In the new textbooks of Delhi’s NCERT, chapters on Mughals and Delhi Sultanate have been removed from Class 7 books. Under these changes, new chapters have been introduced which focus on Indian dynasties, ‘sacred geography’, Maha Kumbh and government schemes.
दिल्ली की NCERT किताब से मुगल और दिल्ली सल्तनत का चैप्टर हटाया गया, महाकुंभ को दी गई जगह
NCERT has removed all references to the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate from Class VII textbooks while references to Indian dynasties, Maha Kumbh and government initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ have been included in the new chapters. The new textbooks released this week have been prepared in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. Which emphasizes on incorporating Indian traditions, philosophy, knowledge systems and local context in school education.
NCERT officials said that this is only the first part of the books and the second part is expected in the coming months. However, they did not comment on whether the removed parts would be retained in the second part of the book. NCERT had earlier shortened the lessons related to the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate, which included detailed descriptions of dynasties like Tughlaq, Khilji, Mamluk and Lodi and a two-page table on the achievements of Mughal emperors. This exercise was done in 2022-23 as part of rationalising the syllabus in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the new textbook has now removed all references to them.
The social science textbook ‘Study of Society: India and Beyond’ has new chapters on ancient Indian dynasties such as Magadha, Maurya, Shunga and Satavahana, with a focus on “Indian ethos”. Another new addition to the book is the chapter titled How the Land Becomes Sacred, which focuses on places and pilgrimages considered sacred in India and outside for religions such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.
The chapter introduces concepts such as ‘sacred geography’, detailing places such as the 12 Jyotirlingas, the Char Dham Yatra and Shakti Peethas. The text includes a quote from Jawaharlal Nehru, who described India as a land of pilgrimages. The new textbook claims that the varna-jati system initially provided social stability but later became rigid, especially under British rule, leading to inequalities.
Follow Us on… 
