‘Too premature to comment...’: NCERT on reports about move to change ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ in textbooks

"It's too premature to comment" on reports of changing 'India' to 'Bharat' in textbooks, says NCERT. Panel recommended it, but NCERT director denies reports of approval

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Wednesday said that "it is too premature to comment" on reports in sections of media concerning changing 'India' to 'Bharat' in its textbooks and noted that development of new syllabus and textbooks is in the process for which groups of domain experts are being notified by it.

NCERT said 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 on the news being flashed in the media on the concerned issue".

A high-level NCERT panel, headed by historian C.I. Issac, had earlier recommended replacing 'India' with 'Bharat' in school textbooks. The recommendations were made by the seven-member Committee for Social Sciences which is among the committees constituted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training to prepare position papers on various subjects.

However, NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani denied reports that the the proposal of the Social Sciences panel has been approved.

The high-level NCERT committee made its recommendations in the final position paper on social sciences.

Speaking to ANI over the phone, Mr. Issac said the "term India started being used commonly only after the establishment of the East India Company and the battle of Plassey in 1757".

"We have unanimously recommended that the 'Bharat' should be used in textbooks for students across classes," Mr. Isaac said.