The Problem Is Not Just What History Textbooks Teach, But Also What They Don't, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• Recent revisions of Indian school history textbooks by NCERT are criticized for factual inaccuracies and promoting a communally informed account of the past.
• The new NCERT Social Science textbook for Grade IX, "Understanding Society: India and Beyond — Part 2," released on September 29, 2026, is specifically highlighted for these issues.
• Critics argue that the revisions omit crucial historical processes, figures, and concepts like Colonialism and Nationalism, hindering critical thinking.
• The textbook presents controversial interpretations of historical periods, such as the 13th to 17th centuries, and makes questionable claims regarding the origins of practices like veiling.
• Previous NCERT textbook revisions have also faced controversy, including the removal of chapters on European revolutions and references to the Preamble and terms like "secular."

Detailed Insights:

• The article contends that history education should provide a nuanced understanding of human societal evolution and the development of ideas.
• The chapter "India’s Long Road to Independence" in the new textbook is criticized for merely listing events without exploring underlying historical processes or defining key concepts.
• Significant historical reforms such as Ripon's local self-governance initiative, the Morley-Minto Reforms, and the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms are notably absent from the discussion.
• The chapter "Cultural Currents: 13th to 17th Centuries" is cited for presenting contradictory information and promoting a narrative of religious antagonism.
• It controversially links Islamic invasions to the introduction of veiling practices in India, despite historical evidence suggesting otherwise.
• The broader concern is that these revisions shift emphasis towards "lionised accounts" and present history as a series of religiously antagonistic acts, rather than fostering interrogative historical study.
• The article implicitly advocates for textbooks that equip students with critical thinking skills and a comprehensive understanding of societal development.

Key Concepts Involved:

• NCERT: The National Council of Educational Research and Training is an autonomous organization that advises the government on school education and prepares textbooks.
• Communalism: An ideology that views society as divided into separate religious communities with conflicting interests, often leading to social disharmony and political tension.
• Colonialism: A system where one nation establishes political, economic, and social control over another territory, exploiting its resources and people for its own benefit.
• Nationalism: An ideology emphasizing loyalty and devotion to a particular nation, asserting its right to political self-determination and often based on shared culture, history, or language.