Question : RE - INTRODUCTION OF HISTORY TEXT BOOK

(a) whether the High Court of Delhi has issued notice to the Union Government, Central Board of Secondary Education to re-introduce the books written by former professor of Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Romilla Thapar replacing the text books of history introduced in 2003 for class VIth to XIIth during the month of September, 2005;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government have taken action in this regard as per directions of the High Court of Delhi; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. KANTI SINGH)

(a) & (b) The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi has issued a notice to the Union Government and Central Board of Secondary Education in the writ petition (C ) No. 17909- 13 of 2005. The notice pertains to the “petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, for issuing of writ or direction or order in the nature of Mandamus or any other writ or direction or order setting aside the decision of the Respondents withdrawing the history textbooks, written, published and prescribed in accordance with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2000 and reintroducing the reprints of old history textbooks which were withdrawn by the Respondents pursuant to implementation of NCFSE-2000” and to the “issuing of writ or direction or order, directing the Respondents to make available and reintroduce in school education, the history textbooks which were written, published and introduced in schools, by the respondents pursuant to the implementation of NCFSE-2000”.

(c) The High Court of Delhi has not given any direction to the Respondents.

(d) Does not arise.

The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) has recently approved the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 formulated by NCERT. NCF-205 makes a renewed attempt to implement the three-language formula. Its primary aim is to promote multi-lingualism and nationally harmony. NCF 2005 points out that there are many studies have shown that bin-lingual professionalism raises the levels of cognitive growth, social tolerance, diverse thinking and scholastic achievement.

According to NCF 2005, English in India is a global language in a multi-lingual country. English does not stand alone.