Capt panel rejects Class-12 history book, says facts distorted

A six-member oversight committee formed by the Punjab government to review the history syllabus of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has found the contents of Class 12 history textbook substandard.

The committee led by historian Prof Kirpal Singh met for the first time on Monday and sought a copy of the NCERT guidelines which the board claims to have followed while compiling the book.

The panel will meet again on June 8 to suggest ways to write the book afresh.

“I think those who have supplied the contents have not done justice to any portion of the book,” said one of the panel members. “Facts of Sikh history have been distorted,” he said, adding that the panel wanted to know how such a book got printed.

The committee was set up on May 7 after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that a major portion of Sikh history was removed from the Class-12 book.

The committee comprises JS Grewal, former vice-chancellor Guru Nanak Dev University, Prithipal Singh Kapur, former pro-VC of the GNDU, and Indu Banga, emeritus professor, history, at Panjab University.

“We are shocked at the level of knowledge and commitment of the persons who contributed to the Class-12 book,” said another member.

Besides the four members of the panel announced by the government, two members nominated by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), also took part in the meeting.

THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL MEET AGAIN ON JUNE 8 TO SUGGEST WAYS TO WRITE THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOK AFRESH