Mughals Removed, Mahakumbh Introduced: What’s New in the Revised NCERT Class 7 Textbooks
Mughals Removed, Mahakumbh Introduced: What’s New in the Revised NCERT Class 7 Textbooks
The textbook revisions signal a shift toward centering ancient Indian heritage and spirituality in the curriculum, in line with the vision laid out in NEP 2020.
The latest Class 7 social science textbook under the NCERT curriculum no longer includes any references to the Mughal rule or the Delhi Sultanate. While earlier editions had reduced content related to these historical periods, the latest revision sees them omitted entirely.
Commenting on the changes, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar clarified that the Mughal period has not been removed, but that repetitive material was edited out to avoid overlap across different classes.
The latest changes in the Class 7 NCERT social science textbook are reportedly aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasize the inclusion of Indian traditions, knowledge systems, philosophies, and local context in school education.
According to a report by PTI, while previous editions had already reduced content on medieval dynasties such as the Tughlaqs, Khaljis, Mamluks, and Lodis, and shortened a two-page chart on Mughal emperors’ achievements during the COVID-era syllabus rationalisation, this is the first time all references to the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate have been entirely removed.
In place of the omitted content, the revised textbook titled Exploring Society: India and Beyond introduces new chapters focused on ancient Indian dynasties such as the Magadhas, Mauryas, Shungas, and Satavahanas, with an emphasis on promoting an “Indian ethos.”
A notable addition is a chapter titled “How the Land Becomes Sacred,” which explores pilgrimage and sacred sites across India and other countries. It covers key religious traditions including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The chapter highlights the concept of “sacred geography,” referencing the 12 Jyotirlingas, Char Dham Yatra, Shakti Peethas, as well as revered river confluences, forests, and mountains as spiritually significant places.
