Chapters on Nelson Mandela and Sachin Tendulkar could be introduced in 2015

The Bengal government has proposed to introduce chapters on Nelson Mandela and Sachin Tendulkar in the Madhyamik syllabus.

The syllabus committee has set a proposal to the government to incorporate a detailed chapter on anti-apartheid icon and former South African President Mandela in the Madhyamik syllabus. It has also sought approval for a chapter on cricket hero Tendulkar.

“The committee has informally sent us a proposal to introduce a detailed study on Mandela and Tendulkar in the Madhyamik syllabus. We will take a decision once we get the formal proposal,” education minister Bratya Basu said on the sidelines of a programme organised by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education to felicitate the toppers of Rabindra Mukta Vidyalaya, an open school.

The committee, currently working on a curriculum overhaul, has not decided the subject where the chapters would be fitted in.

“We can include the chapter either in history or any of the two compulsory language papers, Bengali or English,” a source in the committee said.

The chapter on Tendulkar could be taught in English or Bengali, depending on the government’s nod.

At present, Tendulkar’s name features in an English textbook for Class V while Mandela only finds mention as an anti-apartheid leader in the Class X and XI history syllabi .

“We are planning to include a full chapter on Mandela in the syllabus of either Class IX or Class X,” the source said.

The proposed chapters on Mandela and Tendulkar could be introduced in the syllabus of classes IX and X in 2015.

Students writing the 2017 Madhyamik examination will be the first batch under the new syllabus.

Girl rescued

The 12-year-old daughter of a street dweller in the Kalighat area was rescued from Jaipur on Monday. She has been missing since April, police said. Her mother allegedly received a call from the girl on December 9 and the cops tracked the call to Jaipur.