GUWAHATI, March 14 � In a major development, the NCERT has formally promised to include Srimanta Sankaradeva in the school curriculum.
The NCERT has communicated its decision to the Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva (SSS). The SSS has been insisting on the inclusion of life and contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva in the school curriculum and the development has come as a happy occasion for all members of SSS.
Chandra Sadayat, Prof and Head, Department of Education in Languages (DEL), NCERT informed SSS president Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti about it in a letter. Prof Sadayat informed Dr Borkakoti that NCERT will include Srimanta Sankaradeva in the curriculum when the next revision is carried out.
Prof Sadayat further said in the letter that Srimanta Sankaradeva will be taught about in orientation programmes of teachers too.
It may be mentioned that the SSS had recently demanded inclusion of the life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva in both State and national levels. The Society had held a press meet in Guwahati and severely criticised the government agencies for failing to teach the students about Srimanta Sankaradeva.
SSS had sent an appeal to Prof P Sinclair, the Director of NCERT, where the multi-faceted contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva were pointed out.
The NCERT earlier included only one paragraph about Srimanta Sankaradeva in the history textbook for Class XI. (Themes in Indian History, Part II, First Edition, 2007, page 165) But since History is an optional subject, only limited students of the Arts stream get to know about Srimanta Sankaradeva, it was pointed out by the SSS in the appeal to the NCERT Director.
