The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has formed a 19-member high-level committee to develop new school textbooks under the National Education Policy (NEP). The committee will be headed by Mahesh Chandra Pant, the chancellor of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA). Professor Manjul Bhargava from Princeton University will be the co-chairperson.
The other members of the committee include:
- Sudha Murthy, chairperson, Infosys Foundation
- Bibek Debroy, chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
- Sanjeev Sanyal, former principal economic advisor to the government of India
- Chamu Krishna Shastri, RSS ideologue
- Shankar Mahadevan, musician
- T.V. Mohandas Pai, former chairman, Manipal Global Education
- Malavika Karlekar, author and educationist
- Arvind Gupta, former director general, NCERT
- Vineet Joshi, former secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy
- Kavita Singh, professor of history, Delhi University
- Manoj Kumar Singh, professor of physics, Jamia Millia Islamia
- Renu Khator, chancellor, University of Houston
- Ashok K. Chauhan, chairman, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited
- Krishna Kumar, former director general, NCERT
- Yashwant Sinha, former finance minister
The committee will be responsible for developing new textbooks for Classes 3 to 12. The textbooks will be developed in line with the NEP, which emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. The committee will also be responsible for revising the existing textbooks of Classes 1 to 2.
The committee is expected to submit its report within a year. The new textbooks will be rolled out in a phased manner from 2024 onwards.
The formation of this committee is a significant step towards the implementation of the NEP. It is a positive development for the education sector in India. The new textbooks are expected to be more relevant to the needs of the 21st century learners. They are also expected to help in improving the quality of education in India.
Members of the NCERT high-level committee to develop new school textbooks:
| Name | Designation | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Mahesh Chandra Pant | Chancellor | National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) |
| Manjul Bhargava | Co-chairperson | Princeton University |
| Sudha Murthy | Chairperson | Infosys Foundation |
| Bibek Debroy | Chairman | Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister |
| Sanjeev Sanyal | Former principal economic advisor | Government of India |
| Chamu Krishna Shastri | RSS ideologue | - |
| Shankar Mahadevan | Musician | - |
| T.V. Mohandas Pai | Former chairman | Manipal Global Education |
| Malavika Karlekar | Author and educationist | - |
| Arvind Gupta | Former director general | NCERT |
| Vineet Joshi | Former secretary | Department of School Education and Literacy |
| Kavita Singh | Professor of history | Delhi University |
| Manoj Kumar Singh | Professor of physics | Jamia Millia Islamia |
| Renu Khator | Chancellor | University of Houston |
| Ashok K. Chauhan | Chairman | Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited |
| Krishna Kumar | Former director general | NCERT |
| Yashwant Sinha | Former finance minister | Government of India |
The committee is a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of expertise. They are all committed to improving the quality of education in India. I am confident that they will produce high-quality textbooks that will meet the needs of the 21st century learners.