Savitribai Phule, Periyar, and progressive Kannada writers to make a comeback in textbooks

The literary works of various progressive writers, including Girish Karnad, P. Lankesh, Devanur Mahadeva, Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy, and Nagesh Hegde, among others, will make a reentry into Kannada language textbooks from the 202425 academic year in Karnataka.

The Textbooks Revision Committee, headed by Prof. Manjunatha G. Hegde, which has submitted its report to the government, has also recommended reintroducing lessons on radical reformers such as Savitribai Phule and Periyar, and a few other subjects that were earlier dropped from the lesson “Social and Religious Reform Movements” in the class X history textbook.

However, the committee has not recommended reintroducing lessons related to Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali, which were dropped by the earlier committee.

“The social science textbooks have been revised giving importance to the Constitution, gender sensitivity, child rights, democratic and secular values, and scientific temper,” said the committee in its report. For instance, in the class VI social science textbook, the lesson “Citizen and Conduct” has been revised considering gender equality. A lesson on welfare of sexual minorities has been added in the class X social science textbook.

Among other changes, in the class VIII history book, the chapter titled “IndusSaraswati Civilisation” has been changed as “Civilisations of Ancient India: IndusSarasvati Civilisation and Vedic Period.” Information on icons of the Bhakti movement, including Kanaka Dasa, Purandara Dasa, and Shishunala Sharif, have been added to a lesson in the class IX History textbook. The class VII social science lesson refers to 12th Century social reformer Basaveshwara as “cultural leader” of the State.

Textbooks Revision Committee, however, has not recommended reintroducing lessons related to Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali