On Friday, NCERT released an official statement to clarify the reason behind including the term “chokri” in a poem of Hindi textbook, Rimjhim, prescribed for Class 1 students. The NCERT has said that the poem was included in the textbook under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 perspective to give students “an exposure” to local vocabulary. It also added that the NCF is now being revised according to the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The NCERT tweeted, “With reference to inclusion of poems in NCERT textbooks: It is to state that, in consonance with NCF-2005 perspective and with an objective to provide children an exposure to vocabulary of local languages, these poems were included at that time.”
NCERT added, “In the light of NEP-2020, the process of new NCF has already been initiated. New textbooks will be developed based on the principles of NEP and recommendations of new NCF thereafter.”
In the light of NEP-2020, the process of new NCF has already been initiated. New textbooks will be developed based on the principles of NEP and recommendations of new NCF thereafter.
— NCERT (@ncert) May 21, 2021
Awanish Sharan, a 2009 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer was first shared the poem on Twitter on Thursday. He called the literature low quality, questioned the credibility of the poet, and asked authorities to remove it from the syllabus.
?? ??? ‘???? ???’ ??? ?? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??????????? ?? ???? ????. pic.twitter.com/yhCub3AVPR
— Awanish Sharan (@AwanishSharan) May 20, 2021
Several users have shared the screenshot of the poem on Twitter and questioned the NCERT for including it in the syllabus. Twitter users have raised concerns over the usage of the word ‘Chokri’ to refer to a young girl in a poem ‘Aam ki tokri’ that talks about a girl carrying a basket of mangoes over her head to sell them. Some said that it is a common word, others are of the opinion that it is ‘offensive’ and the poem ‘promotes child labour’.
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