KTBS to complete issuing work orders for new textbooks in four days

Even though the State government is yet to officially announce its decision on whether lessons pertaining to Mysuru king Tipu Sultan should be dropped or retained, it is clear that the lessons will be retained for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Karnataka Textbook Society (KTBS) will complete issuing of work orders for textbooks in the next three or four days. The KTBS is in the process of issuing work orders for over 8 crore textbooks and workbooks. These books will be distributed to students from classes one to II PU. A total of 549 titles will have to be printed.

“We have got no directions on changes in the social science textbooks and lessons pertaining to Tipu Sultan will remain the same,” an official said. The official also said that the process of issuing orders cannot be delayed further as the firms which will bag the orders will have to be given 120 days time to supply the books to schools.

Sources in the Department of Primary and Secondary Education stated that the report was forwarded to S. Suresh Kumar, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, who was to take a call on the matter. The Minister had said that he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and later take a final decision.

“It has been decided to retain the lessons, but the government wants to give the issue a silent burial. It does not want to make a formal announcement because the BJP government wanted the lessons to be dropped, but the committee formed to look into this issue is keen on ensuring that students study about Tipu. The committee’s reports cannot be overruled,” said a source on the condition of anonymity.

The controversy regarding the lessons on Tipu Sultan was raised by Madikeri MLA Appachu Ranjan who had written to the department seeking removal of the lessons terming Tipu a “fanatic”. Subject experts who were part of the committee had argued that only “facts” pertaining to him were presented in the class six, seven and 10 textbooks and that he was “not glorified”.