Recommendations on Regulatory Mechanisms for Textbooks
and Parallel Textbooks
1.1 The state has a duty to provide a meaningful quality
education for all as part of its duty to provide school education for all, as
part of the latter’s fundamental right. It is obvious that textbooks are a
fulcrum of any system which seeks to provide quality education. We have now an
enormous variety of textbooks in the country and the content analysis undertaken
for this report shows that there are many problems with textbooks in use in
different types of schools. The provision of textbooks in our country is largely
governed by a laissez-faire approach. While the plurality in the textbooks and
textual materials so produced is and can be fruitful, it is important that these
textbooks have to be informed by the philosophy of liberal, secular and
democratic education. They need to keep the Constitution and its provisions in
view. It is important that textbooks and textual materials are written and
produced within this framework and the country must be satisfied that these
processes are transparent.
1.2 There is an urgent need to set up an institutional facility
to keep an eye on textbooks. Research on textbooks is an essential feature of a
healthy education system but in the context of the challenges we face, research
must take the form of inquiry into specific problems relating to the quality of
textbooks and the values they convey. An institutional structure to perform this
task needs to be independent of any organisation which is involved in textbook
preparation. This would imply that the institutional facility we are
recommending for exercising vigilance on textbooks cannot be associated with the
NCERT at the national level and SCERTs at the state level. The NCERT is a major
player in the textbook industry and is likely to remain involved in it in the
foreseeable future. Therefore, while the NCERT’s and SCERT’s role as a research
organisation must extend to research on textbooks, independent institutional
structures need to be set up to exercise vigilance on textbooks published by
both government organisations as well as by others. The structure can be called
the National Textbook Council. The state governments may be encouraged to set up
their own State Textbook Councils. Both the National Textbook Council and State
Textbook Council should be fully autonomous and representing genuine voices in
civil society and the academia so that the monitoring of textbooks can be
performed with intellectual rigour, sensitivity and commitment to constitutional
values. The primary role of these Councils would be to review the contents of
textbooks to ensure compliance with the constitutional values and national
policies on education. The National Textbook Council may devise its own
procedures for review. Given the fact that ordinary citizens do not have a forum
where they can complain about the content and quality of textbooks, even though
their own children are involved, these Councils may especially respond to
complaints received from the public about the quality and value perspective of
school textbooks by conducting specific inquiries.
2.1 The CABE may set up a Standing Committee. The Standing
Committee will inform the CABE from time to time about textbook-related matters
and seek guidance from the National Textbook Council. The Committee will from
time to time review and examine standards and relevance of textual materials for
the educational enterprise and assess the social content of textbooks and
textual materials and examine whether they are consistent with the vision of the
Constitution and the values of the national policy on education and in terms
appropriate for children at different stages of development. It will submit its
report to the government and this should be made public.
2.2 It is extremely important that the principle of periodic
review of textual materials be accepted and review undertaken on a regular
basis. The CABE Standing Committee can decide the periodicity of such reviews.
2.3 Guidelines should be laid down for the periodic review of
textual materials of all kinds so that textbooks are consistent with the secular
fabric of Indian governance. The Standing Committee would be empowered to
prepare the guidelines and outline the parameters for review. It is important
that the criteria for approval of textual materials must include a proper
analysis of content to assess its adherence to the core principles before the
textbooks are approved and prescribed. This will need to be conducted by
academic experts who can judge departures from core principles of
egalitarianism, democracy, secularism and removal of social barriers, which
define the national endeavour of education for all and nation building. These
guidelines must be strictly adhered to.
2.4 The Standing Committee should make these periodic reviews
and reports public. This should be widely publicised through the media and other
means to increase public awareness of the social content of textbooks and the
importance of using textual materials that are in keeping with the values and
spirit of egalitarianism, secularism and democracy.
2.5 The review process must be initiated without inconveniencing
parents and children and be completed within six months of the beginning of the
new academic session.
3.1 It is a matter of concern that the NCERT and SCERT have so
far not taken up research on textbooks as a major area of research and this
needs to be strengthened. The NCERT and SCERTs can be asked to set up units
dedicated to research on textbook preparation and evaluation. Academic autonomy
required for undertaking this function in an objective manner should be provided
to the NCERT and SCERTs.
3.2 Adequate funding must be made available to concerned
agencies for engaging in research on social content of textbooks. Adequate staff
must be provided so that it could function in conjunction with and provide
support to the CABE Standing Committee for Curricular Review. The MHRD, State
Education Departments and State Directorates of Education should earmark funds
for this purpose and all institutions of higher learning should support research
in school textbooks.