exam in Karnataka and stressed revising the dress code in education institutions following the hijab row.

‘Will Not Allow Any Text That Poisons The Mind of Children’

Following the discussion surrounding change in syllabus and various other aspects pertaining to the education system, Siddaramaiah assured that the newly-formed state government will discuss and take action so that the education of the children is not disturbed.

“Education sector will not be allowed to be adulterated in the name of new education policy. A separate meeting will be convened in this regard once again to discuss it comprehensively and take strict and definite decisions. The act of polluting children’s minds through texts and lessons cannot be condoned. As the academic year has started, we will discuss and take action so that the education of the children is not disturbed,” he was quoted as saying in a press statement.

When asked about the task of syllabus revision, the state primary education minister Madhu Bangarappa said, “We had mentioned this in our poll manifesto as well. We will review the existing syllabus and will sit and discuss regarding this. The process will be completed within next week. Writers and thinkers have met the Chief Minister and discussed the same with him. The revision in syllabus will be done by next week.”

A massive row had erupted in Karnataka during the BJP’s tenure after the inclusion of RSS chief Keshav Balira Hedgewar’s speech in the revised Kannada textbook of Class 10. The syllabus had also dropped lessons of various prominent Kannada writers such as P Lankesh, AN Rao and Sara Aboobacker which had received a backlash from several writers and thinkers.

Opposing the move by the BJP, the Congress had lent its support to the writers and thinkers who had then staged a protest. In a massive rally on June 18, 2022 by various thinkers, writers, seers and activists, Congress leader DK Shivakumar tore the revised syllabus by the BJP government and had assured to stand by them in their protest.