STFI Deplores Changes in NCERT Books
C N Bharti
THE all India conference of the School Teachers Federation of India (STFI) held recently had strongly opposed the irrational changes made in school textbooks. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which is entrusted with the responsibility of developing curricula and textbooks that uphold scientific temperament, historical accuracy, and the secular, pluralistic values enshrined in the Indian Constitution, has instead altered textbooks in line with the dictates of the RSS and the BJP government at the centre. NCERT has carried out significant deletions and revisions in various texts, undermining both academic integrity and constitutional principles.
The latest changes introduced by NCERT in the Class VII Social Science textbook have sparked widespread controversy. Earlier, there were three separate books for History, Geography, and Social and Political Life. These have now been merged into a single volume titled ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond’ (Part 1). In this process, crucial topics such as the Delhi Sultanate (12th to 15th century) and the Mughal Empire (16th century) have been completely deleted. The revised history section now focuses only on broad themes such as India and the World, Our Cultural Heritage, and Governance, with its historical scope ending at the classical age of ancient India.
These changes have been justified in the name of reducing the burden on students and “rationalising” content. However, the actual intent, as evident from the pattern of omissions, is to eliminate portions that the Sangh Parivar has long derided as so-called “vote-bank politics” and “minority appeasement.” The STFI conference, in a resolution, condemned this deliberate distortion of history and the removal of lessons originally designed by eminent scholars on the basis of established historical facts. In addition, vocational education has been integrated into the curriculum from Class VI onwards, in line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The resolution opposed the introduction of myths and false history under the pretext of showcasing India’s “rich legacy.” It drew attention to the Gujarat textbook ‘’Tejomay Bharat, authored by Dinanath Batra, an RSS activist, which promotes unsubstantiated claims that do not meet scientific or academic standards. The resolution noted with concern that a new chapter on “vote bank politics” and “minority appeasement” has been added to the Class XI Political Science book in line with communal designs. It further condemned the removal of references to the Babri Masjid and L K Advani’s Rath Yatra from the Class XII Political Science textbook, where the word masjid has now been replaced by the phrase “three-domed structure.” The resolution deplored these distortions and demanded that the recent changes – already opposed by eminent scholars, historians, and scientists – be withdrawn. It underlined that the reasons cited for these modifications fail to meet the established criteria for syllabus design, and that the claims of making textbooks “student-friendly” are baseless and unfounded.
The resolution also highlighted that NCERT has in recent years introduced several other controversial changes. For example, in 2024, significant revisions were made to the Class XII history syllabus, with the claim that new archaeological research had dismissed the theory of Aryan migration as the cause of the decline of the Harappan civilization – an argument that implies Aryans were not foreigners to the subcontinent. Similarly, in a Class VI history textbook, the word “Hindu” was removed from a passage on Birsa Munda. The earlier edition noted that Birsa Munda had “opposed the missionaries and Hindu landlords,” whereas the revised edition deleted the word “Hindu.”
Equally alarming are the deletions from science textbooks. Core scientific concepts, including Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, environmental science topics such as air pollution, the greenhouse effect, and climate change, as well as aspects of the periodic classification in chemistry, have been removed or diluted in Classes X, XI, and XII textbooks. These omissions undermine students’ scientific literacy and weaken their capacity for critical thinking.
On the historical front, crucial content has also been excised. Chapters on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, the 2002 Gujarat riots, and the Babri Masjid demolition have been deleted from history and political science textbooks for Classes VII, VIII, and XII. These erasures deprive students of essential narratives needed to understand India’s diverse historical and socio-political context. While such revisions are officially justified as “syllabus rationalisation” to reduce student burden in the post-COVID-19 period, they clearly reflect an ideological agenda. The deletions disproportionately target medieval Indian history, contributions of Muslims, and accounts of communal violence – amounting to historical revisionism that advances a narrow, sectarian worldview.
The resolution warned that such changes pose a grave threat to the constitutional values of secularism, equality, and diversity. By erasing critical historical events and undermining scientific foundations, they risk fostering division instead of unity and deprive students of a balanced understanding of India’s composite heritage. Educators, historians, and scientists have repeatedly raised concerns about the legality, transparency, and academic validity of these revisions, calling for accountability and the restoration of an inclusive curriculum.
Therefore, the School Teachers’ Federation of India (STFI), at its 9th Conference, strongly condemned the unlawful and ideologically driven deletions and revisions made in NCERT textbooks from 2020 to 2025. The resolution adopted at the conference on this issue, asserted that these changes undermine the secular, scientific, and democratic ethos of Indian education, and demanded their immediate reversal in the interest of upholding academic integrity and constitutional values.
The School Teachers’ Federation of India (STFI) demanded the immediate restoration of the removed scientific and historical content, including Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, key environmental science topics, the history of the Mughal Empire and the Delhi Sultanate, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the 2002 Gujarat riots, and the events surrounding the Babri Masjid, in order to ensure a comprehensive, unbiased, and academically sound curriculum.
STFI further resolved to launch a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about these curriculum changes, involving teachers, students, parents, and civil society. This campaign will include activities such as public seminars, petitions, workshops, and media advocacy, with the aim of demanding transparency and accountability in NCERT’s curriculum development process.
It was further resolved that STFI urge the Ministry of Education and NCERT to establish a transparent, expert-driven, and inclusive process for all future syllabus revisions, free from ideological interference, in order to uphold academic standards and the constitutional values of secularism, equality, and scientific temper.
The resolution concluded with the decision to send copies of this resolution to the Ministry of Education, NCERT authorities, state education boards, and relevant academic and civil society organisations, with a view to mobilising support for the nationwide campaign and to advocate for a secular, scientific, and historically accurate curriculum.
