“No Basis”: NCERT On Reports On Removal Of Preamble Of Constitution From Textbooks

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has refuted recent reports alleging the removal of the Preamble from certain textbooks. In response to these claims, Professor Ranjana Arora, Head of the Department of Curriculum Studies and Development at NCERT, stated that the allegations “do not have a sound basis.”

Professor Arora emphasized that the NCERT is prioritizing various aspects of the Indian Constitution, including the Preamble, Fundamental Duties, Fundamental Rights, and the National Anthem, across different textbooks for various educational stages. She noted that for the first time, the NCERT is placing significant importance on these constitutional elements, ensuring they are featured prominently in the revised curriculum.

“The understanding that only the Preamble reflects the Constitution and Constitutional Values is flawed and narrow,” Professor Arora said. She questioned why children should not also learn about Constitutional Values from Fundamental Duties, Fundamental Rights, and the National Anthem, alongside the Preamble. According to her, the NCERT is giving equal importance to all these elements to foster the holistic development of students, in line with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The clarification from NCERT comes in response to a report by *The Telegraph* that claimed the Preamble had been omitted from several Class 3 and Class 6 textbooks. The report indicated that while previous editions of textbooks prominently featured the Preamble, the revised editions have either excluded it or included it selectively. For instance, the Preamble appears in the new science and Hindi books for Class 6, but not in the consolidated EVS book or the new English and Sanskrit textbooks.

Critics, such as Nandita Narain, a former faculty member at St Stephen’s College, Delhi University, have expressed concern over these changes. Narain argued that the Preamble is a condensed version of the Constitution, embodying its core values, and cannot be substituted by the national anthem, national song, or fundamental rights and duties. She suggested that the removal of the Preamble from multiple textbooks might reflect an ideological shift, accusing the BJP government of undermining the Constitution’s core values.

However, Professor Arora reiterated that the NCERT’s approach aligns with the NEP 2020, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of Constitutional Values through various facets, not just the Preamble.