Reading modules on Covid-19 prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) glorify the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in “effectively managing” the pandemic, but are silent on the death toll.
The apex textbook-preparing body has come out with four modules on the subject as additional reading material for students of pre-school to Class II, Classes III-V, Classes VI to VIII, and Classes IX to XII. None of them talk about Covid deaths.
The modules have been released at a time latest government data has found that the number of Covid deaths was six times more than the official data released in 2021. The new data from the Civil Registration System, published on May 7, shows that about 21 lakh more deaths were registered in 2021 against the Centre’s claim that year that 3.3 lakh people had died of the virus.
The module for middle school students (Classes VI to VIII) is on “An Indian Perspective of Prevention and Management of Covid-19”. It says Modi addressed the nation on March 19, 2020, and imposed a “Janata Curfew” from 7am to 9pm on March 22.
“He requested the citizens to follow certain measures to ensure the containment of fast fast-spreading virus,” the module says.
On March 24, 2020, Modi had declared a lockdown for 21 days. The module, however, skips Modi’s mention and states that “the Indian Government ordered a 21-day state-wide lockdown on the late evening of 24 March 2020... as a preventive step against the Covid-19 pandemic. The lockdown slowed the spread rate of Covid-19. But the lockdown extended multiple times, as the spread of Covid-19 was slow but still it was growing”.
The module says Indian scientists developed ta Covid-19 vaccine within a short period. “Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Indian scientists and launched the vaccination drive through video conferencing,” it says.
The module says Modi announced a stimulus package to alleviate the economic impact of the lockdown, but it offers little information on the misery faced by the people.