Centre asks schools to be responsible for self-prescribed books

The Union government has asked schools to take responsibility for the textbooks they prescribe to students -- other than those approved by the national or state councils (NCERT or SCERTs) -- and told them to put up a list of books on their website or notice boards, declaring that their content has been “thoroughly checked”.

The directions are part of the education ministry’s guidelines on “school safety and security” published earlier this month. The schools must follow a “whole school safety approach” covering all aspects of the school community and can impact holistic development, the guidelines said, listing including pedagogy, syllabi, textbooks, and assessments as part of the factors that affect the students’ growth.

To this end, the guidelines said that schools, both private and public, should take extra caution while prescribing books other than those that are recommended by the NCERT, SCERTs, or the concerned education boards. “It is the responsibility of principals/school heads and teachers to carefully analyse syllabi and textbooks selected by the school (in case school is not following textbooks prescribed by NCERT/SCERTs). It should not promote any kind of discrimination based on caste, class, religion, gender, ethnicity, or language,” the guidelines added.

“It should promote sensitivity towards environmental protection, gender parity, inclusion, and ethical behaviour, etc. Promote healthy habits of eating, cleanliness, and sanitation, reading, working together, helping each other, and collaboration in place of competition, etc.,” they said.

The schools have been asked to put up a list of prescribed books on its website and notice board, along with a declaration “to the effect that the school owns the responsibility of having thoroughly checked and having gone through the content of the books”.

There have been instances in the past where objectionable content was found in school textbooks, and NCERT or CBSE denied prescribing that book. For instance, in 2012, a Class 6 textbook being taught in some CBSE-affiliated schools in Delhi that said “meat-eaters cheat, lie and commit sex crimes” created an uproar. CBSE later came out with a statement saying that it did not prescribe the textbook.

In 2018, CBSE included a clause in its by-laws warning schools of serious consequences, including loss of affiliation, in case they select books with objectionable content.

A senior NCERT official, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s important that schools should make a list of such books public and own the responsibility. It is not possible for NCERT or SCERTs to go through the content of the books they do not prescribe,”

The guidelines were sent to all states and Union territories on October 1.