NCERT to look into 182 ‘errors’ in history books

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, November 20

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to look into 182 alleged mistakes in its history books prescribed for Classes VI to XII.

The direction came during the hearing of a PIL by the National Centre for Historical Research and Comparative Studies (NCHRCS). The petitioner pleaded for correction in the history textbooks, deletion of alleged biased opinions, wrong insertions and restoration of alleged deliberate omission of important historical events related to India in its school textbooks published by NCERT 2006 onwards.

Arguing in person, NCHRCS Director Hemant Goswami claimed that even “shlokas” from Rigveda and other scriptures were wrongly and mischievously translated to create an absolutely opposite impression than the one in the original text.

The petitioner said history textbooks were rewritten and many assertions, without checking the authenticity and without referring to the original documents and books, found their way into the textbooks of NCERT from Classes VI to XII. “Scientific objectivity in writing history is no more exercised in writing history textbooks, the petitioner said.

The petition said a scientific analysis and study of history textbooks found more than 250 false facts and incorrect assertions. The court was also told that more than 100 RTI applications to NCERT were filed to enquire about the source of assertions in the history books.