NEW DELHI: To encourage sensitivity on gender issues among children, the National Council of Educational Research and Training has introduced new chapters and themes related to women in its books.

The new interactive NCERT textbooks — released this year during the second phase of restructuring for Classes IV, X and XII — have tried to weave in the message of gender equality in the chapters on women, illustrating it with real life success stories of entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Patna-based junk seller Kiran Devi and Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad.

The colourful Class IV mathematics book "Math-Magic" has a chapter on the junk dealer, who had a tough and unprivileged childhood as her father died when she was very young. The lesson not only encourages children to do mathematical calculations based on Devi's daily expenditure and investments, it also communicates that hard work and determination can help overcome all hurdles in life as in her case.

Similarly in the Class XII book for Business Studies Part-I, "Principles and Functions of Management," apart from case studies of successful indigenous companies like Infosys, Wipro, ITC and HCL — not to forget Mumbai's "dabbawallahs" — there is a mention of Dr. Shaw and the women-run Lijjat Papad.

The chapter on "Principles of Management" mentions the stirring story of Dr. Shaw, Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon Ltd., who started her own company in her garage with a meagre capital of Rs. 10,000 and how no financial institution was willing to help her "since women entrepreneurs were a rarity in 1978." The book talks of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad as a "very inspiring" story that "combines Gandhian values with business."

The interactive books for social science of Classes IX and X, replete with R. K. Laxman's cartoons, newspaper clippings and constant questioning by two caricatures "Munni" and "Unni" specially designed for NCERT, offer an insight into gender and politics.

The Class X book "Democratic Politics-II" deals with themes and concepts like "sexual division of labour," "perceptions of ideal woman," "feminist movement," "patriarchal society," "the Equal Wages Act" and "women's political representation."

Similarly, the Class IX Social Science book "Democratic Politics-I" talks about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader under house arrest in Myanmar.

Referring to the new books, Head of the Department of Women Studies at NCERT Poonam Aggarwal says the idea was to not just empower girl students by informing them about successful women professionals but also to make all children aware of issues like gender sensitivity and equity from a young age.

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