Maharashtra’s Education Minister Dada Bhuse has announced that the glorious history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be included in the curriculum of CBSE schools. However, as per the current syllabus, there is only one lesson with a mere 68 words dedicated to him. Historians and fans of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj claim that CBSE has deliberately sidelined the rich history of the Marathas.
Can the Greatness of Maharaj Be Summed Up in Just 68 Words?
The glorious history of the Marathas has been condensed into just two pages. Within that, the mention of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is limited to only 11 lines — and even those contain just 68 words. This means that children studying in CBSE schools receive only 68 words of information about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life and work — that too, in a dry and emotionless tone. It is evident that these students are deprived of the emotional and intellectual inspiration that comes from learning about Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj’s personage. There is a risk of long-term and serious consequences, as future generations gradually grow distant from their roots, traditions, and rich heritage.
State Board Has a Rich Historical Curriculum
The Maharashtra state board’s Marathi and English medium textbooks for class 4 include the complete history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Textbooks for class 7 also cover the Maratha Empire of the 18th century and social reformers of that era. The cover of the class 4 book features a beautiful illustration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on horseback, and the book includes numerous thrilling, inspiring, and morally enriching stories from his life.
CBSE Pattern to Be Implemented in the State
From this year, the CBSE pattern is being introduced in the state, starting from class 1 and gradually extending to class 12. It has been stated that 30% of the history content will be related to the state. However, looking at the current state of the CBSE curriculum, it appears that it will be difficult for future generations to even know who Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was or what the Maratha Empire represented. Students in CBSE schools also lack information about ancient forts, coastal strongholds, and historical sites of the state. Except for a few well-known figures, the birthdays and memorial days of many other great personalities are not observed in these schools. As a result, this generation is becoming increasingly disconnected from the nation’s history and culture.
Anger Among History Enthusiasts and followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Due to these reasons, there is widespread anger among history enthusiasts, researchers, and fans of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The major question now is — if the CBSE pattern is implemented in the state, what will happen to history classes? The government has stated that the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be included in detail. The public demands that the full saga of Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj, from his birth to the establishment of Hindavi Swarajya, be included in the curriculum.
The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has been advocating for the inclusion of lives and times of Indian heroes in history textbooks for 2 decades now. With a nationalist government at the helm of affairs the Samiti hopes that history textbooks will move away from the glorification of invaders to the celebration of India’s great sons and daughters.
