UGC’s revamping of History curriculum omits Akbar, Mughals

Hyderabad: The University Grants Commission’s new curriculum framework for History in undergraduate programs has already received flack from historians and the student community across various universities for the way the subject has been structured.
The preamble of the curriculum framework states that the new framework intends to do justice to the glorious past and vast canvas of Indian history. However, the framework is leaning towards omitting certain aspects of history whilst focusing keenly on some others.
In one paper titled “History of India (1206-1707)”, there is no mention of Akbar and the Mughal Empire seems to exist only to prove the might of other Hindu rulers like Rana Pratap and Hemu Vikramaditya.
The repeated focus on mythology in another paper titled “Idea of Bharat” is being scrutinized for focusing more on the religious than on the political aspects of the society. The stranger aspects of the proposed syllabus framework of the UGC also aim to promote the concept of “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam” and educate undergraduate students on the “Indian perception of Dharma and Darshan.” Another, perhaps amusing topic in the framework, is the focus on “Science and Technology in Ancient India.”  As one research scholar from the University of Hyderabad remarked, “It is one thing to teach Rig Veda and Upanishads but it is a whole another thing to present it at center focus as at the chief idea way of viewing the country. Studying the mythologies also comes with the responsibility of recognizing how the later Vedic period was deeply patriarchal.” However, the suggested reading list for the ‘Idea of Bharat’ is a clear indicator that there is barely any focus on criticizing the mythology and its subsequent impact on history.
“It is clear that the UGC’s framework is hell-bent upon on manipulating history” the scholar added. “What other need is there for the Delhi Sultanate to be disregarded to such a large extent?”