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India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
NCERT says Class 8 textbook facts on Mughal brutality from 'well-known sources'
After its new Class 8 history textbook sparked discussion over how the Mughal era is portrayed, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued a clarification. It said that the facts in the book are drawn from 'well-known primary and secondary academic sources' and that the aim is to help students critically understand India's past, not judge book, Exploring Society, India and Beyond, doesn't shy away from showing the harsh side of history. It describes Babur as a ruthless conqueror, Akbar's reign as mixed, and Aurangzeb as destructive. The Delhi Sultanate's religious intolerance and violence also find space.A special note on page 20 tells students not to use these historical events to assign blame to people in the present. NCERT says this note is key to understanding the book's message. 'The note sums up the essence of the content presented,' it JUST A LIST OF DATESNCERT said it deliberately avoided overloading students. Instead, it focuses on building a broader view of Indian history between the 13th and mid-19th centuries -- a crucial period that shaped modern Class 8 is the last year of middle school, the goal is to help students connect history with social and cultural change. NCERT said the book was designed to develop a critical, multidisciplinary understanding of India's the full text of NCERT's statement:Grade 8 textbook 'Exploring Society, India and Beyond', developed in pursuance with the NEP-2020 and guided by NCF-SE-2023, has been released by NCERT. This textbook attempts to provide an idea about the geography, history (medieval & modern), economic life and governance of the country, from a multi-disciplinary perspective in an integrated way. Class-8 being the last year of the middle stage, the students are expected to acquire broad multidisciplinary perspective in understanding of our past between 13th to Mid-19th century and how the various events of that period have helped to shape and influenced the evolution of India of aim has been to consistently avoid attempting to load the child with too much information and to develop a critical understanding of the subject. Hence, the various facts, have been presented in a comprehensible manner to promote holistic learning in this textbook. All the facts presented in this textbook are based on well-known primary and secondary academic in order to avoid generation of any prejudice and misunderstanding, 'A note on history's darker period' at page 20 has been added for the benefit of the learners. This summarizes the essence of the content presented in the textbook; the entire textbook should be seen and appreciated from this perspective.- Ends
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
'Brutality' Of Mughals: NCERT Says Facts In Class 8 New Textbook Are Credible
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Wednesday issued a clarification on the newly introduced Class 8 Social Science textbook "Exploring Society, India and Beyond", stating that all facts presented in the book are based on credible academic sources and aimed at promoting a critical, multidisciplinary understanding of India's past. NCERT's new Class 8 Social Science textbook highlights instances of brutality and religious intolerance during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal rule. It describes Babur as a ruthless conqueror, Akbar's reign as mixed, and Aurangzeb as destructive. A contextual note urges students to study such violent histories objectively, without blaming present generations for past misdeeds. "All the facts presented in this textbook are based on well-known primary and secondary academic sources," the NCERT said in its official statement. "To avoid generation of any prejudice and misunderstanding, a note on history's darker period has been added on page 20 for the benefit of the learners." The Council added that this note is central to interpreting the content correctly. "The note sums up the essence of the content presented in the textbook; the entire textbook should be seen and appreciated from this perspective." Clarifying the textbook's broader intent, NCERT said that Class 8 being the last year of the middle stage, the students are expected to acquire a broad multidisciplinary perspective in understanding our past between the 13th and mid-19th centuries, and how historical events influenced the evolution of modern India. Highlighting its pedagogical approach, NCERT explained that it deliberately avoided overwhelming students with excessive information and instead focused on fostering a critical understanding. "Our aim has been to consistently avoid attempting to load the child with too much information and to develop a critical understanding of the subject. Hence, the various facts have been presented in a comprehensible manner to promote holistic learning in this textbook."
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
All Facts Based On Well-Known Academic Sources: NCERT On Mughal Chapter Row
NCERT has clarified that its Class 8 Mughal history textbook is based on well-known sources and aims to promote holistic learning for students. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has issued an clarification following criticism of its newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook, 'Exploring Society, India and Beyond". The textbook, introduced under the updated National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has sparked debate for its portrayal of prominent Mughal rulers such as Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb. Concerns were raised regarding descriptions in the textbook that refer to Babur as a 'brutal and ruthless conqueror", depict Akbar's rule as a mixture of 'brutality and tolerance", and describe Aurangzeb as someone who demolished temples and gurdwaras. Critics argue that such characterisations may give young learners a skewed or negative impression of the Mughal era. In response, NCERT stated that the textbook is based on well-established primary and secondary academic sources, and has been designed to provide students with a broad, multidisciplinary understanding of India's past, particularly the period spanning the 13th to mid-19th century. 'The objective is not to overwhelm children with excessive facts, but to help them develop a critical understanding of how events in history have shaped the India we live in today," the council said in a statement. The book integrates elements of history, geography, economics, and governance, and follows the framework outlined in the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. To address possible concerns about misinterpretation or bias, NCERT has included a note on page 20, titled 'A Note on Some Darker Periods in History". This section acknowledges that history often involves episodes of violence and conflict, and advises readers not to hold present-day individuals or communities accountable for the actions of historical figures. NCERT further emphasised that the textbook must be read in its entirety and not judged based on isolated excerpts. It reiterated that the goal is to foster balanced, contextual, and holistic learning, not to create division or promote prejudice. This clarification arrives amidst wider discussions on the evolving nature of history education in Indian schools, particularly as the new curriculum encourages the blending of factual content with critical thinking and ethical awareness. The textbook remains in use, with NCERT urging educators, parents, and students to approach it as part of a sincere and thoughtful effort to deepen understanding of India's complex and layered past. view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 09:08 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- General
- Indian Express
From ‘Make in India' to Char Dham: New NCERT Class 7 textbooks emphasise Indian culture, sacred geography
From references to government initiatives like Make in India, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and the Atal Tunnel to a new chapter explaining how land becomes sacred through pilgrimages such as the Char Dham Yatra, visits to Shakti Pithas and Jyotirlingas, and sacred sites across religions — the new NCERT Class 7 English and Social Science textbooks reflect a deeper emphasis on Indian culture, heritage, and traditions. The content of the new English textbook – 'Poorvi' – and Social Science textbook – 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond' – aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's vision of education being 'strongly rooted in the Indian and local context and ethos.' Out of 15 stories, poems, and narrative pieces in the English textbook, 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 book also includes pieces on mountaineer Arunima Sinha, the national war memorial, and a comic on warrior queen Rani Abbakka from Karnataka. For comparison, 'Honeycomb', the old class 7 English textbook, which was first published in 2006-07 based on the National Curriculum Framework 2005, had 17 stories, poems, and other writing, including four by Indian writers (a story each by writers Vasantha Surya and Sharada Dwivedi; a comic titled 'Gopal and the Hilsa Fish'; a piece on the national war memorial). The Social Science textbook features a dedicated chapter titled 'How the Land Becomes Sacred' that focuses on sacred places and pilgrimages across India and outside for religions like Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and 'tirthayatras' or pilgrimages in the Jain tradition It references the recently concluded Kumbh Mela and the 'estimated 660 million people who participated' in it. The chapter introduces concepts like 'sacred geography' – networks of sacred places including 12 jyotirlingas, the char dham yatra, and the 'Shakti pithas' – locations 'across the subcontinent' where the body parts of Shakti fell. It also highlights the sacred ecology of India, where natural features like river confluences, mountains, and forests are revered. The Kumbh Mela, held at Prayagraj, is discussed with reference to the participation of 'an estimated 660 million people' and its mythological origins linked to the 'amrita manthana'. The chapter also references sacred traditions beyond India, such as those in ancient Greece and New Zealand. Asked about the objective behind including a chapter on sacred places in the geography section of the textbook, Michel Danino, head of the NCERT committee for social science, directed this newspaper to the NCERT. NCERT Director Dinesh Saklani did not provide an immediate response to the query. Unlike the previous structure where history, geography, and civics were split across three different textbooks, the new Exploring Society integrates these disciplines. Part one, released this month, also covers janapadas and mahajanapadas, the varna-jati system, ancient dynasties like the Mauryas and Guptas, an introduction to the Constitution, and types of governments. The textbook acknowledges that while the varna-jati system initially provided societal stability, it later became rigid, particularly under British rule, leading to inequalities. Part two of this textbook is expected later, officials said. The rollout of these new textbooks for classes 4, 5, 7, and 8 follows similar updates for classes 1 and 2 in 2023 and classes 3 and 6 in 2024. All are designed in line with the NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasise incorporating India's rich traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into school education.
