NCERT's new Class 8 history: 'Darker period' of Mughals, sultans introduced

New NCERT social science textbooks for Class 8 introduce significant changes to the history curriculum for the current academic year. The book, 'Exploring Society India and Beyond', reframes the reigns of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals, terming them "history's darker period". It details events of brutality, such as the imposition of the Jizya tax on non-Muslims and acts of religious conversion. The textbook describes Mughal emperors like Babur and Akbar as ruthless conquerors, with Akbar's victory message cited: "with the help of our bloodthirsty sword we have erased signs of infidelity from their minds and destroyed temples in those places". The text also mentions Aurangzeb's destruction of temples and Gurudwaras. A substantial new addition is a chapter on the rise of the Marathas and the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, now part of the national curriculum. These revisions, part of the New Education Policy, have drawn varied reactions from historians.