There is an upsurge of sentiments nationally and internationally due to the step taken by NCERT of removing some topics like periodic table, democracy, evolution from the syllabus of 9th & 10th.
NCERT has its reasons to remove certain topics from the syllabus and the most common is to reduce the burden of students. While many experts/researchers and students including their parents are raising brows and criticizing the step.
In the similar upsurge of views and reactions when yesterday, Richard Dawkins, Biologist from UK commented harshly by sharing the screen shot of Nature’s Editorial which is also wrote against the NCERT’s step. The known biologist wrote, “Modi’s BJP is a tragic affront to India’s secular beginnings. Hinduism is at least as ridiculous as Islam. Between them, these two idiotic religions have betrayed the ideals of Nehru and Gandhi.”
The tweet already viewed more than millions, with thousands of retweets and comments.
One comments, “Please don’t wade into politics and mix it with religion.” Prof. Bholanath Dutta sternly reacts to it and writes, “Remembering World Trade Centre and what happened to it? Also read the news about UK and what’s happening on the street. Please focus on your country and its well-being. The writing is on the wall!
Another writes, “Mind your language. . . .”
In next comment, a tweeter shares his views along with a chart of prison population by religious group, “Please don’t spread false narratives. The curriculum is very much same, just that it is moved to a grade that is aligned with specialisations. Instead of teaching evolution in grade 9 now it will be taught in grade 11. India had K-12 format for schools. Now regarding your comparison of Hinduism & Islam. I understand you are one of the Premier authorities in Atheist community & I have read your work, many of your theories are very sound logically. . . .”
The tweeters are not ready to stop, it seems. One tweeter says, “Completely irresponsible statement without validating veracity of article. Even more irresponsible by bringing in religion as a topic even though there is no correlation.”
Amidst all this NCERT has already cleared its stand that it is due to high difficulty level content which is easily accessible to children and does not require much intervention from the teachers and can be learned through self-learning or peer-learning. More than 4000 researchers and others have so far signed an open letter asking officials to restore the material. NCERT justifies, “With respect to the removal of the concepts of periodic table and evolution are concerned, the same has not been removed from the school education curriculum but in fact are available in appropriate detail in classes 11 and 12.”
High difficulty level
Content, which is easily accessible to children and does not require much intervention from the teachers and can be learned through self-learning or peer-learning.
Content, which is not relevant in the present context or outdated.— NCERT (@ncert) June 1, 2023
However, this is not for the first time, an antagonizing atmosphere is created after a decision. But in a way, it also shows that we live in a free society and a society where everything/anything is a click away. Afterall knowledge is free and floating all around. We just need to be ALERT what we receive, since it is easy to receive falsehood while, the truth is difficult to find.
