NCERT cites ‘sweeping generalisations’ behind move to drop Maratha Empire map from Std VIII textbook

Kolhapur: NCERT's decision to drop a map of the Maratha Empire from the Std VIII social science textbook was based on a high-powered committee's conclusion that it was "problematic due to sweeping generalisations".The country's apex curriculum body, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), said in reply to a complaint on April 24 that the committee had discussed the map issue threadbare in two meetings.The map was dropped from the upcoming 2026-27 reprint following objections from Rajput royalties in Rajasthan. The objectors had challenged the accuracy of the map, which depicted Maratha influence over the Rajputana states in 1759. The removal has prompted opposition from different quarters in Maharashtra.Sangli lawyer Vishram Kadam filed a complaint on the PMO Grievance Portal on March 23 regarding the issue.Gouri Srivastava, head of department of education in social sciences department at NCERT, replied to Kadam that in the first meeting in Aug 2025, the committee expressed the view that the map in question was problematic due to sweeping generalisations."In the second meeting in Oct 2025, taking note of the first meeting, members present felt the map initially had to be withheld temporarily since the Hindi and Urdu versions of the textbook were in the press. Later, on Dec 29, 2025, a note from the chairperson of the committee was received, which was written by the chairperson in consultation with the two expert members of the committee, giving clear directions that the map in question may be withdrawn," Srivastava wrote. The reply was also uploaded on the PMO Grievance portal.TOI's message and calls to Srivastava regarding the letter went unanswered till the time of going to press.Kadam told TOI, "The NCERT reply shows that the objections to the map were not scrutinised thoroughly and the decision was taken in the absence of any eminent voice on Maratha history. I will file a PIL in the high court seeking directions to the NCERT to restore the map."Well-known Maratha historian Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale, who was part of the high-powered committee, attended the first meeting before he died on Sept 17, 2025.While members of Rajput royal families raised an objection saying they were never a part of the Maratha Empire, Maratha historians have cited historical documents such as ‘Ahadnama' – a pact between Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur and Malharrao Holkar and Mahadji Shinde for Nanasaheb Peshwa in April 1752 – as evidence of Maratha authority over Rajput states.Maratha historians said the pact shows that Rajputana was under Maratha influence as ‘chauth' (taxes) was paid to Marathas. The descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj too have raised concern, claiming that the dropping of the map is an "attempt to erase the proud history of Marathas".
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