NCERT revises Class 8 textbook: Partition narrative tweaked, Savarkar added, Hitler references removed

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has quietly introduced several changes in its revised Class 8 social science textbook beyond rewriting the chapter on the judiciary. The new edition revises the narrative around India's Partition, adds a reference to VD Savarkar's demand for Swaraj and removes mentions of Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology from a chapter on the freedom struggle.

The revised textbook, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, was released this week, months after the Supreme Court ordered the withdrawal of its earlier edition over controversial remarks relating to the judiciary.

Among the notable changes is a revised account of the Partition of India in 1947.


The new edition states that Partition was "widely opposed even by the Indian National Congress" and adds that whether accepting it was "the only way forward" remains a matter of debate.

It also drops an earlier line that said Congress leaders were "helpless" as communal violence engulfed the subcontinent during Partition.

The withdrawn version had stated that the British exploited differences between Hindu and Muslim leaders to divide India and that although Mahatma Gandhi and most Congress leaders opposed Partition, they ultimately accepted it as the only way forward.

Savarkar included, Hitler references removed

The history chapter, India's Long Road to Independence, has also been expanded to include a reference to VD Savarkar's call for Swaraj.

While the earlier edition focused on the Congress' demand for complete independence, the revised version now notes that "a similar demand for Swaraj was expressed by VD Savarkar in 1925."

Another significant revision concerns Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The previous edition had said Bose sought Adolf Hitler's support to raise an army and described Hitler as a dictator whose racist Nazi ideology and expansionist ambitions sparked the Second World War.

The revised text instead says Bose sought support from "anti-British forces", removing all references to Hitler and Nazi ideology.

Judiciary chapter rewritten after Supreme Court intervention

The revised edition follows the controversy that erupted earlier this year over a chapter on the judiciary, which was criticised for allegedly portraying the institution in a negative light.

In February, the Supreme Court directed the withdrawal of both printed and digital copies of the textbook and barred any further publication or distribution of the disputed version. The NCERT subsequently apologised and initiated a review.

The latest edition acknowledges that it has been published following the review process undertaken in compliance with the Supreme Court's directions in a suo motu case.

It also states that Chapter 4, The Role of the Judiciary in Society, has been completely rewritten by an expert committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Education under the apex court's directions.

Fresh legal content added

The revised judiciary chapter removes the controversial references to judicial corruption, court backlogs and two major court verdicts that had triggered the dispute.

In their place, NCERT has introduced new sections explaining Public Interest Litigation (PIL), tribunals and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, offering students a broader understanding of how India's legal system functions.

The revised textbook also reflects changes in the list of contributors.

While the withdrawn edition credited 51 members in its development team, the new version lists 48. The names of Michel Danino, Suparna Diwakar and Alok Prasanna Kumar, who were previously associated with the chapter that drew criticism, no longer appear in the acknowledgements.