Writing history presupposes painstaking efforts to reconstruct what happened in a remote past in a manner that should ensure, as much as possible, authenticity, accuracy and above all objectivity. Available material needs to be used by the writer without colouring them with his or her own perceptions, imagination, bias and preconceived notions. This is not an easy task, and court historians or those commissioned by the powers that be have time and again let their prejudices and those of their masters, who have paid for and assigned the task to them, influence the tone and tenor of their narratives. It is easy to claim that all these eventually boil down to a travesty of truth. Facts and events that took place centuries ago have to be presented as they were, no matter whether they are to the liking of the present generation or not. If this discipline is violated, then the result is a pseudo-history and falsification of facts that do a grave injustice to the times gone by. However, in a scenario that existed in the Indian subcontinent during the last thousand years or so, no unbiased, impartial or reliable records of events were ever maintained. Unlike Egypt or China, where hieroglyphics existed before the birth of formal script, Indian society was deprived of any script of its own till much later in time of human evolution. Also, as education and exposure were limited to certain sections of society, primarily the upper caste, all recorded history glorified the ruling class or those who were close to them through economic or socio-religious standing. On second thought, even the trader or business class was not considered high enough to have access to governance or god. Therefore, Indian history has, sadly, throughout the past has always been trampled upon and disfigured and discoloured.
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India is confronted with this problem once again with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) making major changes to its Class VII Social Science textbooks, removing all references to the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate. The latest revision also brings in new chapters that highlight ancient Indian dynasties – the Magadha, Mauryas, Shungas, and Sātavāhanas – with a focus on “Indian ethos”, the Maha Kumbh festival and major initiatives of the government. If the intent is to widen and bring in underplayed parts of history to the forefront, that is a welcome step. If instead it is to whitewash one part of Indian history and disproportionately highlight another, then the whole story gets perverted. The changes are being touted as part of the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. Both focus on promoting Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local heritage within the school curriculum. But then the question arises whether what is considered ‘local heritage’ in Mathura or Benares, will those same beliefs be considered local or acceptable for Jagannath at Puri or Ayyappan lore of Sabarimala?
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The apparent allergy to Indian history during periods when Moslem rulers dominated the scene in Delhi was in evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic when the NCERT “trimmed” content on the Tughlaqs, Khiljis, Mamluks, and Lodis, along with a two-page table about Mughal emperors’ achievements. But, this is the first time that all material relating to the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate, an important part of north and west Indian history, has been taken out completely. This decision will certainly create a period of complete vacuum in history when, for future school students, there will be no trace of who governed that portion of this sub continent during those centuries.
Predictably, this syllabus rationalisation by the NCERT in its textbooks has been met with criticism from opposition parties. Whether this would help education or damage the knowledge base is a point to ponder.
Another new chapter on sacred and pilgrimage sites across India and outside for religions like Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism has been named “How the Land Becomes Sacred.” This chapter refers to places with 12 Jyotirlingas, the Char Dham yatra, and the “Shakti pithas” with revered river confluences, mountains, and forests have been mentioned as a “sacred geography.” A quote from India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, which described the country as a land of pilgrimages, also finds a mention.
The new textbook claims that the “varna-jati system” initially provided social stability, but became rigid, particularly under British rule, leading to inequalities. A mention about the Maha Kumbh states how 660 million people participated in it, but has no mention of the recent stampedes in which many pilgrims died and several injured.
NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani showed a lack of understanding the spirit of history when last year he claimed, “teaching about riots can make young children negative citizens.” The remark was made in the context of the NCERT’s removal of portions referring to the Gujarat communal violence of 2002.
The NCERT should refrain from distorting history and damaging the education of future generations.
