Delete Cartoons against Politicians from NCERT Textbooks: Text Book Panel

A panel was constituted by the government to review NCERT textbooks for Political and Social Science. The six-member panel headed by Professor Skhdeo Thorat had just a primary motto, to identify and eradicate "educationally inappropriate material" . The step was taken post a ruckus in the parliament over a cartoon by Shankar that was allegedly disrespectful of BR Ambedkar.

A holistic decision has been taken by the committee , after they reviewed almost two hundred cartoons being used in school textbooks. The plan has presented a report in June 2012 which clearly states of deleting the cartoons that portray a “negative” picture in lieu to politicians and bureaucrats.

Though there is a point in what the committee thinks, teachers have a completely opposite take on it. Teachers say these cartoons in textbooks can help students understand their studies in a more animated pattern and will also offer  them some respite from ‘assembly line’ studying.

Following are some cartoons that the panel says should be deleted are:

•    An RK Laxman cartoon showing a beggar holding a bowl out to a garlanded Indira Gandhi

•    A Shankar cartoon showing Jawahar Lal Nehru using his foot to propel a politician up into a building labelled 'Governorship'

•    A Surendra cartoon allegedly showing babus blocking the Right To Information (RTI)