New Delhi: In a significant development, 33 eminent academicians, including a scholar from Singapore, have collectively withdrawn their names from the textbooks developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The decision comes as a response to the ongoing public debate surrounding the revisions and rationalization of the textbooks, which the academicians argue violate the principles of due process and academic autonomy.

A collective letter has been sent to NCERT Director Prof Dinesh Prasad Saklani and other officials including the Joint Director and Secretary.

The academicians, who were actively involved in the production of political science textbooks, express their dismay and growing alarm over NCERT's unilateral attempts to modify and revise the collaborative work of scholars from across the country. These textbooks aimed to impart knowledge about India's freedom struggle, the constitutional order, the role of leaders and movements, the dynamics of the democratic republic, and other relevant political science subjects.

Highlighting the collaborative and deliberative nature of the textbook development process, the academicians emphasize that the textbooks were the result of extensive discussions on substantive and pedagogic issues among contributors and Chief Advisors. Scholars from various ideological backgrounds came together to produce what they describe as a remarkable set of engaging and accessible textbooks.

However, the recent changes introduced by NCERT, including the removal of sentences, sections, and even entire chapters, have raised concerns among the academicians.

In a conversation with The Mooknayak, Prof Sanjay Lodha from Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Governance and Social Sciences, Jaipur asserts that the decision-making process behind these revisions lacks transparency and contestation, undermining the core principles of academic knowledge production.

The absence of clarity regarding who determines what is deemed unacceptable or desirable raises questions about the infringement upon academic freedom and pedagogic integrity.

Clarification sought on Intellectual Property Rights

In addition to these concerns, the academicians also seek clarification from NCERT on the matter of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). While acknowledging that NCERT holds the IPR on the textbooks, they assert that substantive changes made to the original texts without proper consultation or approval from the contributors or Chief Advisors cannot be attributed to the same set of individuals responsible for the original work.

Expressing their regret at the current situation, the academicians have made a formal request to the NCERT Director to remove their names as members of the Textbook Development Committee from the political science textbooks. They contend that associating their names with the revised texts, which may convey meanings opposite to their intentions, would be untenable given the significant revisions made without their involvement.

Among the academicians who have withdrawn their names from the Textbook Development Committee includes Peter Ronald deSouza, Former director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study Shimla, Prof Sanjay Lodha, Muzaffar Assadi, Dean Faculty of Arts, University of Mysore, Kanti Prasad Bajpai, National University, Singapore, Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata

Rajeev Bhargava, CSDS, Delhi, Dwaipayan Bhattacharya, CPS, JNU, New Delhi, Navnita Chadha Behera, University of Delhi, Akhil Ranjan Dutta from Guwahati, Alex M George - Kerala, Kailash KK and Manjari Katju- Hyderabad University, Shailendra Kharat from Savitri Bai Phule Pune University, Nivedita Menon etc.

The withdrawal of these academicians, raises crucial questions about the production of textbooks, academic autonomy, and the principles of due process within a constitutional democracy. It remains to be seen how NCERT and other concerned authorities will respond to this collective action by these eminent scholars.

As the public discussion surrounding the revisions of textbooks continues, it is evident that the issues at stake extend far beyond practical considerations, encompassing the broader domains of creative production, intellectual autonomy, and academic freedom.