Akbar Brutal But Tolerant, Babur Ruthless: New NCERT Textbook's Description of Mughal Era

The NCERT social science textbook for Class VIII, titled 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond’, highlights alleged "religious intolerance and brutality" during the Mughal era. It describes Akbar's rule as a mix of "brutality" and "tolerance", labels Babur as a "ruthless conqueror", and portrays Aurangzeb as a "military ruler" who reinstated taxes on non-Muslims.

Babur, the first Mughal emperor, is depicted in the textbook as both cultured and intellectually curious in his autobiography. However, it also notes his reputation for being "brutal and ruthless". The book states, "Babur was also a brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities, enslaving women and children, and taking pride in erecting 'towers of skulls' made from the slaughtered people of plundered cities."

Historical Context in Education

The updated Class 8 social science textbook combines history, geography, civics, and economics into one resource for the first half of the academic year. A second part will be released later. Previously covered in Class VII, topics on the Delhi Sultanate have now been shifted to Class VIII following recommendations from the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE)-2023.

A note titled "Darker Periods in History" accompanies these chapters. It states that no one today should be held accountable for past events. The section on the Delhi Sultanate mentions attacks on sacred images in Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu temples driven by both plunder and iconoclasm.

Scientific Heritage Highlighted

The Class VIII science textbook 'Curiosity’ showcases India's scientific heritage from ancient discoveries to modern concepts. It integrates traditional knowledge with contemporary scientific education to foster curiosity, environmental awareness, ethical values, and critical thinking among students.

In its foreword, NCERT mentions that the textbook aims to promote scientific temper and rational thinking through real-life connections and value-based education. The 228-page book includes sections like 'Probe and Ponder’ and 'Be a Scientist’ to encourage scientific inquiry among students.

Ancient Practices Meet Modern Science

A section titled 'Our Scientific Heritage’ discusses India's traditional variolation method against smallpox long before modern vaccines. It links ancient practices to current advancements by highlighting Indian vaccine companies' contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The chapter 'Particulate Nature of Matter’ credits Acharya Kanad with introducing the concept of Parmanu (atom). Another chapter discusses ancient texts mentioning alloys used for medicinal purposes. The book also covers ISRO missions like Chandrayaan 1-3 for lunar studies, Aditya L1 for solar research, and Mangalyaan for Mars exploration.

Incorporating Inspirational Stories

The updated English textbook includes a chapter on Major Somnath Sharma, India's first Param Vir Chakra awardee recognized for bravery at the Battle of Budgam. Stories about Verghese Kurien and Bibha Chowdhuri are also featured.

The Class 5 English textbook 'Santoor’ encourages students to explore various vocations through illustrations showing diverse professions like a woman pilot alongside a male chef. An illustration of a woman panchayat head is included in a chapter about panchayats.