Explained: NCERT’s latest controversy and the questions it raises about history, accuracy, and institutional responsibility

India’s national school curriculum has once again been drawn into controversy, this time over a map in a Class 8 Social Science textbook that depicted the princely state of Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha Empire. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the country’s apex curriculum body, has now removed the disputed map from the revised digital edition for the 2025–26 academic session.

The move followed sustained objections from historians, Rajput organisations, and former royal families of Rajasthan who alleged that the depiction distorted historical facts. While NCERT’s decision has temporarily defused the immediate uproar, the episode has reopened a deeper and more enduring debate: How India’s school textbooks interpret history, and how sensitive that interpretation can be.

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The Jaisalmer map dispute: How the controversy unfolded

At the centre of the row was Map 3.11 in the Class 8 Social Science textbook, which showed Jaisalmer under the Maratha Empire. Critics argued that such a depiction lacked credible historical backing and risked misinforming millions of students.

Among the most vocal critics was Maharawal Chaitanyaraj Singh, a member of the former Jaisalmer royal family, according to a TNN report. He publicly condemned the map as “historically misleading and factually incorrect,” urging Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to intervene and correct what he described as a serious academic error.

Soon after, objections spread beyond Jaisalmer. Former royal families from Mewar and Bundi also challenged the portrayal of their regions as falling under Maratha control. Prominent figures, including Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, Rajsamand Member of Parliament Mahima Kumari, and former Bundi royal Bhupesh Singh Hada, formally submitted representations to the central government.

Their rationale was quite simple: there is no evidence in the historical records, archives, and contemporary accounts of Maratha administrative presence, taxation, and military intervention in Jaisalmer. In fact, historians from the region have argued that Marathas never established political presence in Jaisalmer. Faced with mounting criticism, NCERT decided to withdraw the map from the online edition of the textbook.

A corrective step, but not without demands

While the removal of the map has been welcomed locally, the controversy has not entirely subsided. Devendra Pratap Singh, Director of the Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum, described NCERT’s move as a necessary correction but argued that the institution should also issue a formal apology for the error. According to local historians and residents, the earlier depiction had hurt sentiments by appearing to diminish the region’s historical legacy.

For many in Rajasthan, the debate goes beyond a single map. They point to episodes such as the historic “Dhai Saka,” a moment of sacrifice and resistance in Jaisalmer’s past, as evidence of the region’s distinct political history.

The argument, they say, is not about pride alone but about historical accuracy in school education.

Not the first NCERT controversy

The Jaisalmer map episode arrives barely weeks after another major controversy involving NCERT textbooks. Earlier this year, the council was compelled to withdraw an entire Class 8 Social Science textbook titled Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Grade 8 (Part II) after criticism over a chapter discussing corruption in the judiciary.

The chapter, The Role of Judiciary in Our Society, drew judicial scrutiny for its emphasis on case backlogs and alleged misconduct by judges. A court took suo motu cognisance of the issue and ordered the seizure of all physical copies and removal of digital versions.

NCERT issued an “unconditional and unqualified apology”, confirming that the book had been withdrawn nationwide. Only 32 copies had reportedly been sold before distribution was halted.

The court argued that while criticism of institutions is permissible, the textbook risked presenting a one-sided narrative that could undermine the authority and dignity of the judiciary.

A pattern of textbook battles

In both these episodes, we can see a common problem that curriculum developers in India are confronted with, namely, balancing the need for academic freedom with the need for political sensitivity and popular perception.

Textbooks used in Indian schools are of great importance. Not only are NCERT books used in central government schools, but they are also used as a guide for various state boards and competitive examinations. Hence, any kind of distortion, whether it is historical or institutional, can lead to a national debate.

In the past few years, there have been a number of instances of controversy being raised regarding the content of textbooks used in Indian schools. Most of these controversies have been related to the way in which history, politics, and institutions are portrayed in these books.

The larger question: Who owns History in school education?

The Jaisalmer controversy is just a reflection of this larger problem: History is not always clear-cut. There is always room for interpretation as new discoveries are made.

The problem is compounded when such histories find their way into school textbooks. Millions of students rely on textbooks as sources of knowledge.

The reason why historians are saying that there is a need to subject textbooks to a rigorous peer review process is because of this.

A lesson beyond the classroom

The removal of the Jaisalmer map may resolve the immediate dispute, but the broader debate is unlikely to fade. In a country where history intersects with identity, politics, and regional pride, textbooks are more than educational tools, they are instruments that shape collective memory.

As India continues to revise and modernise its curriculum, the challenge will be clear: ensuring that textbooks remain academically rigorous while also reflecting the diverse historical realities of the country.

The recent controversies serve as a reminder that when history is taught in classrooms, accuracy is not merely an academic requirement, it is a public responsibility.

(With inputs from TNN)
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