Mughals, Delhi Sultans vanish from Class 7 NCERT books, Maha Kumbh enters

All references to Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate have been dropped from Class 7 NCERT textbooks, while chapters on Indian dynasties, “sacred geography”, references to Maha Kumbh, and government initiatives such as Make in India and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao have been added.

The new textbooks released this week have been designed in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasise incorporating Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into school education.

Second part of book to come

NCERT officials told news agency PTI that this is only the first part of the book and the second part is expected in the coming months. They, however, did not comment on whether the dropped portions will be retained in the second part of the book.

While NCERT previously trimmed sections on the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate — including detailed account of dynasties such as Tughlaqs, Khaljis, Mamluks, and Lodis — and a two-page table on Mughal emperors’ achievements as part of its “syllabus rationalisation” during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022–23, the new textbook has now removed all references to them.

The book now has all new chapters with no mention of Mughals and Delhi Sultanate throughout.

Also read: Kerala minister slams NCERT for using Hindi titles in English textbooks

Lessons on ‘sacred’ land

The Social Science textbook, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, has new chapters on ancient Indian dynasties such as Magadha, Mauryas, Shungas, and Satavahanas with a focus on “Indian ethos”.

Another new edition in the book is a chapter called ‘How the Land Becomes Sacred’ that focuses on places considered sacred and pilgrimages across India and outside for religions such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

The chapter introduces concepts like “sacred geography”, detailing networks of places such as the 12 jyotirlingas, the Char Dham Yatra, and the Shakti Pithas. The chapter also details revered places such as river confluences, mountains, and forests.

The text includes a quote from Jawaharlal Nehru, who described India as a land of pilgrimages — from the icy peaks of Badrinath and Amarnath to the southern tip at Kanyakumari.

Maha Kumbh in text

The textbook claims that while the varna-jati system initially provided societal stability, it later became rigid, particularly under British rule, leading to inequalities.

The Maha Kumbh Mela held in Prayagraj earlier this year also finds mention in the book and states how around 660 million people participated in it. There is no mention of the stampede in which 30 pilgrims died and several injured.

References to government initiatives like Make in India, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and the Atal Tunnel have been included in the new textbook.

Also read: For India’s sake, reform the madrasas, do not write them off

Chapter on Constitution

The book also has a chapter on the Constitution of India, which mentions that there was a time when people were not allowed to fly the national flag at home.

“This changed in 2004 when a citizen felt it was his right to express pride in his country and challenged the rule in court. The Supreme Court agreed, saying that flying the flag is part of the Fundamental Right to Freedom of Expression. We can now fly the tricolour with pride, keeping in mind that it should never be dishonoured,” the chapter reads.

Opposition cries ‘saffronisation’

In the English textbook Poorvi, out of 15 stories, poems, and narrative pieces, nine are by Indian writers or feature content and characters that are Indian, including works by Rabindranath Tagore, APJ Abdul Kalam, and Ruskin Bond.

The earlier textbook called Honeycomb had 17 stories, poems, and other writings, including four by Indian writers.

The revamp of NCERT textbooks has been met with criticism from Opposition parties, which equate the revamp with “saffronisation”. NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani had in an interview to PTI last year claimed, “Teaching about riots can make young children negative citizens.”

(With agency inputs)