NCERT revises class XII textbook on Ayodhya dispute, focus on Ram Janmabhoomi movement

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The NCERT's Class 12 political science textbook has undergone revisions concerning the Ayodhya dispute.

The updated section prominently features the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, integrates the 2019 Supreme Court verdict permitting the temple's construction, and notably excludes references to the Babri Masjid's demolition on December 6, 1992.

The revised textbook is set to be introduced in classrooms within a month. These updates are part of NCERT's broader textbook revisions for the 2024-25 academic year.

These changes, including topics such as the Congress's decline post1989, the 1990 Mandal Commission, economic reforms beginning in 1991, and the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, were recently communicated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) as reported by The Indian Express.

The original chapter contained a detailed four-page segment (pages 148-151) outlining the events of the Ayodhya dispute.

This included the 1986 opening of locks, subsequent mobilisations, and the Babri Masjid's demolition.

The aftermath, including the President's rule in BJP-governed states, communal violence, and debates on secularism, was also discussed.

Although the revised content is not publicly available, NCERT has acknowledged these changes and provided a rationale for them.