The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) does not differentiate between India and Bharat, and duly acknowledges the spirit enshrined in the Constitution that recognises both names, the Union ministry of education informed Parliament on Wednesday.
Responding to questions by CPI(M) member Elamaram Kareem and CPI’s Sandosh Kumar in Rajya Sabha, regarding an NCERT panel’s recommendations of replacing the name India with ‘Bharat’ in textbooks, Union minister of state for education Annapurna Devi said, “Article 1 of the Constitution of India states that ‘India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States’. India’s Constitution recognises both India and Bharat as the official names of the country which can be used interchangeably. The NCERT duly acknowledges this spirit as enshrined in our Constitution and does not differentiate between the two.”
She said the country is collectively moving away from the colonial mindset and encourages the usage of words in Bhartiya bhasha (Indian languages).
“NCERT, an autonomous body under the aegis of the ministry of education involved in preparation of school curriculum and textbooks will also do its best in furthering the same,” the minister said.
A high-level committee for social sciences, constituted by the NCERT to revise the school curriculum, recommended in October replacing the name India with Bharat in textbooks. The recommendation triggered a political controversy, with the Opposition accusing the government of electoral gimmicks and suggesting that the name change was inspired by the 26-party grouping opposing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling themselves the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA.
{{/usCountry}}A high-level committee for social sciences, constituted by the NCERT to revise the school curriculum, recommended in October replacing the name India with Bharat in textbooks. The recommendation triggered a political controversy, with the Opposition accusing the government of electoral gimmicks and suggesting that the name change was inspired by the 26-party grouping opposing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling themselves the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA.
{{/usCountry}}However, the NCERT maintained that no decision had been taken on the panel’s recommendations. “NCERT states that since the development of new syllabus and textbooks is in the process and for that purpose various curricular area groups of domain experts are being notified. So, it is too premature to comment,” it said.