The historical past part of the newly launched Class 8 social science textbook by the Nationwide Council of Academic Analysis and Coaching (NCERT) for college students within the present 2025-26 educational yr portrays Mughal rulers, particularly Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb, as “intellectuals” who additionally “plundered” the Indian inhabitants.
The second chapter of the textbook, titled ‘Reshaping India’s Political Map in Theme B – Tapestry of the Previous’ contains references from the Baburnama, Babur’s autobiography, and describes him as cultured, intellectually curious, and having a eager appreciation of structure, poetry, flora, and fauna. The textbook additionally goes on to say that Babur was a ruthless conqueror, slaughtering populations, enslaving ladies and kids, and taking satisfaction in erecting “towers of skulls” in plundered cities.
Akbar’s reign is described as a mix of “brutality and tolerance”, and that in the course of the seizure of the Chittor fort, Akbar, then 25 years previous, ordered the bloodbath of 30,000 civilians, and the enslavement of ladies and kids, the brand new textbook states. Akbar’s message can also be quote within the textbook: “We have now succeeded in occupying quite a few forts and cities belonging to infidels and have established Islam there. With the assistance of our bloodthirsty sword, we’ve got erased indicators of infidelity from their minds and have destroyed temples in these locations and in addition throughout Hindustan.” The textbook says Akbar leaned in direction of peace within the later years of his reign.
The brand new textbook additionally states that Aurangzeb issued farmans or edicts to demolish faculties and temples. “Temples at Banaras, Mathura, Somnath amongst many others had been destroyed, in addition to Jain temples and Sikh gurdwaras,” the brand new textbook says. It additionally speaks of the persecution of Sufis and Zoroastrians by the hands of the Mughals.
Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb haven’t been described in such element within the older NCERT textbook’s chapter on the Mughals, which appeared within the Class 7 Historical past ebook (‘Our Pasts II’).
Michel Danino, Head, NCERT’s Curricular Space Group for Social Science. File
| Picture Credit score:
The Hindu
“Indian historical past can’t be can not sanitised and offered as a easy, pleased improvement all through. There have been vibrant durations but in addition darkish durations the place folks suffered, so we’ve got given observe on the darker chapters of historical past, and in addition given a disclaimer that nobody at this time ought to be considered accountable for no matter occurred prior to now,” Michel Danino, Head, NCERT’s Curricular Space Group for Social Science, advised The Hindu.
“You can’t perceive them (the Mughal emperors) except you go into the complexities of their personalities. Akbar himself admits he was brutal in his youthful days. We aren’t demonising Akbar or Aurangzeb, however we’ve got to point out these rulers had their limitations and dedicated merciless deeds,” Mr. Danino stated.
As a result of Half One of many earlier launched new Class 7 Social Science textbook in April culminated within the pre-Delhi Sultanate period of the sixth century, there was a component of uncertainty on how the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal period would discover their place within the newly revamped textbooks. Whereas earlier a Class 7 scholar would have learnt in regards to the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal historical past, these sections have now been shifted to the primary a part of the newly launched Class 8 textbooks, obtainable in bookstores mid-July onward.
The primary a part of the brand new Class 8 Social Science textbook, which has mixed Historical past, Geography, Civics, and Economics into one title, Exploring Society: India and Past, will function a useful resource for the primary six months of the tutorial yr for Class 8, NCERT officers clarified. “Half Two textbooks for each Courses 7 and eight for Social Science shall be launched in October later this yr. Half Two textbooks are at the moment below improvement,” officers stated.
The brand new Class 8 textbook additionally has a bit on heroic resistance to the Mughals, together with on the Jat peasants who managed to kill a Mughal officer; the Bhil, Gond, Santhal and Koch tribal communities, who fought to guard their territories; and Rani Durgavati of one of many Gond kingdoms, who fought in opposition to Akbar’s military. Sections have additionally been added on the escape of Mewar’s ruler Maharana Pratap, and the resistance of the Ahoms to Aurangzeb’s military in northeastern India.
Printed – July 16, 2025 02:03 am IST
Discover more from News Journals
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
