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Karnataka Government Reverses Textbook Modifications, Restoring Previous Content

The state government of Karnataka has ordered 18 significant modifications in Kananda and Social Science topics for classes 6 to 10.
on Jun 19, 2023

Madhu Bangarappa, the minister of elementary and secondary education for Karnataka, stated on Thursday that all modifications made by the BJP administration in 2022 had been undone.

The state government of Karnataka has ordered 18 significant modifications in Kananda and Social Science topics for classes 6 to 10, only days after the Karnataka Cabinet authorized the revision of school textbooks to reverse the changes made by the previous BJP administration.

The Nijavada Adarsha Purusha Yaragabeku lesson from RSS founder KB Hedgewar has been replaced in the class 10 Kannada textbook by a lesson named "Sukumara Swamiya Kathe," according to modifications made public by the Karnataka Textbook Society.

The poem "Kalavannu Geddavaru" by KT Gatti, which starred Hindutva thinker VD Savarkar, has been replaced in the Class 8 Kannada textbook with "Blood Group" by Vijayamala Ranganath.

Madhu Bangarappa, the state's minister of elementary and secondary education, declared on Thursday that all the modifications made by the BJP administration in 2022 had been undone. "We altered it and brought back whatever was present from the previous year, whatever adjustments they made last year. We now have done the least in the children's best interests. Only in the social studies classes from grades 6 to 10 and the Kannada language from classes 6 to 10.

In its political platform released before this year's assembly elections, the Congress pledged to undo the BJP's alterations to textbooks. About 30 academics and authors met with chief minister Siddaramaiah on May 29 in Bengaluru and presented him with a memorandum outlining a number of requests for reforming the education system, including changes to textbooks and the outlawing of the hijab in educational settings.

Additionally, the class 8 Kannada textbook now includes the translation of "Magalige Bareda Patra" by Siddanahalli Krishna Sharma, written by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.

The lesson had been deleted by the previous BJP administration in favor of Parampalli Narasimha Aithal's play "Bhoo Kailasa," which has now been removed. Yudha by Sara Aboobacker has been substituted for Shatavadhani R. Ganesh's "Shreshta Bharatiya Chintanegalu" in the Class 10 Kannada textbook.

A Hindutva ideologue's prose, "Taayi Bharatiya Amara Putraru," was removed from the Class 10 Kannada textbook, among other revisions. Additionally, it replaced the class 10 Kannada textbook's Shreshta Bharatiya Chintanegalu by Shatavadhani Ganesh with Yudha by Sara Aboobacker.

The Congress government has included lessons on "Culture of the Vedic Period," "Rise of new Religions," and "Human Rights" in the social science textbook for class 6.

In the chapter on princely states in the class 7 social science textbook, they have added sections on "Women Social Reformers" and "Women Freedom Fighters," as well as information on the Wadiyar rulers, Sir M Visvesvaraya and Sir Mirza Ismail.

A section of the class 10 social science textbook that depicted regionalism as a danger to national unity has also been removed by the Congress government.

The majority of the elements that were implemented by a committee led by author Baragur Ramachandrappa between 2013 and 2018 while the Congress administration was in power were taken back by the textbook committee.

According to the state administration, the modifications were made following a review by subject matter experts.

The Rohith Chakrathirtha-led, Textbook Revision Committee, received criticism from authors, academics, religious leaders, and opposition parties last year for allegedly trying to "saffronise" the curriculum by removing the works of social reformers and progressive thinkers. Concerns were also expressed over Chakratirtha and the other committee members' qualifications.

The exclusion of chapters on independence warrior Bhagat Singh, social reformer Narayana Guru, and the works of progressive authors like Sara Aboobacker and P Lankesh were among the criticisms leveled. The writings of right-wing ideologues such as Chakravarti Sulibele, Govinda Pai, Bannanje Govindacharya, and others were featured, as well as chapters on RSS founder KB Hedgewar.

Concerns were also voiced about omissions and commissions in the chapters that discussed religious figures like Ambedkar and historical figures like Basavanna, a social reformer who lived in the 12th century. In opposition, a number of renowned authors, including Devanur Mahadev, G. Ramakrishna, and SG. Siddaramaiah withdrew their consent for the inclusion of their works in the textbooks.