Exclusion of Darwin’s Evolution Theory from Text Book: Central Minister Clarifies NCERT’s Move

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar on Wednesday stated that it has not yet been decided to exclude Darwin’s theory of evolution from the NCERT textbooks of Class 9 and 10. It is alleged that the NCERT has decided to ‘remove the Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution’ from the science textbooks for Classes 9 and 10.

Speaking to newsmen, Sarkar, who is now in Bhubaneswar for the 3rd Education Working Group (EdWG) meeting, said, “Who is saying this? There is nothing like this. The NCERT has given the curriculum framework to states and as per the procedure, they will give feedback. Giving such statements only through imagination is nothing right,”

According to sources, NCERT has decided to replace ‘Heredity and Evolution,’ with ‘Heredity’ in the class 9 science textbook to reduce the burden on students. The scientific community of the country has opposed this move claiming that this move will reduce students’ exposure to a major fundamental scientific discovery.

On April 20, the Breakthrough Science Society released a press statement with a letter titled ‘An Appeal Against Exclusion of Evolution from Curriculum.’ The letter was signed by representatives of notable scientific institutions in the country. In this letter around 1,800 scientists, teachers, educators, and others criticized the attempt of NCERT to remove Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution from Classes 9 and 10 textbooks.