Ancient Indian empires make way to NCERT’s new Class VII textbook

The NCERT’s new Class 7 social science textbook has introduced chapters on ancient Indian empires like the Mauryas, Cholas and Pandayas, Shungas, Kushanas and Satvahanas, under the theme ‘Tapestry of the Past’.

Unlike the previous years, when history, geography and civics were split in three textbooks, the new Class 7 social science text, titled Exploring Society - India and Beyond (Part 1), integrates the three books.

The previous Class 7 history textbook included chapters on Delhi Sultans and the Mughal Empire, but the new Part I of the book does not include these. The history portion in Part I ends with the Gupta Empire, it is yet to be seen whether Delhi Sultans and Mughals will feature in the Part II, expected to be released later.

The new NCERT textbook has been revamped under the National Curriculum Framework (NCF). In Chapter 8 of the next textbook, there would also be a reference to the 2025 Maha Kumbh organised in Prayagraj.

The book also includes a separate chapter on the Indian Constitution. The chapter introduces students to the shaping of the Constitution, with anecdotes of its makers and includes a section of the Preamble.

Each chapter begins with an inspiring quotation from a renowned person or text. On the first page of every chapter, students can find a QR code leading them to interesting videos, puzzles, games and stories related to the content of the chapter.

NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani writes in the book’s foreword: “The text integrates values rooted in the Indian cultural context that we desire our students to develop and introduces global perspectives in an age-appropriate manner.”