NCERT draws flak for including ‘objectionable poem’ in textbook

PRAYAGRAJ: : A Hindi poem, ‘Aam ki Tokri’, introduced in NCERT textbook for Class 1 has invited criticism from a lot of people.

Be it social scientists, experts dealing with child psychology, litterateurs or poets, all have condemned the language of the poem saying that NCERT should refrain from including a poem using words like ‘Chhokri’ in course syllabus and have appealed to union ministry of education to drop it.

Famous litterateur Mamta Kalia of Sangam city said, “Language and vocabulary shapes the personality of a human being and by teaching kids to address a girl as ‘Chhokri’ makes one ask as to what they are trying to teach kids. The vocabulary could be short, but it should be rich in content.”

This may be good rhyming of words but certainly not a poem that is teaching anything to young minds, added Kalia who has won the Vyas Samman, one of India’s most respected literary awards, in 2017 for her novel ‘Dukkham Sukkham’.

Echoing similar thoughts, noted social scientist and director of GB Pant Social Science Institute, Jhunsi, Prof Badri Narayan said, “Usage of some words is fine when we talk of local dialect but with the change in culture the words also change their meaning and relevance. The word ‘Chhokri’ could show innocence at some period of time, but with the changes witnessed in Indian society over a period of time, the same word gives a wrong message today.”

Noted poet Shailesh Gautam said, “Hindi language does not have dearth of words which are both, respectable and universally acceptable. The poet could have used alternative words like ‘Munia’, ‘Ladli’ etc. By using such words, we are poisoning young minds.”

Commenting on the issue, clinical psychologist at MLN Divisional Hospital of Prayagraj, Dr Ishanaya Raj said, “The words used in this poem are not appropriate for anyone, surely not for kids as young as five-six years of age. This gender-biased language and imagery could seriously impact children’s mindset. Poems in school curriculum should be such that they teach kids to respect the female gender.”

The choice of words in the poem is also witnessing a parallel war on social platform including Twitter and Facebook. Many of the users have not only shared the poem but have also suggested alternative poems, without killing the basic essence of the story.

“This is totally unacceptable, and the education ministry should immediately drop the poem from the syllabus as this will pollute young minds. What if my elder son calls his sister ‘Chhokri’ and how I would object when he has learnt the word from his textbook,” said Rajiv Mishra, a regular blogger.

The poem ‘Aam ki Tokri’ has been written by an Uttarakhand-based poet Ramkrishna Sharma Khadder, who pens children’s literature, and it has been part of the NCERT textbook ‘Rimjhim’ since 2006.