New Delhi: The recently-launched textbook by National Council of Education Research & Training for class VIII titled "Social and Political Life" is to deal with the issue of marginalization for the first time in India at school level. The book covers findings by Sachar Committee Report, a report that examined the social, economic and educational status of Muslims in the country.

Speaking on the new unique development, Mr. M. V. S. V. Prasad, a lecturer of Department of Social Sciences and Humanities at NCERT and the coordinator of the new series of books says, "The unit on marginalization has been introduced for the first time in the syllabus of Class VIII. The idea is to talk about the entire concept of marginalization, which is being experienced in various parts of the country today".

In an topic titled, "Minorities and Marginalisation" the class VIII book says that after recognizing that Muslims were lagging behind in terms of various development indicators, the Government had set up a high-level committee in 2005 to be chaired by Justice Rajinder Sachar. Moreover, the chapter also indicates the students that the report recommended that social, economical and educational indicators, the situation of the Muslim community is comparable to that of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The book further states that, how the Sachar committee report deflated other rampant folklore about Muslims.

The book is part of third phase of restructuring of books for class V and VIII. The newly-established textbook also throws insights on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy that took place about 24 years ago and narrates the stories of many of the survivors of the ill-fated tragedy.

The new book is available online on NCERT Website: www.ncert.nic.in and are also scheduled to be available at the counters by mid-April.