On the usage of the word ‘chhokri’, often considered a cheap way of addressing a girl, Chamoli says: “Why take objection on the usage of the word… A word is just a sound in fact… Many words that seem like a curse word in one language are proper usage in other languages.” The review adds that the poem can make children think about street kids who sell fruits, snacks and other paraphernalia kids who do not go to school and are “different than them”. have already been covered in chapters before this one. Other sounds and syllables like ‘na’, ‘ma’, ‘ae’ etc. One such review by one Manohar Chamoli ‘Manu’, a teacher who is also from Uttarakhand and works on children’s literature, says the poem and its composition has been designed specifically to teach children the sound of ‘aa’ and ‘ka’ in Hindi. Not many reviews or criticisms of the poem are available online, and the few that are there do not see the use of words like chhokri and the representation of a young girl carrying fruits as problematic. Experts divided on ‘ chhokri’ use, child labour “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,” it added. 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. “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,” the NCERT tweeted. It also added that the NCF is now being revised according to the new National Education Policy, 2020. Ask children to mimic eating different things like mangoes, lemons, bananas, sugarcane, peanuts, apples and medicine tablets in the class.”Īlso read: NCERT textbooks to turn smarter with QR codes, syllabus set to be revisedĪ day after the controversy erupted, the NCERT made a public statement, saying that the poem was included according to the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005, with an objective to expose children to vocabulary of local languages. It also clearly states: “The girl in the picture is acting like she’s selling mangoes. “Ask children whether they know any such kids who sell things in the market and if they go to school? If they do not go to school, then how can the children help them get admission in schools?” the book recommends. Underneath the poem, on the same page, the publishers have listed additional exercises for the students, asking teachers to talk to them about child labour.
The poem ‘ Aam ki tokri’ has been written by an Uttarakhand-based poet Ramkrishna Sharma Khadder, who pens children’s literature, and it has been part of the NCERT textbook Rimjhim since 2006. “This is giving rise to child labour,” said one user.Īnother user expressed shock that children are being taught such poems in to see this content for our children Other Twitter users were quick to pick up on the tweet and started questioning the poem and the NCERT for including it in the syllabus. Sharing a screenshot of the poem from the textbook, he called the literature low quality, questioned the credibility of the poet, and asked authorities to remove it from the syllabus.
It was first shared Thursday by Awanish Sharan, a 2009 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer, who works in the state’s technical education department. The theme has also been criticised for ‘promoting child labour’. The poem ‘Aam ki tokri’ uses the word ‘ chhokri’ (a non-derogatory slang term for girl) to talk about a six-year-old girl carrying a basket of mangoes over her head, apparently to sell them. New Delhi: A children’s poem in Class 1 Hindi textbooks published by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been the subject of criticism on social media.