National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been mulling the inclusion of epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata in school textbooks. A high-level panel of the educational council recommended that the epics should be taught as part of the history curriculum under India's 'classical period', news agency ANI reported.
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Besides, the council also suggested that the Preamble of the Constitution should be written on the walls of all classrooms in vernacular languages.
The Social Science Committee of the NCERT has made proposals to include the Indian knowledge system, the Vedas and Ayurveda in the textbooks. These suggestions are made in the final position paper on social sciences, which is considered a key document that helps NCERT develop new textbooks. However, the proposal is yet to get the final nod from the council.
"The panel has made recommendations for the classification of history into four periods: the classical period, the mediaeval period, the British era, and modern India. Till now, there have been only three classifications of Indian history- ancient, Medieval and modern India," Issac, a retired history professor, said.
"Under the classical period, we have recommended that Indian epics--Ramayana and Mahabharata--be taught. We have recommended that the student have an idea of who Rama was and what his purpose was. A little bit about the epic," said Isaac.
The panel has also proposed the textbooks should give space to all dynasties that ruled India. Issac said that the books should also contain information about victories and heroes like Subhash Chandra Bose."The students must know about the Indian heroes and their struggles and victories so that they can get confidence," he said.
The panel also proposed that the name Bharat should replace India in the textbooks.