As we embark on a journey to rectify historical distortions and broaden the horizons of education, the need for a change of direction has become increasingly evident. Eager to change the fundamental framework of school curricula, the National Educational Research Council finally took an initiative after 62 long years. Changing societal perspectives have prompted policymakers to pay close attention to this idea. The narratives we have been exposed to, particularly in the field of history, have often been biased, perpetuating selective viewpoints and sidelining crucial aspects of the past.
Within the aims and objectives of the framework, the National School Education Curriculum Framework aims to address the long-standing issues plaguing India through a holistic approach. This raises two key questions: “Why?” “” and “What particular problems are considered real?” » The Modi cabinet’s efforts in this direction are facing intense scrutiny from a section of society, making it necessary to answer these questions.
Balancing Perspectives
Historical representation of India has centered on two individuals, Nehru and Gandhi, for several decades. This led to Indian independence being seen primarily as a non-violent revolt against British rule, led by the Indian National Congress and Gandhi himself. This depiction of India’s past is not limited to textbooks and documentaries, but is widely accepted throughout the world.
Generations of armed resistance were central to the complex process that led to Indian freedom. If we focus only on the period after the First War of Independence and ignore the history of fighting against Islamic invaders and European raiders in medieval times, we can see that local rebellions like those started by Bhagavan Birsa Munda in Jharkhand and Koireng Tikendrajit Singh in Manipur in the early 1890s, were considered a major threat, although they were sometimes suppressed by the colonial administration.
Instead, the courage of leaders like Tirot Sing Syiem in the Khasi Hills, Surya Sen in Chittagong, Chandrasekhar Azad, Bagha Jatin, Rashbehari Bose, Bhagat Singh, Vinayak Savarkar and many others has always been portrayed as an act of personal bravery rather than as an act of personal bravery. a component of a larger movement.
The founder of the Hindustan Republican Association, Sachindranath Sanyal, predicted that the history of the revolutionary movement would be deliberately ignored when he wrote “Bandi Jiban” in the 1920s, and I quote: “I write this book so that in future a few chapters of Indian history can be written properly.
In our region, history is taught and discussed more from the perspective of Thomas Carlyle’s “great man theory” than from the perspective of what we call the “complex adaptive system.” Students’ exposure to India’s complex history has been limited by this one-sided representation, which ignores the nuanced contributions of lesser-known individuals and movements that played a crucial role in shaping the country’s history .
The safety valve
In order to establish their personal dominance and support their claims, Europeans engaged in multiple wars and internal conflicts during the 19th and 20th centuries. From the Napoleonic Wars to the Balkan Wars, almost all deserved some form of personal recognition. However, the heat of these wars often ignited a fighting spirit in places where Europeans engaged in theft and dacoity following the forced invasion of Westerners. Japan is a prime example: the imperial monarch defeated Russia in 1905. As the first Asian nation to defeat a major European force since Maharaja Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeated the Dutch at the Battle of Colachel in 1741, this defeat turned out to be a failure. a turning point for revolutionaries in this field. This eventually gave rise to the Pan-Asian movement, which pushed for the unification of all Asian peoples.
Moreover, the anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist struggles that took place in Europe during the interwar period seriously weakened the colonial power and rendered it incapable of fighting on foreign soil. The revolt of 1857, like all such battles, had a significant effect on the British. The British, for their part, realized that there was widespread discontent with them and that they needed to find a way to extend their guarantee of plunder in the region in the long term due to rising anti-capitalist tensions and anti-capitalist. imperialist movements which were later seen in this region led by people like Manebendra Nath Roy in the form of communism.
At this point, a member of the Indian Civil Service, Allan Octavian Hume, decided to take matters into his own hands and persuade his administrative colleagues that a safety valve would be needed in the coming years. In December 1885, the Indian National Congress was formed as a result of Hume’s efforts to create a unified platform for all loyalists to mock various political agitations, which had the direct support of Dufferin, the new governor general .
Now, if this section was taught to students in the context of the Indian freedom movement, it would certainly be easier for them to make connections and see how the freedom we enjoy today was the result of many other forces, not just from Gandhi, from Nehru. , and their INC.
Colonial distortions
We’ve all come across a topic in an exam or discussion forum that asked us to explain the benefits of British railways in pre-colonial times. Given what the majority of our teachers at school had to teach us, it is no longer surprising that few of them advocated for it. However, accelerating the plunder of Bharat was the sole objective of building British railways. Additionally, the construction of railway networks required large property purchases, which often resulted in the expulsion of Adivasis from their ancestral lands. Their communities, their cultural practices and their way of life have been affected by this displacement.
Furthermore, these tribes were further marginalized by the British administration’s emphasis on the extraction of natural resources, frequently found in Adivasi districts. Due to loss of land, insufficient compensation and lack of employment opportunities, Adivasis found themselves economically vulnerable. The development of railways also facilitated the entry of outsiders into Adivasi communities, thereby changing the population and upending traditional norms.
If the colonizers had not done this, the scenario in which society frequently demands the rights of “Scheduled Tribes” would not have existed. These tribes were not historically as poor as is suggested; on the contrary, they possessed many of the natural resources that European plunderers brutally appropriated.
Even though we are aware of the negative effects of colonial control, it is depressing that some circles continue to welcome and discuss colonizers favorably. Such beliefs are often the result of a distorted perspective that romanticizes the period of colonial rule while conveniently omitting the crimes committed, exploitation endured, and lives upended by imperial powers. This selective amnesia ignores the systematic oppression and exploitation of indigenous populations by colonial rulers, which led to great misery for many years.
The stories of resistance, hardship, and resilience presented by individuals who experienced colonization are hidden when colonizers are elevated to the status of kind and generous benefactors. Without acknowledging the darker sides of colonialism, historical inaccuracies, an unjust power structure, and the idea that certain lives and cultures are more valued than others are reinforced when certain aspects of colonialism are celebrated.
Instead of pursuing a narrative that perpetuates evil and injustice, it is essential to study history critically, confront its painful truths, and sincerely honor the experiences and stories of colonized people.
The erroneous narratives we have been given in schools and academic institutions are partly responsible for this continued support for colonizers despite understanding their harmful effects. Colonizers were often portrayed as heroic civilizers in educational programs, who ignored the cruelty of their actions. These biased views have been enabled by the exclusion of Indigenous perspectives and the sanitization of colonial history.
Narrative restart
The incidents discussed here all serve to highlight how crucial it is to immediately reform education for the better. We can eliminate the historical errors that have contributed to these biases by updating school curricula to provide a comprehensive, unfiltered view of history. Students who learn the full story – including the agony, resistance and tenacity of colonized populations – will become more compassionate and informed citizens, preventing the perpetuation of false narratives and the continued exaltation of people who made a lot of harm. True historical understanding requires that we confront troubling facts and work to right the wrongs of the past in order to create a more just and equitable society in the future.
It is crucial to educate students about the full and accurate history of their past. Students who truly understand history have a greater respect for the nuances of their ancestry, the struggles their ancestors overcame, and the victories they achieved. Students develop a more realistic understanding of their culture, community, and the outside world by studying numerous historical accounts. The truth about past events highlights the complexity of human experiences and calls attention to the contributions of many people, organizations, and movements that might otherwise be overlooked.
Such education fosters a generation that is not only aware of its roots, but also well-equipped to manage the complexity of the present and design a more inclusive and just future. It also stimulates critical thinking, empathy and a broader world view. Therefore, teaching children the truth about their past is an investment in both their overall development and the betterment of society.
