Date:02/08/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/08/02/stories/2002080203141300.htm

National

No hidden agenda in new curriculum: Centre

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI Aug. 1. The Centre today categorically denied in the Supreme Court that there was any hidden agenda or an attempt to saffronise education in the implementation of the `National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2000'.

Appearing for the Centre, the Solicitor-General, Harish Salve, submitted before a three-Judge Bench, comprising Justice M.B. Shah, Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari and Justice H.K. Sema that the NCFSE was formulated only after wide and extensive consultations with experts and academicians.

The Bench was hearing final arguments on a public interest petition filed by social activist, Aruna Roy, columnist B.G. Verghese and sociologist, Meena Radhakrishna Tyabji, challenging the adoption and implementation of the new curriculum by the National Council for Educational Research and Training.

Mr. Salve submitted that the new curriculum was based on the recommendations of a Standing Committee report submitted by S.B. Chavan, which was approved by Parliament and there was no attempt to push in religion into the education system. Mr. Salve contended that the new curriculum provided for non-discrimination and a new thrust for education for girls. When the supreme policy-making forum, Parliament, had approved the report, the Government did not think it fit to refer it to the Central Advisory Board on Education.

Referring to the petitioners' contention that the CABE was not consulted, Mr. Salve said it had become defunct in 1994. But the consultation process that preceded the finalisation of the Framework-2000 was far wider than the scope offered by the CABE.

Earlier, senior counsel for petitioners, C.S. Vaidyanathan, explaining how distortions had taken place, said in the book for Class VI, there was no reference to Islam as a religion. Further, the phrase invasions and resistance was used only when referring to Muslim rulers and in medieval architecture, even the great monument, Taj Mahal, did not find a place. There was no reference to the fact that Mughals contributed to cultural, social and economic developments, he added.