Class 7 NCERT Textbooks Remove Mughals, Introduce New Chapters On Indian Dynasties And Sacred Geography

Chapters on the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate have been eliminated from the Class 7 NCERT social science textbooks, which have undergone extensive modifications. These portions have been swapped out for new material that deals with ancient Indian dynasties and the idea of "sacred geography." The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is in line with the revised curriculum, which places a strong emphasis on Indian customs, beliefs, and indigenous knowledge systems.

The newly published 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond' textbook significantly differs from its predecessor in that it no longer contains in-depth analyses of Mughal and Delhi Sultanate rulers, including those from the Tughlaq, Khalji, Mamluk, and Lodi dynasties. Rather, chapters of Indian dynasties such as the Magadha, Maurya, Shunga, and Satavahanas are introduced. A chapter titled "How the Land Becomes Sacred" that explores spiritual locations in India and around the world is now included in the updated syllabus. also presents the idea of "sacred geography," highlighting important places like the 12 Jyotirlingas, Char Dham Yatra, and Shakti Pithas, and also highlights pilgrimage destinations for many religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

Furthermore, the curriculum now covers the varna-jati system, examining how it initially contributed to social stability before becoming a source of inequity under British colonial control. With allusions to government programs like the Atal Tunnel, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Make in India, modern India is also highlighted. The Constitution is the subject of another noteworthy chapter in the social science book, which focuses on a 2004 Supreme Court decision that upheld the fundamental right to fly the national flag at home.

In the meantime, Indian authors and subjects have become more prevalent in Poorvi, the English textbook for Class 7. Nowadays, nine out of fifteen tales, poetry, and stories are written by Indian authors or include Indian themes at their core. With the addition of works by Ruskin Bond, APJ Abdul Kalam, and Rabindranath Tagore, the amount of Indian literature has increased in comparison to the previous Honeycomb textbook, which only had four of the 17 authors.

Following attempts to simplify the curriculum during the Covid-19 pandemic, these modifications have been made. In accordance with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023 and NEP 2020, the changes seek to strengthen ties to India's rich cultural legacy.