“Un”suitable Histories

What is the impact of distortions in historical textbooks on institutions?

- Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi IS PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, AND SECRETARY, INDIAN HISTORY CONGRESS

THE revision of history textbooks is a continuous process. It involves more than simply adding new information or omitting material that may be considered inconvenient. Historically, the discipline of history has often served as a tool for political interests. In both scenarios, it is fundamentally about interpreting facts. Concerns arise when historical revision occurs not due to the discovery of new evidence or the introduction of fresh interpretations, but rather as an attempt to remove, minimise, or distort established facts in favour of subjective perspectives. This trend of replacing fact with fiction has become increasingly apparent over the past decade. This situation is significantly impacting the integrity of educational institutions adopting the new textbooks, as well as affecting the morale of the faculty responsible for teaching them. The presence of the National Council of Educational Research & Training’s (NCERT) imprint on a textbook, once regarded as a sign of credibility, is increasingly met with scepticism. Repeated instances of distortion diminish the authority of such institutional endorsements, thereby undermining confidence not only in school-level education, but also within Indian academia more broadly. Moreover, this situation presents a significant challenge for educators who have been trained to approach history as a discipline rooted in causality, analysis, and evidence. Teachers now face the expectation to present fictionalised accounts as factual, potentially misrepresenting certain groups, overlooking others, or omitting entire historical events.

THE RE-WRITING OF TEXTBOOKS NEGATES ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAST 70-80 YEARS. WE ARE BEING TAKEN BACK TO-AND-FROM WHERE WE STARTED.