NCERT Maratha Empire Map Error: Council Moves to Review Class 8 Textbook Amid Public Outcry

A major row erupted recently over a map illustration in the new NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook, with outraged protests against its representation of historical boundaries. The map, featured in chapter "The Rise of the Marathas," shows Jaisalmer (a Rajasthan city) as belonging to the Maratha Empire, it's claimed. This sparked a controversial debate, with top leaders of the erstwhile royal dynasty of Jaisalmer terming the map "factually baseless" and "historically misleading."

Earlier this week, Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati, a scion of the royal family lineage of Jaisalmer, used social media to call for the rectifications to be made immediately. He said that there is "no authentic historical source that suggests Maratha supremacy, invasion, tax, or control" of Jaisalmer. Singh added that not only does the map falsify historical facts but also has the potential to embarrass the heritage of the rulers of Rajasthan and impact public trust in national education.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) officially responded by setting up a board of senior experts to review the content of the textbook. Council officials made it clear that review committees are part of NCERT's standard procedure whenever there is substantial academic or public feedback received.

The reconstituted committee includes members from the field and professors from top institutions, led by the head of the Curriculum Department. They have been entrusted with examining all the evidence available and recommending the desired course of action at the earliest.

Michel Danino, the head of the NCERT social science curricular committee, dealt with the problem directly. He stated further research is being done to confirm if the markings on the map are wrong. In case errors are found, the map would be rectified and revised in future editions.

Danino also added that the map was drawn under expert guidance from published maps of history never heretofore objected to. He mentioned the subtleties of mapping historical empires, which had permeable frontiers and areas in tribute or temporary arrangement. Significantly, Danino explained that Jaisalmer is not explicitly discussed in the chapter or on the map.

The principal concerns are as follows:

• Historical Accuracy: Maratha domination of Jaisalmer is not documented, argue critics, and the map may prove to be misleading to history students.
• Public Opinion: The controversy demonstrates the sensitivity of historical portrayal, particularly when textbooks shape the worldview of millions of young minds.
• Editorial Oversight: Unlike the Class 7 textbook, the Class 8 book did not include a disclaimer clarifying that map boundaries are approximate. Danino admitted that this caveat should have been included in the latest edition..

The row is after NCERT released new textbooks based on the lines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. The new books are part of a phased roll-out for Classes 1-8 to restructure and improve India's school curriculum.

This episode also reminds one of the issue that teachers face in portraying complex historical events in the appropriate manner, especially when regional pride and scholastic debate are involved. NCERT's decision to re-advertise and, if needed, alter the textbook is a testimony to the dynamic and evolving nature of academic publication, even at school level.

The next in the process is that all evidence and objections as per historical records and scholarly views will be examined by the committee of experts. If there have been errors, they will be corrected in later editions. NCERT asserts its receptivity to criticism, accepting revisions as a standard when positive feedback is provided.

NCERT textbook map controversy gives us a reminder of how important it is to be accurate and transparent in education. With NCERT's scrutiny, all the students, parents, and people who had criticized the mistake can look forward to having more accurate, evolved Maratha maps and other content in the future, maintaining the historical integrity and providing the right information.