NCERT Removes Tipu Sultan, Razia Sultan, and Noor Jahan from Class 8 History Syllabus
New Delhi, 8 August – (www.deccanlive.com): Under the New Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has removed several well-known historical figures from the Class 8 history syllabus. These include Tipu Sultan, his father Hyder Ali, Delhi Sultanate ruler Razia Sultan, and Mughal queen Noor Jahan.
Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary confirmed that in the new Social Sciences Part 1 syllabus, there is no mention of Tipu Sultan or Hyder Ali. References to Razia Sultan and Noor Jahan have also been deleted.
Tipu Sultan, famous for his bravery, fought alongside his father in the Anglo-Mysore Wars against the British — a key chapter in India’s freedom struggle. Razia Sultan and Noor Jahan were also significant women in the subcontinent’s history. The removal of their names has sparked debate, with MP Ritabrata Banerjee raising objections in Parliament on August 6.
Government sources say the change aims to make the syllabus “more suitable” for students by keeping it simple and concise. The new content now includes figures like Rani Durgavati, Ahilyabai Holkar, and Rani Abbakka. The Education Ministry says the goal is to give students a broad view of civilizations rather than detailed biographies.
The revised syllabus is divided into four themes: India and the World: The Land and the People, Glimpses of the Past, Government and Democracy, and Economic Life Around Us. NCERT claims these changes are meant to encourage students to learn history through practical activities, fieldwork, and evidence-based study.
However, social activists have criticized the move, calling it an attempt to erase Muslim figures from history textbooks.
