Is Indian history in school curriculum all about Mughals, British and the Gangetic valley? Why are Indian school students taught only about Mughals & British? Why are the Indian school books talking only about the Gangetic valley? Has the Indian school books ignored the South Indian history? You will get answers for all these questions here.

 

Bashing the Indian history curriculum has been a trend on social media especially from the Indian conservative right-wing & the South Indians. 

History in India is always controversial. When Congress was in power the history curriculum was drafted by the left-wing historians and it has been criticized by the right-wing as they feel that the Marxist version of the Indian history is a blasphemy and it's against Hinduism. Since the current era is lead by the Indian right-wing, there have been many attempts by the right-wing to rewrite history, and the left-wing views it as functionalization of history. 

Counter arguments to the present version of the school curriculum: 

• Right-wing: Students are taught only about Mughals by ignoring the ancient past. 
• Right-wing: Students are taught only about British & this curriculum doesn't focus on the Indian culture and traditions. 
• South Indians: Students aren't taught about Southern Kingdoms at all and they are taught only about Mughals, Rajputs, and British. 

These three claims used to get lots of likes and shares on social media and lakhs of people forward these claims on social media, Before blindly believing in these narratives we can cross-check it. To cross-check this we are taking two state board curriculums and one central board curriculums. 

Tamilnadu state board curriculum: 

6th - Pre Historic period, Indus Valley Civilization, Prehistoric Tamilnadu, Vedic Period, Jainism and Buddhism, Rise of the kingdoms, India after Mauryas. (Only two out of 8 lessons are based on the rulers of Gangetic plain. Islamic invaders -0, British - 0).

7th - North Indian Kingdoms- The Rajputs, Vijayanagara Empire, South Indian Kingdoms, Arab and Turkish Invaders, Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara and Bahmani Kingdoms, Bhakti & Sufi movements. (Only 3/7 Lessons are based on Gangetic plain rulers, Islamic rulers 2.5(It too is a Gangetic plain history), British - 0).

8th - Great Mughals, Rise of Marathas, Advent of Europeans, Anglo-French Struggle, Rule of East India Company, Lord Cornwallis, Marques of Hastings, Lord William Bentinck, Dalhousie, 1857 revolt, Nayak rule in Tamilnadu, Marathas of Tanjavur. (Only one lesson is based on Delhi rulers and I don’t want to disappoint you so I will consider the 1857 revolt as a Delhi-based imperial incident so two lessons :P 2/12 lessons are based on Gangetic plain rulers, Muslim rulers - 1, British -5/12 ).

9th - Ancient Civilizations, Intellectual awakening in 6th century, Medieval age, Beginning of modern age, Industrial revolution, French revolution, cultural heritage of Tamilnadu( Scores: British -0, Islamic rule - 0, Gangetic plain rulers - 0. I am sorry).

10th - Imperialism, First World war, World between two wars, Fascism, Nazism, UNO, EU, Social reform movements, 1857 revolt, Freedom movement phase 1, Freedom movement phase 2, Role of TN in Freedom movement, Social transformation. (Scores: Gangetic rulers - 0, Islamic invaders - 0, British - 3/12).

11th standard part 1- India- Geographical Features and their Impact on History, Pre-Historic India and the Harappan Culture, The Vedic Culture, Jainism and Buddhism, The Rise of Magadha and Alexander's Invasion, The Mauryan Empire, Post - Mauryan India, Sangam Age, Gupta Empire, Harshavardhana (606- 647 A.D), South Indian Kingdoms - I Pallavas, South Indian Kingdoms - II Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, Imperial Cholas, The Spread of Indian Culture in other Asian Countries( Scores - Gangetic rulers - 5/14, Islamic invaders - 0, British - 0).

Part 2 - Early Medieval India, Delhi Sultanate, India under the Delhi Sultanate, Bhakti Movement in Medieval India, Vijayanagar and Bahmani Kingdoms, The Mughal Empire, India under the Mughals, The Marathas, The Coming of Europeans. (Delhi rule(both Hindu as well as Islamic) - 5/9, British - 0).

12th Part 1 - India under East India Company, Lord Cornwallis, The Marquess of Wellesley, Lord Hastings, Lord William Bentinck, Lord Dalhousie ( 1848-1856), Revenue Administration and Economic Policy of the British, Educational and Social Reforms, Palayakkarar rebellion, Vellore Mutiny, The Great Revolt of 1857, British India After 1858: Lord Lytton ( 1876-1880), Lord Ripon (1880-1884) And Lord Curzon (1899-1905), Socio-Religious Reform Movements, Indian National Movement 1,2,3, Role of Tamil Nadu in the Indian National Movement, The Justice Party Rule, Constitutional Development ( 1858 - 1947), India After Independence. (Scores - 8/20 British rule, 2 - British policies, 6 - Indian resistance against British. So British - 16, Islamic invaders -0, Gangetic plain - 0).

12th part 2 - Renaissance, Geographical Discoveries, The Reformation and Counter-Reformation, The American War of Independence (1776-1783), French Revolution, Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, First World War, Russian Revolution of 1917, The League of Nations, Rise of Fascism and Nazism, Second, World War, Growth of Asian Nations: China And Japan, United Nations Organisation, The Cold War, World Today(Scores - Gangetic Kingdoms -0, Islamic invaders - 0, British 0).

Total scores :

Gangetic valley - 17/104,

Islamic invaders - 14.5/104,

British - 24/104. (Note this includes double counting).

Now we will explore the most interesting one. ie- NCERT. Ncert is more of a people-based than political/imperial based. (I won’t add society based topics under imperialistic ones.)

6th - Our past 1 - WHAT, WHERE, HOW AND WHEN?, ON THE TRAIL OF THE EARLIEST PEOPLE, FROM GATHERING TO GROWING FOOD, IN THE EARLIEST CITIES, WHAT BOOKS AND BURIALS TELL US, KINGDOMS, KINGS AND AN EARLY REPUBLIC, NEW QUESTIONS AND IDEAS, ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR WHO GAVE UP WAR, VITAL VILLAGES, THRIVING TOWNS, TRADERS, KINGS AND PILGRIMS, BUILDINGS, PAINTINGS AND BOOKS(Scores - Delhi rulers - 4/12, Islamic rulers - 0, British - 0).

7th - Our past 2 - Tracing Changes Through A Thousand Years, New Kings And Kingdoms, The Delhi Sultans, The Mughal Empire, Rulers And Buildings, Towns, Traders And Craftspersons, Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities, Devotional Paths To The Divine, The Making Of Regional Cultures, Eighteenth-Century Political Formations. (Scores - Delhi come Islamic rule - 4/12, British - 0)

8th our past 3 part 1 - How, When and Where, From Trade to Territory, Ruling the Countryside(Mostly based on commercial agriculture), Tribals, Dikus and the Vision, 1857, Colonialism and the City(Creation of Delhi). (Scores - Gangetic plain and Islamic rule - 0, British rule - 2/6)

8th our past 3 part 2 - Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners, Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation, Women, Caste and Reform, The Changing World of Visual Arts, The Making of the National Movement: 1870s--1947, India After Independence. (Scores: Gangetic plain and Islamic invaders - 0, British 1.5/6)

9th - India and the Contemporary World - I: The French Revolution, Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution, Nazism and the Rise of Hitler, Forest Society and Colonialism, Pastoralists in the Modern World, Peasants and Farmers, History and Sport: The Story of Cricket, Clothing: A Social History. (Scores : Gangetic plain -0, Islamic invaders - 0, British - 0. I am sorry :P)

10th - India and the Contemporary World – II: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe, The Nationalist Movement in Indo-China, Nationalism in India, Making of Global world, Age of Industrialization, Work-life & leisure, Print Culture and the Modern World, Novel, Society and History(Scores: Gangetic plain - 0, Islamic rule - 0, British rule - 1/8)

11th - Themes of Modern World history - From the Beginning of Time, Writing and City Life, An Empire Across Three Continents, The Central Islamic Lands, Nomadic Empires, The Three Orders, Changing Cultural Traditions, Confrontation of Cultures, The Industrial Revolution, Displacing Indigenous Peoples, Paths to Modernization. (Scores : Gangetic plain -0, Islamic invaders - 0, British - 0. I am sorry again :P).

12th - Theme one: BRICKS, BEADS AND BONES The Harappan Civilisation, KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS Early States and Economies, KINSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS, Cultural Developments. (Gangetic valley kings - 1/4, Islamic invaders - 0, British - 0)

12th Theme two: perceptions of travelers, Bhakti & Sufi, AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL: VIJAYANAGARA, PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE: Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire, KINGS AND CHRONICLES. (Gangetic plain come Islamic invaders - 3/5, British - 0)

12th Theme three: COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Exploring Official Archives, REBELS AND THE RAJ The Revolt of1857 and Its Representations, COLONIAL CITIES Urbanisation, Planning and Architecture, MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT Civil Disobedience and Beyond, UNDERSTANDING PARTITION Politics, Memories, Experiences, FRAMING THE CONSTITUTION The Beginning of a New Era. (Gangetic and Islamic rulers - 0, British - 3/6).

Contemporary world politics: The Cold War Era, The End of Bipolarity, US Hegemony in World Politics, Alternative Centres of Power, Contemporary South Asia, International Organisations, Security in the Contemporary World, Environment and Natural Resources, Globalisation.

Total scores :

Gangetic valley - 12/87,

Islamic invaders - 8/87,

British - 9/87. (Note this includes double-counting and this excludes the society/people based lessons as the question is about Rulers, not the society). 

Kerala state board books:

Class 6: Medieval India: The Centres of Power, Medieval India: Society, Resource, and Trade, Medieval India: Art and Literature, Medieval World, Medieval Kerala. (Scores: Delhi come Islamic rule - 2/5, British - 0).

Class 7: EUROPE IN TRANSITION, FROM TRADE TO POWER, RESISTANCE AND THE FIRST WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, INDIA TOWARDS A NEW ERA, TOWARDS A NEW KERALA SOCIETY, GANDHIJI AND THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE, OUR CONSTITUTION.(Delhi rulers & Islamic rulers - 0, British - 3/7).

Class 8: EARLY HUMAN LIFE, THE RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS, ANCIENT TAMILAKAM, TOWARDS THE GANGETIC PLAIN, FROM MAGADHA TO THANESWAR. (Scores: Gangetic plain 2/5, Islamic rule - 0, British - 0).

Class 9: Medieval world, East and the West Era of Exchanges, Administration in medieval India, Society and Economy of Medieval India, India the land of synthesis, Kerala from 8th to 18th century.(Scores : Gangetic plain/Islamic rule : 0.5+0.5/5, British - 0)

Class 10: Revolution that influenced the world, World in 20th Century, British exploitation and resistance, Culture and nationalism, Struggle and independence, India after Independence, Kerala towards modernity, (Delhi rulers & Islamic rulers - 0, British - 2/7).

Total score:

Gangetic rulers - 5/29,

Islamic rule - 3/29,

British rule - 5/29(Includes double counting).

Tamilnadu’s version is a Political History and the versions of NCERT & KSERT are more of social versions.

From the above analysis, we can find that the narrations like “Indian textbooks only talk about Gangetic valley, Islamic rule, British etc” are proved as myths.

While the books of TN and Kerala don't cover North East, NCERT covers Kingdoms like Ahom. The sixth and seventh books talk about Muvenders, Silapathigaram Tamil Sangam works, and Imperial Chola model of administration etc.

Introduction to Fine arts covers Dravidian Architecture and the Rajput architecture of Western India. While people claim that our school books don't talk about Indian culture, ironically many books are based on Indian culture, arts & society. 

Hence the history which we study might have few flaws as the space is limited and it's difficult to fit the 3000yeras old history in 6 books that too for school students. But it is still somewhat inclusive(not as people claim). Our history books are a huge composition of World History & the society/Culture of India instead of glorifying kings and singing the might of some Kings like a court poet(Which is what the people expect). This disappoints the people who want fiction & wars in history books. People who have at least took school books in their lives will never claim so.