NCERT Clarifies: Preamble, Fundamental Rights, And Duties All Included In New Textbooks Amidst Controversy

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has dismissed recent claims that the Preamble to the Indian Constitution has been removed from its textbooks, calling the allegations baseless. NCERT has addressed these concerns on platform X, formerly known as Tweeter, emphasising that the allegations lack a sound basis.

In their post, NCERT highlights that for the first time, they are giving substantial importance to various aspects of the Indian Constitution, including the Preamble, Fundamental Duties, Fundamental Rights, and the National Anthem. These elements are being incorporated into textbooks across different educational stages to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the Constitution.

The NCERT statement argues that the belief that only the Preamble represents constitutional values is narrow. "Why should children not learn about Constitutional Values from Fundamental Duties, Fundamental Rights, and the National Anthem along with the Preamble?" the post questions.

The Council asserts that all these components are crucial for the holistic development of students, in alignment with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Professor Ranjana Arora, Head of the Department of Curriculum Studies and Development at NCERT, shared this information.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also weighed in on the matter. He criticised the opposition, particularly the Congress party, for allegedly using the issue for political gain. Pradhan labelled the claims about the removal of the Preamble as unfounded and accused the Congress of engaging in "politics of lies," which he described as showing the party's contempt for India's educational progress.

"The allegation that the Preamble has been removed from NCERT textbooks is entirely false," Pradhan stated in a post on platform X. He emphasised that under the National Education Policy, the NCERT has given due respect to various constitutional elements within textbooks.

Pradhan's comments come in response to reports suggesting that the Preamble had been excluded from certain NCERT textbooks. The Education Minister condemned the use of educational issues for political purposes, criticising the Congress party for its purported opposition to India's development and education system.