Karnataka Government to Proceed with Textbook Revision, Overriding BJP's Changes

Bengaluru, June 8, 2023 - Karnataka's primary and secondary education minister, Madhu Bangarappa, announced on Thursday that school textbooks would undergo revision this year in the best interest of the students. The decision comes as part of the Congress party's commitment to undo the changes made to the textbooks during the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) tenure and scrap the National Education Policy.

Minister Bangarappa expressed the personal interest of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the matter, highlighting its inclusion in their party manifesto. "As we are implementing the guarantees, in the same way, in my department, we will fulfill what he had said," stated Bangarappa during a press conference in Bengaluru.

Addressing concerns that the textbooks had already reached students, Minister Bangarappa assured that necessary revisions would be introduced as supplementary material within the current academic year. He explained that while the chapters to be omitted would still be present in the textbooks, teachers would be given clear instructions on what to teach and what to exclude.

The revision process will involve experts who will determine the necessary content for students, while unnecessary portions will be removed. Minister Bangarappa stated that discussions and meetings were already underway regarding the revisions, and once the process was complete, the proposal would be presented to the cabinet for approval. The final revised textbooks would be distributed to students, prioritizing their best interests.

Although reports have surfaced regarding the potential removal of certain lessons introduced by the previous BJP government, such as the one on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, Minister Bangarappa refrained from providing detailed information. The previous BJP regime faced controversies surrounding textbook content, including allegations of saffronization, omission of chapters on key figures, and factual errors.