Kerala schools will continue teaching sections on the Babri Masjid demolition that were removed from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) political science textbook, according to the state’s general education minister, V Sivankutty. As reported by Manorama, Sivankutty emphasized the importance of presenting unbiased historical content to students rather than propagating narrow ideological viewpoints.
The updated NCERT Class 12 political science textbook omits direct references to the Babri Masjid, describing it only as a “three-dome structure built at the site of Shri Ram’s birthplace” by Mughal emperor Babur’s general, Mir Baqi, in the 16th century. In contrast, Kerala’s education minister argued for teaching “actual history and science” to students, criticizing the exclusion of significant historical events from the curriculum.
Kerala introduced parallel textbooks in response to previous omissions in NCERT textbooks, such as those related to Mughal history and the 2002 Gujarat riots. These were designed to reflect the state’s secular and progressive values while upholding constitutional principles. Sivankutty indicated that the state’s curriculum committee would review the deletions regarding the Babri Masjid and consider similar measures.
The Babri Masjid was demolished in December 1992 by Hindutva extremists who believed it was built on the birthplace of the Hindu deity Ram. This event sparked communal riots across India. A Ram temple is being constructed at the site, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating it on January 22.
The original NCERT textbook mentioned the opening of the Babri Masjid locks in 1986, following a Faizabad district court order and the subsequent communal mobilization. It also highlighted the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) regret over the Ayodhya events and the ensuing debate on secularism. The revised textbook, however, simplifies this history, noting only that the Faizabad court’s decision allowed worship at the site and referencing the 2019 Supreme Court judgment permitting the construction of a Ram temple.
NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani defended the omissions, arguing that including lessons about riots in textbooks could foster negative emotions in students. He stated the goal was to create "positive citizens, not violent and depressed individuals." In Kerala, NCERT textbooks teach science and social science in classes 11 and 12.
