New NCERT social science chapter on colonial rule skips Tipu Sultan, Anglo-Mysore wars
New Delhi: The recently released NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook has stirred controversy for reportedly omitting events from India’s colonial period and key historical figures, including Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the four Anglo-Mysore Wars of 1700s, which once featured prominently in earlier editions.
The updated textbook, titled ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1)’, focuses on the narrative of colonialism from the late 1400s, beginning with Vasco da Gama, to the late 1800s. It highlights how British colonialism drained India’s wealth, disrupted traditional life, and mentions events such as the Battle of Plassey (1757) and the 1857 rebellion.
While uprisings such as the Sannyasi-Fakir rebellion, the Kol uprising, and the Santhal rebellion are included, the new edition omits Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the four Anglo-Mysore Wars. These figures, once highlighted as major opponents of British expansion, are reportedly no longer part of the revised colonial narrative.
Michel Danino, chair of the NCERT textbook development group, asserted that the current Class 8 textbook aims to give an overview rather than exhaustive detail. When asked whether Tipu Sultan or the Anglo-Mysore Wars might appear in Part 2 of the textbook, Danino responded, “Probably not,” adding that those chapters are still in development.
The textbook further introduces a section on the plunder of India’s cultural wealth, including statues, manuscripts, jewels, and artefacts, much of which ended up in European museums and private collections. This appropriation is referred to as “massive theft” carried out across colonised nations.
It also challenges the narrative that British infrastructure such as railways and telegraphs were gifts to India, stating these projects were mostly funded by Indian taxpayers and primarily served British strategic and commercial interests.
Part 1 of the new textbook has been released for the current academic session, with Part 2 expected later this year.
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Three killed, three injured as car crashes into bridge in UP’s Balrampur
Balrampur (UP) (PTI): Three people died and as many were injured after their car crashed into a bridge on the Balrampur-Badhni national highway here early Sunday, police said.
The accident occurred near Purushottam village on the Tulsipur-Pachpedwa stretch when the car, carrying six people, crashed into the bridge, they said.
According to police, Adil (21) and Afroz (20), residents of Pachpedwa, died on the spot.
The injured, including Hashmi (21), were rushed to the district hospital, where Hashmi died.
The victims had gone to attend the Devi Patan Mela in Tulsipur on Saturday night and were returning home when the accident took place, the police added.
Tulsipur Circle Officer Jitendra Kumar said the bodies have been sent for post-mortem and further legal proceedings are underway.
Meanwhile, local SP MLA Rakesh Yadav visited the bereaved families and assured all possible assistance. He also demanded Rs 10 lakh ex gratia for each of the deceased, stating that all the victims belonged to economically weaker families.
