The newly released NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook has run into controversy, with a member of the Jaisalmer royal family objecting to a map depicting Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha empire, calling it “historically misleading.”
Chaitanya Raj Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Jaisalmer wrote in a post on X on Monday: “The map shown in the NCERT Social Science textbook for Class 8 (Unit 3, page number 71) depicts Jaisalmer as a part of the then Maratha Empire, which is historically misleading, factually baseless, and deeply objectionable.”
“In the context of the Jaisalmer princely state, no authentic historical sources mention any Maratha dominance, invasion, taxation, or authority. On the contrary, our royal records clearly state that the Marathas never had any interference in the Jaisalmer princely state,” he added.
The map he referred to shows the extent of the Maratha empire, along with tributary states, in 1759. In addition to parts of the western coast, it shows the Maratha empire as covering a large part of the northern plains and present-day Gujarat, Rajasthan, Lahore, and Peshawar.
“Such unverified and historically unsubstantiated information not only raises questions about the credibility of institutions like NCERT but also hurts our glorious history and public sentiments. This issue is not merely a textbook error but appears to be an attempt to tarnish the sacrifices, sovereignty, and valorous saga of our ancestors,” Singh wrote in his post.
कक्षा 8 की NCERT की सामाजिक विज्ञान विषय पाठ्यपुस्तक (Unit 3, पृष्ठ संख्या 71) में दर्शाए गए मानचित्र में जैसलमेर को तत्कालीन मराठा साम्राज्य का भाग दर्शाया गया है, जो कि ऐतिहासिक रूप से भ्रामक, तथ्यहीन और गम्भीर रूप से आपत्तिजनक है।
इस प्रकार की अपुष्ट और ऐतिहासिक साक्ष्यविहीन… pic.twitter.com/QOeG7c67I6
— Chaitanya Raj Singh (@crsinghbhati) August 4, 2025
He urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to take “such erroneous, malicious, and agenda-driven presentations by NCERT” seriously and called for their immediate correction.
“This is not just a matter of factual correction but is connected to our historical dignity, self-respect, and the integrity of the national curriculum. Prompt and concrete action is expected on this matter,” he wrote.
The NCERT has not responded to a request for comment.
Story continues below this ad
The new Class 8 Social Science textbook, released last month, includes a separate chapter on the Marathas.
Under the old curriculum, the Class 7 History textbook had a section on the Marathas as part of a chapter on 18th-century political formations.
That chapter had two maps indicating state formations during that period. While it did not mark specific boundaries, it placed the Marathas in the region of present-day Maharashtra, with arrows pointing outward to indicate their expansion, and the Rajputs around present-day Rajasthan.
The chapter in the old textbook stated: “By the 1730s, the Maratha king was recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.”
Story continues below this ad
It added: “After raiding Delhi in 1737, the frontiers of Maratha domination expanded rapidly: into Rajasthan and the Punjab in the north; into Bengal and Orissa in the east; and into Karnataka and the Tamil and Telugu countries in the South. These were not formally included in the Maratha empire, but were made to pay tribute as a way of accepting Maratha sovereignty.”
