NCERT asks Goa board to explain why it withdrew textbooks

The Board had withdrawn the books on June 27 after some NGOs and anti-tobbaco groups had objected to contents of the textbooks. The anti-tobacco organisation, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), had objected to the photograph of a French Naval commander shown smoking, saying it would propagate smoking among students.

The Goa Education Board had withdrawn the books saying that the Marathi translation of the History textbook had several errors. Naik had further said that the decision to withdraw the NCERT book was taken in view of “24 mistakes” and objections raised over the French commander’s picture.

“We have written to the Goa Education Secretary and Goa Education Board chief asking them to explain the withdrawal of books. I have also clarified that NCERT never filed any affidavit or admitted any mistakes in the textbook,” said Bishnu Charan Patra, NCERT spokesperson.