Textbooks to be Changed to Reflect Secular Tradition of Country

(BBC) – The state government in the Indian capital Delhi has decided to change school educational text books. It will replace the national curriculum one with state school books in government-run schools. Analysts say the move is an attempt to row back from efforts by the previous central government to introduce a Hindu nationalist agenda in some textbooks. The new state-produced text books on all subjects including maths and English will be introduced this year. Secular traditions ‘reinforced.’ They will be used by all grades until the eighth grade when children reach the ages of 13 or 14. For those above the eighth grade, the national syllabus will remain. The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dixit, said the decision to change the curriculum was taken after feedback from students and experts. The chief minister says the new textbooks reflect India ‘s secular traditions She told the BBC that care had been taken to make the new books more attractive and interesting. “Nothing had been done to distort history and these books reinforce the secular traditions of India ,” she said.