With more new changes to the NCERT textbook syllabus for various sections for the coming academic year, the Class 12 Political Science textbook reference to India’s border situation with China has been changed.
As part of Chapter 2, in the book Contemporary World Politics, under the paragraph titled India-China relations, the existing statement has been altered. Earlier, in the textbook on page 25, the existing sentence read: “However, military conflict over a border dispute between the two countries marred that hope.”
The rationale given by the NCERT is, “The language has been changed to the context of the text.”
The context as explained in the paragraph speaks of a time during Nehru’s prime ministership when slogans of “Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai|’ were popular. The textbook para speaks about differences arising from the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1950 and the final settlement on the Sino-Indian border, the war of 1962 over competing territorial claims principally in Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region of Ladakh.
Politics often erupts among India’s opposition over India’s present stand over China and its border aggression on Indian soil, especially after the skirmish in Galwan in eastern Ladakh in 2020 when more than 38 Chinese soldiers were dead while 20 Indian soldiers died, said the Indian Army.
Not just India-China relations, but in the textbook Politics In India since independence - Class 12, the words “Azad Pakistan”, have been changed to “Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir”.
On Page 119, the existing version of the textbook reads, “India claims that this area is under illegal occupation. Pakistan describes this area as ‘Azad Pakistan’.”
Now, the version has been changed to: "However, it is the Indian territory which is under illegal occupation of Pakistan called Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK).”
The NCERT's rationale, “The change which has been introduced is in complete concurrence with the latest position of the Govt of India in regard to Jammu and Kashmir.”
In recent statements from the ruling government, it has been very vocal about Pak-occupied Kashmir territory. Ministers of the ruling BJP government have made strong references to it on various platforms and even inside the Indian parliament.
Even references to Khalistan or the secession movement for a separate Sikh state has been removed from the syllabus.
On Page 123, the existing version reads: “The Resolution was a plea for strengthening federalism, but it could also be interpreted as a plea for a separate Sikh nation.”
Now the statement has been changed to: “The Resolution was a plea for strengthening federalism in India.” On the same page no. 123 the second paragraph had a sentence,
“The more extreme elements started advocating secession.” This sentence has been deleted by NCERT.
NCERT’s rationale states: “As per the earlier rationalised version, changes have already been made online but not done with hardcopy. Therefore, it is required to do so in hard copy.”
The abrogation of Article 370 is mentioned in the new updated textbooks on page 132.
The existing version reads: “While most of the states have equal powers, there are special provisions for some states like J&K and the states in the North-East.''
The changes now show: “While most of the states have equal powers, there are special provisions for some states like J&K and the states in the North-East. However, Article 370, which contains special provisions for J&K, was abrogated in August 2019.”
Rationale - The special provision, Article 370 of J&K was revoked in August 2019 by the President of India. A link to the updated information has been given.
On page 155, a cartoon with questions on the survival of India’s democracy has been replaced. The NCERT said that “it shows India in a negative light in the post-2014 scenario. “It shows India in a negative light.
Therefore, replaced with box item activity in view of the post-2014 scenario,” NCERT has been stated.
An existing version showed “Cartoon and questions about Will India survive? Changed version: Replaced with as box item activity, which starts with - “As you know...thrive in India”.
