The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organization that is responsible for developing and publishing educational materials for schools in India. The NCERT textbooks cover a wide range of subjects, including history. In the NCERT history textbooks, the history of the Mughal Empire is covered in detail. The Mughal Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in Indian history, and it ruled over a significant part of the Indian subcontinent from the early 16th century until the mid-19th century.
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What is discussed about Mughals in textbooks?
The NCERT history textbooks cover the rise of the Mughal Empire under the leadership of Babur, who defeated the Sultan of Delhi in the Battle of Panipat in 1526 and established the Mughal Empire. The textbooks also cover the reign of Akbar, who is considered one of the greatest Mughal emperors, and his policy of religious tolerance and cultural synthesis. The textbooks also cover the reign of Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughal emperors, who ruled over a vast empire but faced many challenges, including revolts and rebellions, as well as the atrocities performed by british East India company. However, it is worth noting that there have been debates and discussions in India about the portrayal of Mughal history in school textbooks. Some critics have argued that the Mughals, who were Muslim rulers, have been portrayed too positively in Indian textbooks and that their rule was marked by violence, intolerance, and religious bigotry. On the other hand, supporters of the Mughal history in textbooks argue that the Mughal Empire played a crucial role in shaping Indian history and culture, and that their contributions should not be ignored or marginalized.
Revision of history syllabus in 2016
In 2016, the NCERT made some changes to the history textbooks for classes VI to X, including revisions to the chapters on the Mughal period. The changes were made in response to feedback from various stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and academics, who felt that the textbooks were too focused on the Mughals and did not give adequate coverage to other aspects of Indian history. The revised textbooks aim to provide a more balanced and nuanced view of Indian history, including the Mughal period. They include more information about the regional and cultural diversity of India, as well as the contributions of other dynasties and rulers, such as the Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire, and the Marathas.
Some of the changes made in the textbooks were
Removal of certain controversial statements: Some statements that were seen as contentious were removed from the textbooks. For example, a reference to the “violent nature” of the Aryans was removed from the class VI textbook. Inclusion of new information: New information was added to provide a more balanced view of history. For example, the class VIII textbook included information on the role of women in ancient India. Correction of errors: Some errors in the textbooks were corrected. For example, the class IX textbook had earlier referred to the Himalayas as the “youngest” mountain range in the world, which was corrected to “one of the youngest.” Changes in tone: The tone of certain passages was changed to make them more neutral. For example, a passage in the class VI textbook that had described the Mughal emperors as “great” was changed to “prominent.” These changes were aimed at ensuring that the textbooks present a more objective and accurate view of history.
What’s the actual matter now?
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) had made an announcement about their choice to remove specific Mughal Empire chapters from history textbooks for students in grades 12 and 13. The decision to remove Mughal history from the curriculum drew harsh condemnation from a number of political groups. The state of Uttar Pradesh has announced that government schools will use the updated NCERT history textbooks for class 12 this academic year, which will no longer contain any material on the Mughal courts. In its “syllabus rationalisation” effort from the previous year, the NCERT eliminated some topics from the curriculum, including lessons on Mughal courts from its class 12 textbooks, citing “overlapping” and “irrelevant” as justifications. When the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) rationalised its syllabus in April 2022, several of these modifications were made public. Some state boards use NCERT texts in addition to those used by CBSE schools.
According to a Jagran Josh article, topics including Central Islamic Areas, Clash of Cultures, and The Industrial Revolution have been dropped from the class 11 curriculum. Aside from this, chapters like Rise of popular movements and “Period of one-party domination” have been deleted from the class 12 civics textbook Politics in India since Independence.Moreover, chapters like “Democracy and diversity,” “Popular struggles and movement,” and “Challenges to democracy” have been eliminated from the class 10 Democratic Politics-II textbooks.According to an IANS report, NCERT has also deleted some passages from the political science textbooks for class 12 that discuss the brief ban the then-government placed on the RSS following Mahatma Gandhi’s killing. Also, IANS reported that sentences about Gandhi’s efforts to promote Hindu-Muslim cooperation having angered Hindu fanatics had been deleted.On Tuesday, Dinesh Prasad Saklani, the director of NCERT, emphasised that chapters on the Mughals had not been “deleted” from CBSE textbooks, calling the claim a “fiction.” “That is false. Mughals are still covered in several of the chapters. Due to pressure put upon the students by COVID 19 , syllabus rationalization was done. Said the Ncert director.
