New Delhi: NCERT has responded to concerns raised over its Grade 6 Kannada R3 textbook, saying the title “Krishna” refers to the Krishna River and not any religious figure.
The clarification came after some academics in Karnataka objected to the textbook’s name and content. They alleged that the book did not reflect Karnataka’s regional diversity and claimed that the lesson on food pushed vegetarian ideas. NCERT, in a press release, denied the charge.
NCERT says textbooks are named after rivers
NCERT said its language textbooks, including R3 language books, have been named after Indian rivers. It said the Hindi textbook is called “Ganga”, the English textbook is named “Kaveri”, the Urdu textbook is titled “Jamuna”, and the Kannada textbook has been named “Krishna”.
The council said this approach is linked to “rootedness, cultural connect, and meaningful contexts for learners” under NEP 2020 and NCF-SE 2023.
The row had started after academics questioned why the Kannada book was named Krishna. V P Niranjanaradhya, a developmental educationist, asked, “First of all, why is the book named Krishna?”
Diet lesson also under scrutiny
Academics had also objected to the “Health is Wealth” chapter. They claimed the textbook left out eggs, fish and meat while discussing balanced food.
NCERT rejected this. It said, “Nowhere in the textbook is vegetarianism explained or justified, nor is non-vegetarian food opposed.”
According to NCERT, Chapter 6 clearly covers balanced diet. It said page 63 mentions milk, green leafy vegetables, vegetables, fruits and other food items as part of daily food. NCERT also said the image on page 63 includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items.
What critics had demanded
Groups and academics had asked for:
- Wider representation of Karnataka’s regions
- More mention of local folklore and literature
- Inclusion of eggs, fish and meat in the diet lesson
- A name change for the textbook
NCERT said it welcomes suggestions and constructive criticism from stakeholders.
