Who Is Ruchika Sharma? Historian Who Plans To File RTI Against NCERT Over History Textbook Revisions

Dr Ruchika Sharma, a historian writing on medieval India, has sparked a national debate following a statement of her plan to file a Right to Information (RTI) request against the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

Sharma contends that recent changes in NCERT history textbooks are presenting critical periods, particularly the Mughal era, in a selectively negative light without sufficient scholarly citation or balance, as she stated during a television debate on Aaj Tak.

She claims that it is historically irrelevant to call any period a "dark period," points out a few factual discrepancies, and alleges double standards in the evaluation of different rulers, according to her, during the TV debate.

"I have two major issues with the recent changes. First and foremost, a lot of what has been written is simply false, and I can point out the facts to prove it. Second, the portrayal of history is incomplete in many places,"  she said during the TV debate on Aaj Tak.

Sharma disagreed with NCERT over the issue of Jizya, the protection tax paid by non-Muslims under some rulers of medieval India including Akbar.

"Since the topic of jizya is being widely discussed, let me clarify—this idea that Akbar abolished jizya only after establishing his rule is completely incorrect. Akbar’s reign began in 1560, and he abolished jizya in 1562. At that point, he was still a very young ruler and had not yet consolidated his empire. Despite that, he made this important decision early in his reign. This action is clearly mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari, where it is stated that jizya was a tax based on religious discrimination, and therefore, abolishing it was necessary. This is a very important historical fact, but NCERT is not teaching this," Sharma stated.

She further added, "Another lie that's being brought forward is -- Jizya was imposed to create pressure on non-Muslims to convert to Islam so they wouldn’t have to pay the tax. If NCERT is presenting this claim, I would like to file an RTI asking for the source. Where exactly is it written that, ever since jizya was introduced in the Islamic world, it served as an incentive for conversion? Where is this idea coming from? I want to know the source they are using to make such a claim."

Ruchika Sharma also made a claim against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was dismissed by BJP saying there was no proof to back her claim.

BJP's Reaction

Amit Malviya, of the BJP's IT cell, stated on X, "Comparing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Mughal tyrants is not only a historical distortion but also a grave insult to the nation. There is no historical evidence of Shivaji Maharaj looting or plundering Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (Maharaja of Mysore, 1673–1704)."

Who is Ruchika Sharma?

Ruchika Sharma is known for her knowledge of medieval Indian history and holds a PhD in History from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She frequently participates in national debates regarding how history is represented and is also popular for her YouTube channel, "Eyeshadow & Etihaas," where she artfully pairs makeup tutorials with in-depth explorations of historical narratives and myth-busting.