We have not changed Cong. policy: Joshi

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 20. The Human Resource Development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, today denied allegations of the Opposition that the BJP-led coalition Government at the Centre was pursuing a ``hidden agenda'' in framing the curriculum for schools.

Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on ``Saffronisation of Education'', Dr. Joshi asserted that the Government had not deviated from the National Education Policy of 1986 which was implemented during the Congress regime.

Though there were almost empty benches both on the Treasury and Opposition side, Dr. Joshi's more than an hour-long reply was interrupted frequently by the Opposition members who alleged that the Minister was trying to be evasive.

Dr. Joshi asserted that the proposed curriculum framework was sent to all the Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and State Education Ministers for ascertaining their views and said that none had rejected the document.

He said the document was prepared after several rounds of discussions and all the regional institutes of education were taken into confidence. Eminent academicians, educationists and scientists such as Mr. Kapila Vatsayan, Prof. Yashpal, Prof. Ravinder Kumar and Prof. S.Z. Qasim were members of the committee that examined the curriculum framework.

The Minister said the document was sent to 67 political parties with a request to discuss it in their party fora. He said the curriculum framework was drafted with a view to improving the quality of education.

``No other Government has been so democratic and held such wide consultations before preparing the framework of curriculum. It has been disseminated on a very wide scale. I say that this is only a curriculum under the 1986 National Policy of Education. If there is any deviation, kindly point it out. We are bound by the 1986 policy and the amendments carried out in it in 1992,'' he assured the members.

He said the Central Government could only lay down the policy and curriculum framework and the State Governments were free to draft their own syllabi. ``I urge all the members to seriously study it and come up with suggestions and feedback,'' he added. The Minister alleged that there was a conspiracy to refrain from paying attention to the Government's version. ``If you go on repeating lies and half-truths umpteen times, it tends to get portrayed as truth. This is a dangerous propaganda,'' he said.

Dr. Joshi said that all State Education Ministers were members of the NCERT and they had all attended the Council's meeting and accepted the document. He said the curriculum framework was an exercise in review and not aimed at changing anything. He said the curriculum framework was in favour of imparting education about all religions and not about religious education. ``We are for equal respect to all religions and that is what the framework contains. Sanskrit is also an elective subject and not a compulsory one,'' he said.

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