Akbar, Babur, Aurangzeb face historical scrutiny in NCERT's class 8 textbook

India Today

16-07-2025

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a new Class 8 Social Science textbook that offers a revised take on Indian history from the 13th to 17th centuries. The book, part of the series Exploring Society: India and Beyond, is the first among the new NCERT releases to introduce students to the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods.advertisementUnlike earlier editions, this version directly addresses instances of brutality and religious intolerance.It includes a special note titled 'Note on Some Darker Periods in History', which explains the rationale behind highlighting violence, temple destruction, and political oppression during those centuries.CONFLICTS AND CONTRADICTIONS
The chapter Reshaping India's Political Map spans the rise and fall of the Delhi Sultanate, resistance from local powers, the Vijayanagara Empire, the Mughal era, and the emergence of the Marathas and the Sikhs.On Alauddin Khilji's general Malik Kafur, it mentions attacks on Hindu centres like Madurai, Srirangam, and Chidambaram.It notes that temple destruction during this period was not just for wealth but often driven by iconoclasm. The controversial tax jiziya is described as a source of public humiliation and a reason some subjects may have converted to Islam.Babur, the first Mughal emperor, is described as a conqueror who destroyed entire populations, built 'towers of skulls', and enslaved civilians, despite also being noted for his intellect and curiosity.Akbar's reign is called a mix of brutality and tolerance.The book refers to his order to massacre 30,000 people at Chittorgarh and destroy temples, even as it acknowledges his later inclusive policies.Aurangzeb, meanwhile, is portrayed as demolishing temples and gurdwaras, though it also mentions arguments that his actions were politically driven.NEW CURRICULUM PROMOTES CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDINGThe book includes a cautionary note stating that no present-day community or individual should be held accountable for these historical events. NCERT says the intention is to offer students an honest, evidence-based understanding of history.Shivaji and the Marathas are presented in contrast, as leaders who rebuilt temples and respected other religions. Shivaji is called a master strategist and a devout Hindu.NCERT has said the revised textbooks follow the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.With this release, Class 8 now gets a single integrated book instead of three separate ones for history, political science, and geography. Part 2 of the textbook will be released later this year.- Ends