On Thursday, the CSBE released the updated curriculum for the 2022-2023 academic year, which contained several unusual deductions. Most notably, two verses from Faiz Ahmed Faiz, which had been a part of the section on “Religion, Communalism and Politics — Communalism, Secular State” in a 10th grade textbook called ‘Democratic Politics II’, have been removed from the curriculum, according to a report by The Express Tribune.
The verses in question are English translations of two of his poems. “We remain strangers even after so many meetings, blood stains remain even after so many rains” is one verse, which was written after a trip Faiz made to Bangladesh in 1974. The other verse is “Not enough to shed tears, to suffer anguish, not enough to nurse love in secret… Today, walk in the public square fettered in chains.” Which was written when Faiz was being taken from a jail to a dentist’s office, in chains.
Other changes to the syllabus include the removal of a chapter on Mughal Courts, a chapter on the rise of Islamic empires, one on the Cold War, and chapters on ‘democracy and diversity’, among others.
https://twitter.com/suchitrav/status/1517962154850332672
Some Indians on Twitter are expressing alarm and concern over this move, by questioning the benefits gained from removing chapters on historical moments and chapters on diversity.
https://twitter.com/sardesairajdeep/status/1517874841155559424
https://twitter.com/GuptaPragnya/status/1518598201510862854
https://twitter.com/manickamtagore/status/1518044406297034753
Others still rejoiced over the exclusion of these chapters, which were deemed ‘unnecessary and irrelevant’ by them.
https://twitter.com/unapologeticAnk/status/1517814461469687810
https://twitter.com/PremSmk/status/1517930007816929280
https://twitter.com/ayyush_verma/status/1517854972670406656
The verses in question are English translations of two of his poems. “We remain strangers even after so many meetings, blood stains remain even after so many rains” is one verse, which was written after a trip Faiz made to Bangladesh in 1974. The other verse is “Not enough to shed tears, to suffer anguish, not enough to nurse love in secret… Today, walk in the public square fettered in chains.” Which was written when Faiz was being taken from a jail to a dentist’s office, in chains.
Other changes to the syllabus include the removal of a chapter on Mughal Courts, a chapter on the rise of Islamic empires, one on the Cold War, and chapters on ‘democracy and diversity’, among others.
https://twitter.com/suchitrav/status/1517962154850332672
Some Indians on Twitter are expressing alarm and concern over this move, by questioning the benefits gained from removing chapters on historical moments and chapters on diversity.
https://twitter.com/sardesairajdeep/status/1517874841155559424
https://twitter.com/GuptaPragnya/status/1518598201510862854
https://twitter.com/manickamtagore/status/1518044406297034753
Others still rejoiced over the exclusion of these chapters, which were deemed ‘unnecessary and irrelevant’ by them.
https://twitter.com/unapologeticAnk/status/1517814461469687810
https://twitter.com/PremSmk/status/1517930007816929280
https://twitter.com/ayyush_verma/status/1517854972670406656