Allegations On Removal Of Preamble From Textbooks Baseless: Education Minister

NCERT and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reject claims of removing the Preamble from textbooks, asserting that the Constitution's facets are emphasised in line with NEP 2020.

Education Minister criticised the Congress party for using education for false political narratives.

Source : PTI

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has responded to recent allegations that the Preamble to the Constitution was removed from various Class 3 and Class 6 textbooks this year. Professor Ranjana Arora from NCERT and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have firmly rejected these claims. The allegations about the removal of the Preamble from NCERT textbooks lack a sound basis, NCERT said.

She highlighted that for the first time, NCERT is giving significant importance to various facets of the Indian Constitution—Preamble, Fundamental Duties, Fundamental Rights, and the National Anthem—in textbooks appropriate for different stages, following the vision of NEP 2020.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan echoed this, stating, “The allegations regarding the removal of the Preamble from NCERT textbooks have no basis.” He emphasized that under the National Education Policy, NCERT has integrated these aspects into textbooks for holistic child development. He criticised the Congress party for using education for false political narratives and underscored that before spreading lies, critics should seek the truth.

Pradhan also remarked, "Inspired by Macaulay's ideology, Congress has always despised India's development and education system. The argument that only the Preamble reflects constitutional values exposes Congress's understanding of the Constitution. Congress's hypocrisy is evident as those posing as 'Constitution lovers' today have ancestors who repeatedly violated the Constitution's spirit."

"If the Congress party had any sense of shame or self-reflection left, they should first understand the Constitution, constitutional values, and NEP before engaging in petty politics at the expense of our children’s future," Pradhan added.

 

Historically, the Preamble was included in the initial pages of several Class VI textbooks, such as 'Durva' (Hindi), 'Honey Suckle' (English), and various EVS books. However, the new English textbook 'Poorvi' and the Sanskrit text 'Deepakam' now feature the national anthem and national song but do not include the Preamble. The earlier Sanskrit book, 'Ruchira,' also did not contain the Preamble.

Additionally, the newly revised NCERT Class 12 Political Science textbook no longer mentions the Babri Masjid by name, referring to it instead as a “three-domed structure.” The section on Ayodhya has been reduced from four pages to two, with details from the previous edition removed.