The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has responded to growing criticism of its newly released Class 8 Social Science textbooks by constituting a high-level expert committee led by Professor Ranjana Arora of NCERT’s Curriculum Studies and Development Department. This follows allegations of several historical inaccuracies and omissions.

Among the contentious points: a map that portrays Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha Empire, flagged by descendants of royal families as “misleading and factually baseless”; the removal of the 1817 Paika Rebellion, described by former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as a “watershed moment”; and the alleged misrepresentation of Ahom history from Assam.

Meanwhile, a political and academic debate has ignited over missing references to Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the Anglo–Mysore wars. In Parliament, officials clarified that while NCERT provides a national framework, states have the freedom to supplement curricula with regional narratives. This panel is tasked with examining feedback based on evidence and making recommendations promptly—a regular institutional practice aimed at maintaining the integrity and inclusivity of history taught to students.