A New Chapter of Distortion of Mughal History in Indian Textbooks

In the 2025-26 academic year, India’s National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced major changes in the social science textbook for eighth grade, sparking intense controversy across the country. The new textbook portrays Mughal emperors Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb as lovers of knowledge and literature, yet simultaneously depicts them as brutal rulers who established their reign over the Indian people through plunder, slavery, and force.