NCERT Removes Khalistan References from Class XII Political Science Textbook

New Delhi: The latest version of the Class 12 political science textbook, “Politics in India since Independence,” by NCERT, has removed references to Khalistan following a request from the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). The changes were made in response to a letter written by the SGPC to the education ministry.

The specific lines from the Anandpur Sahib Resolution 1973 that mentioned the interpretation of a plea for a separate Sikh nation and the advocacy of Khalistan have been omitted.

The revised version of the textbook no longer includes a paragraph that described the demand for political autonomy by a section of the Akali in 1970 and the emphasis on regional autonomy. The reference to the cycle of violence in Punjab, armed insurgency, and Operation Bluestar has also been removed. However, a paragraph about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination remains in the textbook.

To address the concerns raised by the SGPC, the NCERT formed a committee of experts to examine the issue. The committee recommended the removal of the controversial references, leading to the changes in chapter 6 of the book. The modifications will be reflected in the online PDF versions, while the printed textbooks will omit the relevant sections. The NCERT issued a corrigendum regarding the changes.

Sanjay Kumar, the secretary of the Department of School and Education, stated that the alterations were made based on the request made by the SGPC. The revisions were aimed at addressing the reservations expressed by the committee.