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MIEB faces flak as books find no mention of Shivaji’s history
The new Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB) is facing flak for not including the history of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji in their Class 4 textbooks.
The new Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB) is facing flak for not including the history of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji in their Class 4 textbooks.
An official response from the curriculum development committee of the board stated, “There has been a realignment of curriculum while making textbooks, as a part of which certain concepts are spread across Class 1 to 4 in a single book, unlike the state board which has different subjects. Hence, history as an independent subject would be introduced for MIEB students from Class 5 and the history of Shivaji would then be introduced in the Class 6 text.”
The board has only made one reference to Shivaji while mentioning great leaders of the country. This is in stark contrast with the old state board syllabus in which the entire textbook for class 4 is dedicated to Shivaji.
The board is facing flak from senior academicians from the state. Vasant Kalpande, former chairman of the state board, said, “What is more worrying is the secrecy involved in the whole process. There are no details about who is a part of the board, what the curriculum is and how it operates,” he added.
Bhau Gawande, former secretary of Nagpur divisional board said bringing such changes in the syllabus was uncalled for. “One needs to understand that this board is very much a part of the state and cannot ignore its rules and regulations.” In 1991, the Assembly had passed a resolution stating no changes will be made in history textbooks while including the Maratha history.
