NCERT Adds Sikh History and Maratha Legacy in Class 8 Social Science Textbook
NCERT has revised its Class 8 Social Science textbook titled “Exploring Society – India and Beyond” for the 2025–26 academic session. It now includes dedicated chapters on Sikh and Maratha history, as well as several lesser-known regional kings who played significant roles in Indian history.
Chapters on Sikh and Maratha History
The updated textbook now contains in-depth chapters about Sikh leaders and their contributions, including Guru Nanak’s spiritual journey, Guru Gobind Singh’s military resistance, the foundation of the Khalsa Panth, and the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur. It also describes how the Sikh Empire resisted British rule until the mid-19th century.
Previously, the Maratha section spanned only 1.5 pages, but now it has been expanded to 22 pages. It covers Shivaji’s rise in the 17th century, his coronation at Raigad Fort, guerrilla warfare, military strategies, administration, and the concept of Swaraj.
The book also features other prominent Maratha figures such as Sambhaji, Rajaram, Shahuji, Tarabai, Bajirao I, Mahadji Shinde (Scindia), and Nana Phadnavis. Many of these names earlier received just a few lines of mention; now they have full chapters.
Focus on Forgotten Regional Kings
The new edition brings attention to historically overlooked regional rulers such as:
- Narsinghdev I (1238–1264 CE), the Gajapati king of Odisha, during whose reign the Konark Sun Temple was built.
- Rani Abbakka I and II
- Martanda Varma of Travancore
Updated Interpretation of Mughal Rule
There are notable revisions in the chapters covering Mughal emperors. The textbook now describes Emperor Akbar’s rule as a combination of cruelty and tolerance, and presents Aurangzeb as a military ruler who imposed taxes on non-Muslims and banned non-Islamic practices.
Religious decisions, cultural contributions, and authoritarian aspects of the Mughal Empire are now interpreted with a new lens, offering students a more balanced view of the era.