The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has removed the chapter about the periodic table from its Class 10 science textbooks as part of its “rationalisation” exercise.
The decision to remove the chapter was made in June 2022, however, the updated textbooks have hit the market now.
“During the Pandemic – COVID- 19 situation, students across the stages of school education have struggled a lot to continue their learning through online and other modes. However, concerns related to curriculum load including the content load spread over syllabi and textbooks have been raised from different corners,” the NCERT said in a tweet thread.
The chapter on the periodic table remains a part of the Class 11 science textbook.
Other than that, the council has also dropped chapters and pages about democracy and political parties (full page), including a chapter titled 'Challenges to Democracy', from Class 10 social studies textbooks.
Recently, the NCERT had also omitted a passage on 'Evolution' from its Class 10 science textbook.
"It is to clarify that dropping portions relating to social movements from class X, Political Science textbook, Democratic Politics II and class XII Politics in India Since Independence, the expert committee in the process of rationalisation was of the view that these are more appropriate to be the part of Sociology subject," NCERT said in a tweet thread.
Last month, the council was widely criticised for deleting certain paragraphs referring to Mahatma Gandhi, his assassin Nathuram Godse, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)