Proposed changes for Classes 1 to 10 include replacing several Arabic and Persian words with Bengali terms.
The West Bengal government is considering changes to school textbooks. The changes would affect Classes 1 to 10 across the state.
Words under review include ‘pani’, ‘amma’, ‘asman’, ‘dost’, ‘kitab’, ‘imarat’, ‘Fajr’ and ‘gosol’. The syllabus committee is considering replacing them with traditional Bengali words.
The committee says writers such as Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra did not use these words. It argues that the words should therefore not be used in school books.
The plan also covers some topics in the books. The committee has proposed removing the Singur movement from the Class 8 textbook. It has also proposed removing Kanyashree Prakalpa from the Class 6 and Class 8 books.
The committee is expected to send its proposals to the state government within 15 days. The plan has already caused political debate in West Bengal.
Critics have called the proposals cultural interference. The Education Minister has said he does not know about the matter. He said he would review it after receiving the committee’s proposal.
The issue may interest readers in Bangladesh because it concerns words used in Bengali. It also concerns what topics and language appear in school books. The final changes have not been confirmed in the information provided.
The syllabus committee is expected to submit its proposals within 15 days. The state government will then review the recommendations before any changes are confirmed.
