NCERT Book Changes: All references to the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate have been removed from the NCERT textbooks of Class 7, while references to Indian dynasties, Mahakumbh, 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 are prepared in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasize the inclusion of Indian traditions, philosophy, knowledge systems, and local context in school education.

Earlier, the lessons related to the Mughals were shortened.

When contacted, NCERT officials said that this is only the first part of the books and the second part is expected to come in the coming months. However, they did not comment on whether the removed portions 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 such as Tughlaq, Khilji, Mamluk, and Lodi and a two-page table on the achievements of Mughal emperors. This exercise was done as part of rationalizing the syllabus in view of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2022-23, however, the new textbook has now removed all references to them.

These chapters were included

The social science textbook 'Study of Society: India and Beyond' has new chapters on ancient Indian dynasties such as Magadha, Maurya, Shunga and Satavahanas, with a focus on "Indian ethos". Another new addition to the book is a chapter titled "How the Land Becomes Sacred", which focuses on places and pilgrimages considered sacred for religions such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism in India and outside.

The chapter introduces concepts such as 'sacred geography', detailing places such as the 12 Jyotirlingas, the Char Dham Yatra and the Shakti Peethas. The text includes a quote from Jawaharlal Nehru, who described India as a land of pilgrimages. The textbook claims that the varna-jati system initially provided social stability but it later became rigid, especially under British rule, leading to inequalities.

Mention of Maha Kumbh Mela in the book

The book also mentions the Maha Kumbh Mela held in Prayagraj earlier this year and describes how around 66 crore people attended it. However, there is no mention of the stampede incident in which 30 pilgrims were killed and many injured.

The new textbook includes references to government initiatives such as 'Make in India', 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', and 'Atal Tunnel'. The book also has a chapter on the Constitution of India, which mentions that there was a time when people were not allowed to hoist the national flag in their homes.