NCERT censored and ruined my text, says DU historian

Professor Saradindu Mukherji, reader at Hans Raj College, was commissioned to prepare the manuscript of the Class XII Contemporary World book in May last year.

His book was reviewed at a four-day workshop in January this year by a committee of experts, including a professor from the London School of Economics. The book was approved but was returned to Mukherji days before publication with slashes across the pages.

‘‘This is censorship of the worst kind. I have done a very honest job on this book for over a year. The review workshop, which is a final stamp of authority, loved it and I incorporated their recommendations in time for publishing,’’ says a disturbed Mukherji.

He says he is not concerned with the details of his payment but fears the plagiarism of his works by the other authors more.

While NCERT Director J S Rajput wasn’t available for comment despite repeated efforts to contact him, insiders at the Council aren’t surprised. According to them, history textbooks are now being published by the NCERT without review workshops.

‘‘All of NCERT’s history books are in the line of looking at Indian history from a communal angle. The phasing out of all the textbooks by NCERT is almost complete. They replaced Classes VI, IX and XI last year and have replaced Classes VII, X and XII this year,’’ says Professor Arjun Dev, former head of the NCERT’s History Department.

‘‘The NCERT has developed a great talent for finding authors who do not even have regard for elementary factual details.’’

Mukherji vouches for this. ‘‘I saw my reviewed manuscript in book form, with the Council’s logo, ready for publication, only to have it returned to me totally ruined. The person who has trashed my final script does not know a word of history or English. I want to know how the new author has written the text in just five weeks. This has been done purposely,’’ he alleges.

Giving an example, Mukherji says: ‘‘The corrections in my manuscript refer to the Renaissance as a ‘phenomenon which gradually released many energies and a revolution that led to the growth of a questioning spirit’. What kind of language is this?’’