Jaisalmer: The NCERT has removed a controversial map from its Class 8 Social Science textbook after objections that it incorrectly depicted Jaisalmer and other areas of erstwhile Rajputana as part of the Maratha Empire in the 18th century.The map used to appear on Page 71 of Unit 3 in a chapter on the ‘Rise of Marathas’ in a textbook titled ‘Exploring Society: India and Beyond’.The revised digital edition of the textbook for the 2025–26 academic session no longer includes the map. A footnote on Page 70 states that “in the next edition of this textbook, a new version of map 3.11 (which depicted the extent of the Maratha empire in 1759) will be given”.Confirming the development Tuesday, Maharawal Chaitanyaraj Singh, the titular head of Jaisalmer’s former ruling family, welcomed the move and said academic institutions were expected to provide accurate and authentic knowledge to students. He said objections to the map were first raised on social media in Aug last year and formally communicated to the NCERT later.Besides the former Jaisalmer royal family, the controversial depiction of the Maratha empire’s extent had triggered opposition from Rajput organisations and community members from across Rajasthan. Singh had earlier described the map as historically misleading, factually incorrect and a grave error, urging Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan for its immediate correction.The controversy widened after other former royal families in Rajasthan also objected to the portrayal of their regions as part of the Maratha Empire. Rajsamand BJP MP Mahima Kumari Mewar and MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar joined the criticism, along with former Union minister Jitendra Singh of the erstwhile Alwar royal family. Brigadier (retd) Bhupesh Singh Hada from Bundi also submitted representations to the central government seeking the removal of the map.Critics argued that there was no historical evidence in official records, archival documents or other authentic sources to support claims of Maratha dominance, taxation, invasion or interference in Jaisalmer. They maintained that the Marathas never exercised control or influence over the region.Devendra Pratap Singh, director of the Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum, termed the map’s removal a positive step but called for the NCERT to apologise, saying the earlier depiction had hurt public sentiments.The move, however, has drawn criticism from some circles in Maharashtra. Maratha historians had defended the map as accurate, citing 18th-century records, including the 1752 pact between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas. After the map’s removal from the textbook, Nagpur’s Raja Mudhoji Bhosale accused NCERT of unilaterally deleting the depiction of Maratha expansion from history books under pressure from Rajput families.
