Bengaluru, Jul 31: The Karnataka government on Wednesday put on hold a controversial proposal to drop certain chapters, including on Islam, Christianity, Tipu Sultan and his father Hyder Ali, from social science textbooks to reduce the 2020-21 syllabi for students in classes 1-10.
Citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption caused to the academic calendar of the year, the government had earlier dropped the chapter on Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali from the Class 7 social science textbook, saying chapters on Tipu Sultan have been retained in the Class 6 and 10 textbooks.
The move did not go down well with the opposition, which saw certain ulterior motives behind the decision.
Apparently under sharp criticism, the Department of Public Instruction issued a new notification on Wednesday "on the directions of the Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar".
There is a delay in opening the schools during the academic year 2020-21 due to COVID-19 pandemic, said the latest order.
In this context, the order said, chapters were dropped to fit in 120 days of the academic year for classes 1 to 10 and the same was published in the department's website.
"However, on the directions of the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, the decision to drop certain chapters has been put on hold. A review will be done following which the deleted chapters will be uploaded in the website," the order read.
Earlier in the day, Mr Kumar had issued a statement, saying that the decision to truncate the syllabus has not been finalised yet. He also made it clear that his department would not remove chapters unnecessarily.
Former chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah had attacked the government on the issue.
"The government, which has failed to control the spread of coronavirus, is using it as an opportunity to push its clandestine agenda of saffronising the textbooks," Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Comments
Good initiative, after the Yajna, let these thugs throw into Yajan Pit of Fire all owners, directors and senior officials of 5 Major Beef exporting houses in India. Let them also throw into fire all those BJP Central & State leaders who are dependent on BEEF EXPORTERS' contribution of money for election expenses. Why cant these humbugs ask PAKODA leader to BAN BEEF EXPORT??? Karnataka will never tolerate these pathetic liars frustrating jokes.
Why are these politicians are so selective. Yajna for cow only for karnataka? Why not for Goa also. Coz they may loose election there. Shame on this people they bring politics in faith also and playing with sentiments of people.
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