A recently published NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook has ignited a fierce backlash from Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer royal family and historians alike, following the inclusion of a map depicting Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha Empire in 1759.
The visual representation has been labelled as “factually inaccurate”, “baseless”, and “deeply misleading” by Chaitanya Raj Singh, a scion of the erstwhile princely state of Jaisalmer, who has taken strong exception to what he considers a distortion of historical facts.
In a public statement shared via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Singh expressed strong disapproval of the map featured on page 71 (Unit 3) of the new textbook.
“The map shown in the Class 8 NCERT Social Science textbook (Unit 3, page number 71) shows Jaisalmer as part of the then Maratha Empire, which is historically misleading, factless, and seriously objectionable,” he wrote.
The Royal Family’s Objections
Chaitanya Raj Singh, speaking as a representative of the Jaisalmer royal family and a custodian of the region’s rich historical legacy, asserted that there is no credible historical evidence indicating Maratha rule, control, taxation, or even military intervention in Jaisalmer during the 18th century.
According to Singh, authentic historical sources and records maintained by the Jaisalmer state confirm that the Marathas neither invaded nor asserted any form of political or fiscal dominance over the region.
“On the contrary, it is documented in our state chronicles that the Marathas never had any interference in the affairs of the Jaisalmer princely state,” he emphasized.
Singh went further to criticize the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the apex institution responsible for setting the national curriculum, for permitting such a glaring error in a textbook that is taught nationwide.
“This type of unverified, historically unsupported information not only casts doubts on the academic credibility of institutions like NCERT, but also offends public sentiment and undermines our ancestors’ sacrifices and sovereignty,” he added.
A Plea for Immediate Rectification
Calling it not just a factual error but a serious affront to historical dignity, Singh has appealed directly to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to intervene swiftly. In his appeal, he urged the minister to initiate an urgent review and ensure immediate corrections to the textbook content.
“Honourable Education Minister Shri @dpradhanbjp Ji, on behalf of the entire Jaisalmer family, I request your attention on this pressing matter. This misleading depiction by NCERT should be taken seriously and corrected without delay.
This is not just a cartographic mistake—it is a question of our identity, legacy, and historical pride,” Singh stated in his post, tagging both the minister and NCERT.
Contextual Background from the Textbook
The controversial map accompanies a chapter detailing the expansion of the Maratha Empire in the 18th century, a period during which the Marathas had grown to become a dominant political force across large parts of India.
The chapter outlines Maratha advances across Delhi, Punjab, and beyond, and their role in collecting tribute from Mughal governors.
One section of the textbook reads:
“The Marathas in the north marched through the Gangetic Doab, reached Delhi, and Punjab. They expelled the son of Ahmad Shah Abdali from Punjab. They collected tributes from the Mughal emperor and the governor of Sirhind.”
Another part notes:
“Thus, the year 1760 marked the phenomenal rise of Maratha power. Their frontier extended on the north to the Indus and Himalayas, and on the south nearly to the extremity of the peninsula, all the territory within those limits that was not their own paid tribute.”
The reference to the 1752 treaty between the Mughals and Marathas, which gave the Marathas rights to collect ‘chauth’ (taxes) in several Mughal-ruled areas, has been cited to justify the depiction of Maratha influence.
However, historians point out that ‘the chauth’ collection does not necessarily equate to administrative or political control, especially in autonomous princely states like Jaisalmer.
Comparisons with Earlier Editions
Interestingly, this year’s curriculum marks a shift in how the Marathas are portrayed. While earlier editions, such as the Class 7 history textbook, addressed Maratha expansion within a broader overview of 18th-century political formations, they refrained from using maps that defined specific territorial boundaries.
Those earlier textbooks noted:
“By the 1730s, the Maratha king was recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula. 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 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.”
In contrast, the new edition includes a more assertive visual map of Maratha-controlled territories, which has now become the focal point of the current uproar.
Awaiting NCERT’s Response
As of now, NCERT has not issued any public statement or clarification addressing the concerns raised by Chaitanya Raj Singh or the objections of historians. The absence of a response has only intensified the debate, especially amid growing calls for accuracy, sensitivity, and historical accountability in educational materials.
While the controversy unfolds, it has reignited a broader discussion about the responsibility of curriculum bodies to present fact-based, regionally inclusive historical narratives that respect India’s diverse princely legacies and pluralistic past.
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