The omission of Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the Anglo-Mysore wars from the newly released NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook has sparked debate, but the central government maintains there's no cause for concern. Responding in Parliament, the Ministry of Education clarified that state governments have the autonomy to include regional historical figures and events in their school curricula.
This shift in content is part of a broader curriculum overhaul aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. The revised Class 8 Social Science book now emphasises experiential learning, evidence-based understanding, and broader thematic coverage, according to Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary.
He stated that the new textbook is structured around four main themes:
- India and the World: Land and the People
- Tapestry of the Past
- Governance and Democracy
- Economic Life Around Us
Chaudhary emphasised that education falls under the Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution, allowing both Centre and States to shape curricula. While NCERT textbooks serve as national guidelines, states are free to adapt or supplement them.
“Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the majority of schools being under the jurisdiction of the State Governments, the respective State Government may adopt or adapt NCERT textbooks or develop their own textbooks based on the National Curriculum Framework. The states have flexibility to provide more coverage about regional personalities and events in their textbooks,” he said in the Rajya Sabha, as per the Indian Express report.
Opposition Questions the Omission
Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee raised a query in Parliament, seeking clarification on why the newly introduced Class 8 textbook omits references to Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the 18th-century Anglo-Mysore wars in its section on India’s colonial period.
What’s In, What’s Out
While the new Class 8 textbook includes references to early resistance against British colonialism, such as the Sannyasi-Fakir rebellion, the Kol and Santhal uprisings, and other peasant movements, it omits the prominent resistance by Mysore under Tipu Sultan and Haidar Ali.
In contrast, the older NCERT history book featured a detailed section on the four Anglo-Mysore wars and the significant military and diplomatic resistance offered by Mysore’s rulers against the East India Company in the 18th century.
