ALL REFERENCES to Mughals and Delhi Sultanate have been dropped from class 7 NCERT textbooks, while chapter on Indian dynasties, ‘sacred geography,’ references to Mahakumbh, and Government initiatives likeMakeinIndiaand Beti Bachao, Beti padhao are among the new additions. The new textbooks released this week have been designed in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the NationalCurriculumFramework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasise incorporating Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into school education. When contacted, NCERT officials saidthese areonly firstpart of the book and second part is expected in coming months.

 

They,however,didnotcomment on whether the dropped portions will be retained in the second part of the book. While NCERT had previously trimmedsectionsontheMughals and Delhi Sultanate — including detailed account of dynasties like Tughlaqs, Khaljis, Mamluks, and Lodis and a twopage tableonMughal emperors’ achievements as part of its syllabus rationalisation during the COVID-19pandemicin2022–23, the new textbook has now removed all references to them. The book now has all newchapters with no mention of Mughals and Delhi Sultanatethroughout. The Social Science textbook“Exploring Society: India andBeyond” has new chapters onancientIndiandynasties liketheMagadha, Mauryas, Shungas, andSatavahanaswithafocuson“Indian ethos.”

 

Another new edition in thebookisachaptercalled“HowtheLand Becomes Sacred” thatfocuses on places consideredsacred and pilgrimages acrossIndiaandoutsideforreligionslikeIslam,Christianity,Judaism,andZoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The chapter introduces concepts like “sacred geography”detailingnetworksofsuchplacesas 12 jyotirlingas,the chardhamyatra, and the “Shakti pithas.”The chapter also details suchplaces as river confluences, mountains,andforests,whicharerevered.