Critical Thinking > Centralized Curriculum-CBSE (Here’s Why)
Are Our Textbooks Making Politicians Look Like Saviours?
Everywhere we go, we hear the same line: “Centralized curriculum is fair because everyone learns the same thing.” Sounds good, right? But here’s the catch: when one authority decides what’s in your textbook, it also decides what version of reality you’re allowed to see.
And that version often makes the ruling party look like the nation’s HERO. Let’s break it down. 👇
How Textbooks Become Political PR
When the government decides what you study, it can quietly push its own story.
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Cherry-Picked Wins: Projects like “Swachh Bharat” might get glowing chapters, while farmer protests or unemployment barely get a footnote.
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Leader Worship: Leaders are painted as visionaries, speeches printed like gospel, opposition leaders quietly sidelined.
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Rewritten History: Past events are reshaped to show the ruling side as “nation builders.”
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Future-Proofing Power: Young minds are trained to see certain leaders/parties as the natural saviours of the country.
This is not just an “India thing.” It happens anywhere education is controlled by a central authority.
What Real Education Looks Like
True education isn’t about swallowing every word in the book. It’s about asking, “Wait, who benefits from this story?”
Take a big flashy policy — say bullet trains or smart cities. The textbook may sell it as a miracle project. But critical thinking asks:
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Who’s paying the bill? (taxpayers, loans, private deals?)
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Who gains the most? (ordinary citizens or big businesses with political links?)
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What’s the trade-off? (money taken away from health, education, farmers?)
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Why so much hype? (PR for elections more than real impact?)
Once you start asking these, the “saviour” mask starts slipping.
Real Example: COVID-19 Playbook
Textbooks might say: “The government saved us with free vaccines and relief packages.” Sounds heroic.
But scratch the surface:
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Was vaccine rollout really smooth, or were rural areas left behind?
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Did private companies like Serum Institute do the heavy lifting while the ruling party claimed credit?
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Were migrant workers’ struggles hidden from the story?
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Which businesses made billions off the crisis—and did they share ties with policymakers?
Suddenly, the story isn’t about heroes. It’s about branding, power, and money.
Why Critical Thinking Wins
A government-made curriculum is like a map drawn by politicians to guide you — but it’s their map, not reality.
Critical thinking is your compass. It helps you:
✅ Spot bias
✅ Question motives
✅ See who’s really gaining from “nation-saving” moves
How to Escape Textbook Brainwash
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📖 Don’t stop at one book: Read from multiple news outlets (local + global).
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❓ Always ask: Who benefits? What’s missing?
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🗣️ Debate: Challenge what you’re taught. Listen to different perspectives.
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🔍 Do your own research: Look up actual data (budgets, company profits, govt. reports).
Final Thought: Don’t Buy the “Saviour Story”
Textbooks will try to sell you heroes. Politicians will try to wear the cape. But real education is about seeing the strings behind the puppet show.
👉 Don’t just learn. Question.
👉 Don’t just repeat. Investigate.
👉 Don’t just accept saviours. Expose the story.
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