A committee formed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to guide curriculum revisions is proposing the incorporation of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata in school textbooks. This suggestion comes from the NCERT panel responsible for recommending changes to the social sciences syllabus.
Professor CI Isaac, the committee’s chairperson, emphasized the importance of introducing these ancient texts to students between classes 7 and 12. According to the Hindustan Times, he stated that teaching Ramayana and Mahabharata is crucial for fostering patriotism, pride, and cultural appreciation during students’ formative teenage years.
Isaac highlighted the significance of building self-esteem, patriotism, and national pride, asserting that understanding these epics can contribute to curbing the trend of students seeking citizenship abroad due to a perceived lack of patriotism.
While clarifying that the panel’s recommendation is not a recent one, Isaac emphasized its enduring relevance. The inclusion of Ramayana and Mahabharata in the syllabus was suggested earlier, he noted, according to the report.
The professor criticized education boards that categorize these ancient Hindu texts as “myths.” He argued against this characterization, stating that omitting these epics from the education system undermines the nation-serving purpose of education. He urged the recognition of these narratives as valuable components of cultural and historical education.
This proposal follows the panel’s recent recommendation to replace ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ in textbooks and to substitute ‘classical history’ with ‘ancient history’ in the syllabus, signaling a broader effort to reshape the educational framework in line with cultural and historical values.
