The curriculum sets out to achieve 3 goals:
- First, each and every child must feel pride for the nation.
- Each child must be made aware of their responsibility and duty towards the country
- It must be instilled amongst children the commitment to be prepared to sacrifice anything for the nation.
‘Patriotism’ being a staple in schools in a country that is writhe in toxic-nationalism is dangerous. This is reminiscent of second world war imperialism, where schools and their students were the epicentre of indoctrination.
Implementing a state defined patriotism in classrooms only has one intention, and that’s to provide a ‘truth’ shaped by politicians to teach children a specific narrative.It works to remove the important things academic institutions are supposed to encourage: objectivity and critical approach to global politics and history. This should include the ability to criticise the history and actions of one’s own country.
This is another step taken by the BJP to create a “Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan” India. A curriculum created by a party who brazenly disregards ethnic and religious minorities time and time again, is a curriculum that will be saturated in bias and continued xenophobia. There is no place for taught patriotism in classrooms.
