Questions about NCERT textbook controversies
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is NCERT and why do its textbooks spark controversy in India?
The National Council of Educational Research and Training was established in 1961 by the Government of India to advise state and central governments on school education and to publish model textbooks. It is government-funded and its director is appointed by the Ministry of Education, making it susceptible to accusations that its curriculum reflects the ideology of whichever party holds power in New Delhi. It has faced such accusations under governments of different parties since its first textbooks appeared.
What textbook changes did NCERT make under the NDA government from 2002 to 2003?
Under the NDA from 2002, NCERT deleted from Ancient Indian History references to beef-eating and cattle sacrifice, a critical evaluation of Puranic traditions in the light of archaeological evidence, the early life of Vardhamana Mahavira, and the explanation of Brahminical hostility toward Ashoka. In 2003, new history textbooks for Classes VI, IX, and XI, authored by Makkhan Lal and Hari Om, gave greater prominence to Hindu culture while reducing coverage of Buddhism, Jainism, and the actions of Muslim rulers. Critics described the exercise as saffronisation of education.
What happened when NCERT removed Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution from Class 10 Science textbooks?
In 2022, NCERT removed Darwin's Theory of Evolution from the Class 10 Science textbook as part of a post-COVID rationalisation exercise, along with the Periodic Table. Over 1,800 scientists, educators, and science communicators signed an open letter by the Breakthrough Science Society condemning the decision, arguing it would severely hinder students' critical thinking and understanding of the natural world. The letter emphasised that Darwin's theory has been central to rational thought since its inception.
Why did the Supreme Court of India ban an NCERT textbook in February 2026?
On the 26th of February 2026, the Supreme Court issued a 'blanket and complete' ban on an NCERT textbook after a chapter titled 'The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society' discussed judicial corruption. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declared, 'I will not allow anyone on earth to defame the institution.' NCERT issued an 'unconditional and unqualified apology' on the 10th of March 2026, and the Supreme Court ruled that three NCERT members be removed from any service paid from public funds.
What was the controversy over the B. R. Ambedkar cartoon in NCERT textbooks in 2012?
In April 2012, a Class 11 Political Science textbook carried a cartoon of B. R. Ambedkar riding a snail labelled 'Constitution', with Pandit Nehru behind him also holding a whip, captioned 'Cartoonist's impression of the snail's pace with which the Constitution was made'. On the 2nd of April, Ramdas Athavale of the Republican Party of India held a press conference and burnt copies of the page. The issue created uproar in both Houses of Parliament, and NCERT chief advisors Yogendra Yadav and Suhas Palshikar resigned after the government apologised and promised to remove the cartoon.
What content did the 2022 NCERT rationalisation remove from school textbooks?
The 2022 rationalisation deleted the entire chapter 'Kings and Chronicles: The Mughal Courts' from Class 12 History, removed chapters titled 'Central Islamic Lands', 'Confrontation of Cultures', and 'The Industrial Revolution' from Class 11 History, and dropped chapters on popular struggles and challenges to democracy from Political Science textbooks across classes. It also removed five pages on the Emergency period from Class 12 Political Science, a description of Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as 'a Brahmin from Pune', and climate-related content including a chapter on the greenhouse effect from Class 11 Geography.