Call to desist 'saffronisation' of education

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 27. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, has asked the Centre to desist from its moves to `saffronise' education.

In a statement here today, Mr. Achuthanandan said the document on education prepared by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) decision to include astrology and rituals in the curriculum were intended to impose the `Hindutva' agenda on the country's educational system. Since education was part of the concurrent list, the Centre should consult the States before taking any decision in the matter. However, no such discussion had taken place before the NCERT finalised its document on education, he pointed out.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the NCERT would take back the country's education to the primitive days and this would result in the loss of secular character of education. In a multicultural society like Kerala, the education scene should be free from all forms of sectarian content and this had been reiterated time and again by policy documents adopted both at the national and international levels. But, by insisting on teaching of Vedic Mathematics and the biographies of prophets and sanyasins, the Centre was trying to overturn all such principles, he added.

The Opposition leader called upon all secular sections, teachers and students to come out against the Centre's saffronisation drive in the field of education.

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Section  : Southern States
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