NEW DELHI: Implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 is the top priority for professor
Dinesh Prasad Saklani, who took charge as the director of National Council of Educational Research and Training on Monday. Commenting on the school textbooks in the making, he said that professional historians will decide the syllabus without any intervention. Excerpts:

What are your priorities?


For the first year we have two priorities. The first priority is the NEP, work on which is going on. The steering committee for framing the National Curriculum (Framework) has been constituted by the government of India. Further there are 20 focus groups who will work on the position papers. I have been briefed by the curriculum department that it is going well and we plan to complete it within the lime limit.

In order to implement the NEP we also need to re-energise NCERT. We have faculty crunch with more than 50% of the positions in the National Institute of Education and Regional Institute of Education lying vacant. It’s an ongoing process but there are some problems which need to be tackled. And as and when these bottlenecks are cleared, we will start the process at the earliest so that by the time we implement NEP 2020 we are fully prepared.

A big focus of the new curriculum is on the Indian Knowledge System. Your views.

We are going to get the guidelines for the position papers in the next meeting. Once the guidelines are there the papers will be ready. Based on the position papers will start the work on the syllabus. As far as focusing on the traditional knowledge system is concerned, my personal view is that right from the beginning harmony with nature has been at the core of our country’s philosophy and progress. Nature has nourished us and all our traditional knowledge is dependent on nature, be it the medicinal system, animal husbandry or farming. So we have to look at traditional knowledge in a holistic way –our way of living, food habits or livelihood. Modern technology is equally important, but there should be a balance of both.

While we should adopt the modern but the traditional which has supported our civilisation for thousands of years cannot be ignored.


Your views on claims that the current history textbooks glorify Mughal rulers and are not doing justice to Indian rulers?

I will invite the professional historians and they will look into it. I will not intervene or dictate terms. Whatever they decide, will be followed.

What is the status of the rationalised curriculum for the 2022-23 academic session?

We are working on it on a priority basis. Though I cannot commit to a date, it will be ready soon. We have to look at the situations across states before deciding on how much of the content is to be rationalised. In case we reduce the syllabus more than some states, a section of students will have difficulty in appearing for many entrance exams. I have asked the experts working on it to seek feedback from the States. We will also consult the higher education institutions. And based on this the syllabus will be decided.

Making textbooks available on time has been an issue…

Even before I joined, science textbooks had already been sent for printing. Rest I am hammering out so that by March 2022 we are ready.

What are the major challenges in school education right now?

I don’t consider anything as a challenge, but as an opportunity. Those who see things as challenges get into fights, but those who take a situation as an opportunity learn from experience and progress.