New Delhi: India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has made a vital announcement. Students across the country will learn authentic history from January 26 onwards, under the National Education Policy. He made this announcement while addressing an event organised jointly by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana on 27th December.
“Students across the country will learn a true version of Indian history under the National Education Policy from January 26, the occasion of Vasant Panchami,” Pradhan said. “The NEP will provide us with many opportunities. As per NEP, institutions will give priority to education in mother tongue of the students. Imparting education without giving priority to the mother tongue is meaningless,” he added.
The minister said govt is publishing books with new compositions that will give clarity to the world about India. They will tell the true history of India under the New Education Policy NEP 2020.
“We must give a new global perspective to India’s ancient culture and civilization in the 21st century. Books are being re-published with new compositions. These books will give clarity to the world about India. These books will be available in digital modes also,” he added.
Dangers of distorted history
Students in India have been learning distorted history for the past several decades. Left leaning historians were able to distort history by infiltrating academic institutions. They did it with the blessings of successive governments. This distorted version of history has left students with a biased narrative. This has led to losing of their national and religious identity. Students fed with left narrative start criticising Dharmic customs and traditions with their half-baked knowledge. They were never given a chance to know the advancements made by the Hindu civilization in various fields.
Rajiv Malhotra in his book ‘Breaking India’ says, “(A civilization) gives a definite sense of who ‘we’ are, and ensures a deep psychological bond among ourselves, along with the feeling that the nation is worth defending … Breaking a civilization, therefore, is like breaking the spine of a person.” That is why learning true history is of vital importance for our future generations.
In a sense, the NEP is welcome step in right direction by the Narendra Modi government. This will help eradicate prejudices and false opinions created by distorted version of history prevailing in our education system. It has been eight long years since NDA came to power. All right minded persons have been waiting for this change. It will not only produce a generation rooted in its heritage and ethos, but, also a generation that is confident of itself.