- NCERT's new Class 7 Ganita Prakash book highlights Indian mathematicians' contributions
- The book features examples from Sanskrit texts and ancient Indian mathematical problems
- Brahmagupta's 7th-century text introduced rules for positive and negative number operations
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced several additions to the new edition of Class 7 textbooks. The Part 2 of the Ganita Prakash books released recently mentions the contribution of Indian mathematicians in subjects such as algebra, integers among others.
The book also features examples from Sanskrit texts, includes problems and solutions related to the work of ancient Indian mathematicians and highlights an ancient Indian text on geometry.
A chapter on integers features mathematician Brahmagupta's 7th-century CE text Brahmasphutasiddhanta as being the "first time that rules for multiplication and division of positive and negative numbers were articulated". It calls this "an important step in the development of arithmetic and algebra".
A chapter on algebraic equations refers to 'bijaganita', "also now known as algebra", and says that "forming expressions using symbols and solving equations with such expressions was an important component of mathematical explorations in ancient India".
Previously, the first part of Ganita Prakash also included such reference to Indian mathematician.
A report by The Indian Express quoted NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani saying that the purpose behind introducing such concepts was to teach students "correct history" without a "skewed" colonial view.
The old Class 7 textbook did not have any reference to ancient Indian mathematicians. NCERT has been introducing new school textbooks in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.
