K’taka Cuts School Syllabus; Lessons on Tipu, Constitution Revised

The syllabus has been cut by 30% and revised to fill 120 working days, compared to about 220 days of a regular year

A seven-year-old dresses up as Tipu Sultan outside Tipu’s summer palace in Bengaluru. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Arun Dev/The Quint)

With the objective of reducing syllabi for various classes by 30 percent, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged closure of schools, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in Karnataka has reportedly changed various topics dealing with Tipu Sultan, Haider Ali, the Constitution of India and dropped certain chapters all together.

The syllabus has been cut by 30 percent to fit into 120 working days for the 2020-2021 academic session for Classes 1-10, The Hindu reported, on the idea that schools would restart by 1 September.

Chapters dealing with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the Social Studies textbooks for Class 7 and Class 10 have been reportedly revised with communication from the DPI claiming that “they can be introduced through assignments, PPTs” as well as through “projects and chart preparation.”

“We have not deleted Tipu Sultan or Hyder Ali. These changes were made by subject experts. We do not interfere in their work. Neither have we given any special instructions. They change it according to the priority of the topics. After all, 220 working days have been reduced to 120 days,” Made Gowda, director of the Karnataka Text Book Society reportedly told The Times of India.

It is important to note here that the Karnataka government was mulling the deletion of “the very mention” of 18th century ruler Tipu Sultan from textbooks, after BJP leaders wrote to CM Yediyurappa demanding that the lessons be dropped. However, the expert committee constituted had ruled that the lessons will stay.

Lessons on the Indian Constitution and its salient features, as well as “entire lessons” on Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed, for Class 7 and Class 6 respectively, have reportedly been removed, as students will be studying them in future classes.

Portions about women freedom fighters, like Rani Abbakka Devi and Bellary Siddamma have also reportedly been removed from syllabus, along with topics on Vijayanagar empire and Cholas of Tanjore.

Seeking to ‘rationalise’ the syllabus for Classes 9 to 12, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also completely deleted sections on Citizenship, Nationalism, Secularism, Understanding Partition & Democratic Rights across multiple subjects.

(With inputs from The Times of India and The Hindu)