The NCERT's newly released Class 8 Social Science textbook has sparked attention with its unflinching portrayal of historical figures, including Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb, describing episodes of brutality, temple destruction, and religious persecution during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods.
The book, 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond' released this week, is the first in the new NCERT curriculum to introduce students to the Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, Marathas and the colonial era. While earlier versions covered some of these topics in Class 7, the NCERT says the timeline has now been shifted entirely to Class 8, in line with the NCF SE 2023 recommendations.
Describing Babur as a "brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities", Akbar's reign as a "blend of brutality and tolerance", and Aurangzeb who destroyed temples and gurdwaras, the NCERT's new Class 8 Social Science textbook, which introduces students to the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals, points to "many instances of religious intolerance" during the period.
At the beginning of the book is a section titled 'Note on Some Darker Periods in History', where the NCERT offers context for the inclusion of sensitive and violent events primarily of war, bloodshed. The note urges students to understand "the historical origin of cruel violence, abusive misrule or misplaced ambitions of power" dispassionately and states, "No one should be held responsible today for events of the past."
The textbook on one hand notes the way Babur, the first Mughal emperor, has been referred to in his autobiography as a cultured and intellectual ruler, while also adding that he was 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." In the old Class 7 book, the reference to Babur was to being forced to leave his throne, seize Kabul, and then Delhi and Agra.
While the book notes Akbar's reign as a "blend of brutality and tolerance" for different faiths, it also mentions that "non-Muslims were kept in a minority in the higher echelons of the administration". Akbar is portrayed as having "ordered the massacre of some 30,000 civilians" after the siege of Chittorgarh. The book quotes Akbar's message of victory that boasted about destroying temples and erasing, "We have succeeded in occupying a number of forts and towns belonging to the infidels and have established Islam there. With the help of our bloodthirsty sword, we have erased the signs of infidelity from their minds and have destroyed temples in those places and all over Hindustan."
Aurangzeb's religious policy also comes under scrutiny. While acknowledging scholarly arguments that some of his decisions were politically motivated, the book notes that his farmans (edicts) reveal personal religious intentions. He ordered the destruction of temples in Banaras, Mathura, and Somnath, and demolished Jain and Sikh places of worship.
The book also includes a portion on 'Jiziya', the tax levied on non-Muslims, calling it a source of public humiliation and an incentive for conversion to Islam, in contrast to the earlier Class 7 textbook version which had mentioned it primarily as a financial measure that also offered them protection and exemption from military service, paid along with land tax initially and thereafter separately.
A chapter titled 'Reshaping India's Political Map' explores the Delhi Sultanate era from 13th to 17th century, its rise and fall, as the book mentions marked by political instability and religious violence. It details "attacks on sacred or revered images in Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples," calling them acts of both plunder and iconoclasm. None of this was mentioned in the old Class 7 NCERT book regarding this period of history.
Alauddin Khilji's general, Malik Kafur, is mentioned as having "attacked key religious centres like Srirangam, Chidambaram and possibly Rameswaram".
These events, which received little to no mention in the old Class 7 NCERT edition, now form part of a broader, more explicit discussion on intolerance and religious persecution during the period.
The chapter also notes that despite this, "Indian society showed adaptability and resilience in rebuilding towns, cities, temples, and other aspects of the economy" during this period under both the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate.
Similarly, after the section on the Mughal rulers, the book notes that "some of the invaders and rulers mentioned above committed terrible deeds and atrocities," but "it is important to keep in mind that we, today, bear no responsibility for actions of individuals hundreds of years ago".
While the Sultanate and Mughal sections deal with dark themes, the textbook also celebrates resistance and resilience. Chapters on the Marathas, Ahoms, Rajputs, and Sikhs highlight figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Tarabai, and Ahilyabai Holkar, portraying them as visionary leaders who contributed to cultural and political developments.
Shivaji is described as a master strategist in the textbook, who upheld Hindu values while respecting other religions. The book notes his efforts in rebuilding desecrated temples.
The Sikh Gurus also receive substantial space, with their resistance to Mughal oppression highlighted, especially under Aurangzeb.
Beyond its content, the Class 8 textbook takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining history, geography, and civics. Students explore India's electoral system, visit the new Parliament building through illustrations, and discuss real-life issues like why people vote or don't.
The book has also made space for marginalised voices, including tribal and regional uprisings like the Santhal, Kol, and Indigo Rebellions, and has incorporated digital tools, with QR codes linking to additional resources.
