Tipu, Raziya erased from history, Parliament need answer
Share
August 6, New Delhi Several Members of Parliament have voiced worry over the omission of important historical personalities like Tipu Sultan and Raziya Sultan from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)-released revised Class 8 social science textbooks, therefore creating a fresh problem in Parliament. Claims have been made in the argument that Indian history has been selectively rewritten and that educational materials have been ideologically brainwashed. Released for academic year 2025–26, the newly updated textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 1 makes no mention of Tipu Sultan, a Mysore monarch noted for his relentless opposition of British imperial power, or Raziya Sultan, the first and last female ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. Early editions of Indian history, like Our Pasts-III, highlighted both characters prominently as major actors. Moreover omitted from the new book are significant people and incidents like Haidar Ali, father of Tipu Sultan, and the four Anglo-Mysore Wars. Excluding such significant historical personalities as Noor Jehan, the strong spouse of Mughal ruler Jahangir, from the curriculum for students begs members of Parliament to wonder what justifies it. Critics contended that the omissions showed a greater effort to remove the achievements of Muslim kings from India’s shared memory, and warned that this might result in a skewed view of the pluralistic history of the country. Many worry that children will grow up in modern society uninformed of the important part these people played in the formation of administrative history of medieval India and resistance movements. The Ministry of Education has defended the changes by noting their goal was to reduce students’ academic load and provide historical context. The Ministry claims that the objective is to provide history thematically, not to eliminate it, hence highlighting the wider social and economic ramifications of colonialism rather than on the rote memorizing of dates and battles. According to authorities, this approach supports the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP), which seeks to give children more enriching and interesting learning opportunities. The updated textbook, however, focuses on events including the Kol and Santhal revolts, the Sannyasi-Fakir insurrection, and notable members of the Maratha group, like Tarabai and Ahilyabai Holkar. Omission of Tipu Sultan, one of the most strong Indian opponents of British colonialism, is equivalent to whitewashing history, according to historians and educators. They claim that using diplomacy as a military commander to oppose colonial power, Tipu showed his modern attitude. He also introduced financial changes. During media interviews, Michel Danino, chairman of the NCERT textbook committee, noted that the middle school course offers a brief survey and that subjects like Tipu Sultan will be covered in future courses. He also stated that Tipu Sultan won’t appear in the second half of the upcoming Class 8 book. Many view this as a conscious exclusion rather than an adaptation of the curriculum, therefore the criticism has just grown more acute. Respected historians such Irfan Habib and Apoorvanand claim that the NCERT has yielded political pressure. From a narrow perspective, they warn that the ongoing exclusion of particular historical narratives shows a rising effort to influence public opinion of India’s past. They contend that the expulsion of Muslim monarchs like Raziya Sultan could be part of a bigger strategy to revise history in line with contemporary political ideas. The selection of stories to include and the course of study in history have become topics of discussion. Given fresh allegations that books are being “saffronized,” educational institutions are advised to find a balance between historical correctness and educational creativity. Critics argue that the modern approach runs the danger of keeping pupils from grasping the complexities and variety of Indian past. Though there have been ongoing debates among politicians, educators, academics, and parents on the effects of these textbook revisions, the Ministry of Education and the NCERT remain in the center stage. Though it is unknown whether these changes would endure or be assessed, the debate on how India teaches its history is obviously very alive and well.
