The Hindu : Karnataka News : Settar for objectivity in history textbooks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 14, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Settar for objectivity in history textbooks

By Our Special Correspondent

DHARWAD, JUNE 13. "I have an open mind. I love my culture, but I have more love for objectivity in history."

This was the reaction of S. Settar, historian, to his nomination as a member of the committee to review the history textbooks prepared by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) during the tenure of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Dr. Settar, who is a visiting professor of the National Institute of Advanced Studies and former professor and head of the Department of History of Karnatak University, told The Hindu here today that an interim report would be submitted to the Centre on the objectionable portions in the textbooks soon.

Dr. Settar said that he would leave for New Delhi shortly. The committee might start working by June 23. "We will go through the textbooks and prepare a note for consideration of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development," he added.

Since schools had reopened it would be impossible to introduce the revised version. But a small booklet could be brought out to guide teachers on the portions that could be excluded. History at the higher level was read only by a few, but at the high school level, it was read by many students. The NDA Government had chosen to revise the textbooks at the high school level, he said.

Dr. Settar said: "There is nothing wrong in glorifying our culture, but it should not give a wrong impression about other cultures."

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