NCERT drops 3 chapters from Class 9 History textbooks, one on caste and struggles

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has deleted almost 70 pages from the Class 9 History textbooks. This comprises of dropping a total of three chapters—including one that talks about caste conflict through the struggles of the so-called “lower caste” Nadar women of Travancore, who were forced to keep their upper bodies uncovered, reported The Indian Express.

The decision to omit these three chapters is part of the curriculum rationalisation exercise initiated at the behest of HRD Minister in an effort to reduce the burden on students.

The three chapters deleted were “Clothing: A Social History,” “History and Sport: The Story of Cricket” and “Peasants and Farmers.”

“‘Clothing: A Social History’ is the last chapter of the textbook. It shows how changes in clothing in England and India were shaped by their social movements. The section ‘Caste Conflict and Dress Change’, which is on the strict social codes regarding food and dress in India in the past, made headlines in 2016 when politicians objected to references to the ‘Upper Cloth Revolt’ in southern India.”

The revised textbooks will hit the shelves this month itself before the new academic session kicks off. This is also the second textbook review undertaken by the current BJP government. In 2017, NCERT made a total of 1,334 changes, which included additions, correction and data update in 182 textbooks.