J.S. Rajput, former Director of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), on Thursday, 20 August dismissed mounting criticism over the reported inclusion of members with links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in a panel tasked with developing a new Political Science textbook, calling the backlash an 'absurd protest' with no relevance. Rajput argued that an individual's RSS affiliation should not be used to question their academic credibility or contributions.

Rajput's Defence of RSS-Linked Panel Members

Rajput was categorical in rejecting the premise that RSS association compromises academic integrity. 'If somebody is associated with the RSS, it does not mean that he is ideologically bound by its strategies or perceptions. An academic is an academic, and an honest academic is one who undertakes his academic work with all sincerity,' he said. He further questioned why the current controversy had not been applied consistently in the past, pointing out that left-leaning academics had previously authored NCERT textbooks without triggering similar objections. 'Earlier, communists used to write NCERT textbooks. Did they protest at that time?' he said, adding that the present criticism lacked coherence.

Who Holds Final Authority Over Textbook Content

Rajput was emphatic that the final content of NCERT textbooks remains the responsibility of the institution's own faculty and academic staff, regardless of who contributes inputs during the drafting process. 'Outsiders may give inputs, but it is for the faculty and academicians to decide what will finally go into the books,' he said. He stressed that NCERT's institutional mandate — to serve every child in India — insulates it from being captured by any single ideological viewpoint, provided internal processes are followed rigorously.

On NCERT's Public Trust and Past Controversies

Responding to suggestions that NCERT has lost public credibility as curriculum changes are increasingly viewed through a political lens, Rajput rejected the claim. 'NCERT is gaining more and more public acceptability,' he said, citing the esteem in which civil service officers hold the institution's textbooks. He acknowledged that controversies have occurred, including one during his own tenure when a curriculum recommendation that 'the basics of all religions must be taught to every child' was challenged and ultimately reached the Supreme Court. According to Rajput, the court 'ruled even more strongly than we had done, saying that this is the best panacea for strengthening secularism in this country.'

NTA Failures and the Question of Institutional Integrity

Rajput also addressed reported anomalies involving the National Testing Agency (NTA), arguing that systemic failures in examination bodies are ultimately a human problem. He invoked the legacy of educationist Dr D.S. Kothari, who in the mid-1970s had argued India needed science, technology, and production — but later revised his formulation to add a fourth element: goodness, or 'G for Gandhi'. 'He said, "I was wrong when I said only three. I had not anticipated that values were deteriorating,"' Rajput recalled. He argued that no institutional reform can substitute for the personal commitment and moral integrity of those entrusted with public responsibilities.

Textbook Reviews, Historical Omissions, and the Path Forward

On the question of whether internal textbook review processes should be made public, Rajput said there was no such obligation, noting that scrutiny occurs at multiple stages before publication. He acknowledged that historical distortions can arise when authors are 'very much ideologically constrained' and said new archaeological research, excavations, and technologies have generated facts that older textbooks did not reflect. He recalled approaching two eminent historians around 2000 to discuss updates, noting that scholarship must evolve with evidence. His prescription for NCERT going forward: identify academicians who are 'devoted to academics... competent in their field and committed to the young people of India,' irrespective of their other affiliations.