Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India's move to drop Darwin's theory of evolution from text books creates uproar

Over 4000 researchers and others have signed an open letter urging officials to reinstate the material which was omitted under a controversial recent policy adopted by education officials

India's move to drop Darwin's theory of evolution from text books creates uproar

A decision to exclude the discussion of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution from the textbooks used by millions of ninth and tenth-grade students in India has sparked protests among scientists, according to reports.

Over 4000 researchers and others have signed an open letter urging officials to reinstate the material which was omitted under a controversial recent policy adopted by education officials.


An autonomous Indian government body, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), that sets curricula and publishes textbooks for 256 million primary and secondary students, had made the move as part of a 'content rationalisation' process.

Researchers fear it signals a growing embrace of pseudoscience by Indian officials, and the Breakthrough Science Society has released an open letter demanding to retain the portion in school textbooks.

According to reports, the NCERT first removed discussion of Darwinian evolution from the textbooks during the pandemic to streamline online classes.

However, officials declined to answer questions about the decision to make the removal permanent.

“The country’s scientific community is seriously dismayed to see that the theory of biological evolution … has been dropped,” the Breakthrough Science Society said in a statement. “Students will remain seriously handicapped in their thought processes if deprived of exposure to this fundamental discovery of science.”

"Most Indian students will get no exposure to the concept of evolution if it is dropped from the ninth and 10th grade curriculum, because they do not go on to study biology in later grades," evolutionary biologist Amitabh Joshi of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, is reported to have said.

"Evolution is perhaps the most important part of biology that all educated citizens should be aware of. It speaks directly to who we are, as humans, and our position within the living world.”

Aniket Sule, an astronomer and science advocate at the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, said that there is 'not much hope' that NCERT will reverse its decision.

Biologist Satyajit Rath, former president of the All India Peoples Science Network, is also not hopeful.

“Will [the protest] make any difference? Given the recent trajectories of such decisions of the government of India, probably not, at least over the short term. Sustained progressive efforts will be required to influence the long-term outcomes," he said.

Researchers and politicians linked to conservative Hindu organizations have voiced doubts about evolution and promoted unsupported claims that ancient Indians built spacecraft and conducted stem cell research.

Meanwhile, an Indian minister said there was 'misleading propaganda' about the removal of Darwin's Theory from the science textbook for class 10.

Education minister Subhas Sarkar said, "It is a misleading propaganda to remove Darwin's Theory from the NCERT Curriculum.

"Due to Covid-19, rationalization of courses was going on, to reduce the burden of studies on the child. If a child wants to study, Darwin's Theory is available on all websites. In class 12, there is already Darwin's Theory in the syllabus so there should not be such false propaganda," he added.

The NCERT had last year announced that the chapter 'Heredity and Evolution' will be replaced with 'Heredity' in the Class 10 science textbook.

Among the topics dropped from the chapter are 'evolution', 'acquired and inherited traits', 'tracing evolutionary relationships', 'fossils', 'evolution by stages', 'evolution should not be equated with progress' and 'human evolution'.

(With inputs from ANI)

More For You

Andrew Tate Sued by Ex-Girlfriend Brianna Stern Over Sexual Assault Allegations

Tate’s attorney, Joseph McBride, has dismissed the lawsuit

Getty

Andrew Tate faces sexual assault lawsuit from ex-girlfriend Brianna Stern

Social media personality Andrew Tate is facing a new lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Brianna Stern, who has accused him of sexual assault, battery, and gender violence. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, details allegations of abuse and an incident that allegedly took place at The Beverly Hills Hotel on 11 March 2025.

Allegations in the lawsuit

According to the legal complaint, Stern claims that Tate initially appeared as a "dream come true" but later became emotionally and physically abusive. The lawsuit describes a violent encounter at the hotel, where she alleges Tate physically assaulted and threatened her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices of Faith 2025: A journey through spirituality and wisdom

Soumik Datta (R) and Gurdain Singh Rayatt

Voices of Faith 2025: A journey through spirituality and wisdom

Mahesh Liloriya

The inaugural edition of Voices of Faith commenced on Friday at the iconic Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, marking the beginning of an extraordinary three-day festival exploring theological philosophies, interfaith dialogues, and the deeper essence of spirituality through conversations, music, and healing vibes.

Organised by Teamwork Arts, the creators of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London, Voices of Faith is presented by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners of this landmark event. This unique festival seeks to offer insights into navigating the complexities of modern life through the timeless wisdom enshrined in global religious traditions. It focuses on the universal ideals of compassion and interconnectedness that underpin the world’s faiths, fostering dialogue that transcends barriers and deepens mutual understanding.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court reopens Asian child sex offender's deportation case

Home Office successfully challenged a ruling that allowed him to remain in Britain (Photo for representation: iStock)

Court reopens Asian child sex offender's deportation case

A PAKISTANI man convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 13 will face a fresh deportation hearing after the Home Office successfully challenged a ruling that allowed him to remain in Britain, reported The Times.

The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had initially won his case to stay in the UK after claiming he would face "inhuman or degrading treatment" if sent back to Pakistan due to his alcoholism.

Keep ReadingShow less
India launches Operation Brahma to aid quake-hit Myanmar

Rescue teams work to save residents trapped under the rubble of the destroyed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay on March 29, 2025. (Photo by SAI AUNG MAIN/AFP via Getty Images)

India launches Operation Brahma to aid quake-hit Myanmar

INDIA has swiftly responded to the devastating earthquake in Myanmar by launching Operation Brahma, sending emergency relief and rescue teams to the disaster-stricken nation.

A C-130J military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force landed in Yangon on Saturday (29), carrying 15 tonnes of relief supplies including hygiene kits, blankets and food parcels. The aid mission comes after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday (28), killing more than 1,000 people and injuring nearly 2,400 others.

Keep ReadingShow less
Britain’s happiness crisis: UK hits record low in global wellbeing rankings

Pakistan stands at 109th place out of 147 countries

Britain’s happiness crisis: UK hits record low in global wellbeing rankings

THE UK has experienced a significant blow to its national morale, plummeting to 23rd place in the World Happiness Report for 2025 – its lowest ranking ever – despite being the world’s sixth richest nation.

Released to mark the UN’s International Day of Happiness last Thursday (20), the report provided a nuanced exploration of national contentment that extends far beyond economic measurements.

Keep ReadingShow less