Kolkata: Education minister Bratya Basu, on Monday, criticised the NCERT for its decision to remove chapters on the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals from the Class VII Social Science textbook.
Taking to X, Basu wrote: “Though history is open to interpretation, historical facts cannot be erased. If one writes medieval Indian history excluding the Mughals, it distorts the historicity of that period.”
“One should remember that history repeats itself — so the history somebody chooses to exclude will one day exclude them,” he stated. The revised textbook — Exploring Society: India and Beyond — has dropped all references to the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. Instead, it introduces students to ancient dynasties such as the Magadha, Mauryas, Shungas, and Satavahanas. In addition to political history, the curriculum now emphasises India’s ‘sacred geography.’ A new chapter — How the Land Becomes Sacred — highlights pilgrimages such as the Char Dham Yatra, revered sites like the 12 Jyotirlingas and the 51 Shakti Pithas and sacred river confluences. References to the Kumbh Mela are also included in this chapter.
Centre’s initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ feature prominently in the new content.