Row in Manipur links its traditional game with Mizoram as NCERT textbook

On page 24, in the heading, the Manipur game of Mukna Kangjei is given under Mizoram”, the association said.

PTI, 29 April 2024 ; Days after the NCERT allegedly attributed a popular Manipuri game as that of Mizoram in one of its textbooks, a BJP legislator termed it as “a gross error” and demanded that the council corrects it immediately.

Taking to X, Manipur BJP MLA RK Imo Singh said, “Mukna-Kangjei is a traditional sport of Manipur, a variant of hockey and involves wrestling too, thus known as Wrestling-Hockey. NCERT has made a gross error by publishing the association of this traditional sport with Mizoram. It is purely a traditional sport of the State of Manipur. 

NCERT needs to rectify this mistake immediately.” Additionally, the Education (Schools) Department Physical Education Teachers’ Association emphasised the importance of accuracy in educational materials, especially regarding cultural heritage and indigenous games, and urged the authorities to issue a statement and correct the error swiftly.

“Learning Through Traditional Games, an 88-page textbook published under National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) attempts to identify and describe indigenous game of different states. On page 24, in the heading, the Manipur game of Mukna Kangjei is given under Mizoram”, the association said.

Meanwhile, officials told PTI that they had “taken note of the issue and are looking into it.” “It seems a genuine typing error as the contents of the chapter attributes the sport to Manipur and its history”, an official said. 

Agencies: A Manipur government official said the state authority had wrongly mentioned the game as Mizoram.

Earlier terming it "a serious error", BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Sing requested state education minister Basant Kumar Singh to take up the matter with the central government to resolve the issue.

Singh, son-in-law of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, said on Twitter: "Mukna-Kangje is a traditional game of Manipur, which is a variant of hockey and also involves wrestling, hence it is known as Kushti-Hockey. NCERT A grave error was committed in publishing the connection of this traditional game with Mizoram.

"This is completely a traditional game of Manipur state. NCERT needs to immediately correct this mistake. Our State Education Minister Shri Basant Singh should take up this matter with the Government of India to resolve this issue and It must be ensured that such errors do not occur." Re-iterated by NCERT."

Citing the mistake, the Physical Education Teachers Association stressed the importance of accuracy in educational curriculum, especially related to cultural heritage and indigenous sports, and urged government officials to take appropriate steps to correct it.